A CASE STUDY AFRICAN AMERICAN MALE YOUTH COPING WITH ADVERSITY IN A PREDOMINANTLY WHITE SUBURBAN ENVIRONMENT

A CASE STUDY: AFRICAN AMERICAN MALE YOUTH COPING WITH ADVERSITY IN A PREDOMINANTLY WHITE SUBURBAN ENVIRONMENT Denise Lanier B.A., University of California, Davis, 2007 PROJECT Submitted in partial satisfaction of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF SOCIAL WORK at CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, SACRAMENTO SPRING 2010 A CASE STUDY: AFRICAN AMERICAN MALE YOUTH COPING WITH ADVERSITY IN A PREDOMINANTLY WHITE SUBURBAN ENVIRONMENT A Project by Denise Lanier Approved by: , Committee Chair Joyce Burris, PhD, MSW ii Date: Student: Denise Lanier I certify that this student has met the requirements for format contained in the University format manual, and that this project is suitable for shelving in the Library and credit is to be awarded for the project _ Teiahsha Bankhead, Ph.D., L.C.S.W Graduate Program Coordinator Division of Social Work iii Date Abstract of A CASE STUDY: AFRICAN AMERICAN MALE YOUTH COPING WITH ADVERSITY IN A PREDOMINANTLY WHITE SUBURBAN ENVIRONMENT by Denise Lanier The issue addressed in this study concerns whether a positive youth development program, sensitive to Black youth, effectively negates structural and cultural pressures The environment in this study is important because it is a predominantly Caucasian, university town, where the economic base is high and cultural exploration is low A qualitative evaluative method is employed which includes interviewing of respondents Parents account for scrutiny in their sons’ lives, also observed changes in behavior due to the program The program provided a safe space for Black male youth to relieve stress and discover the benefits of cultural centrality This study lends support to the importance of cultural centrality and the need for supportive services in predominantly Caucasian environments This study concludes with the implications for social work practice _, Committee Chair Joyce Burris, PhD, MSW Date: _ iv DEDICATION First, I thank God who is the head of my life I give Him all the glory because He continues to keep my family and me He also gave me the strength to pursue my dreams I dedicate this project first to my grandfather, Arnold Stephens, who passed away during my second year in the MSW program He was a great man and great inspiration to my life I also dedicate this project to my grandmother, Beatrice Lanier, who passed away in my last semester Lastly, this project is dedicated to my children, Rene and Miles Lampley, who endured the frustrations that graduate level studies bring and who shared in my accomplishment of earning a master’s degree Let my passion and diligence be a lesson for you v ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I would like to thank my advisor, Dr Joyce Burris, for all her encouragement and guidance I could not have chosen anyone better to support me in my efforts to complete this project I am also very appreciative of the parents who responded and participated in the study Your feedback and opinions were the core of this study I also want to acknowledge Jonathan London, Janet Papale and Marilyn Hays who all took an interest in my academic career Lastly, I want to acknowledge my family who has supported me every step of the way vi TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Dedication v Acknowledgments vi Chapter THE PROBLEM Introduction Background of the Problem Statement of the Research Problem Purpose of the Study Research Question Theoretical Framework Assumptions Justification Limitations Summary 10 REVIEW OF LITERATURE .12 Introduction 12 Structural Ideology 13 Racial Socialization 15 vii Cultural Ideology 16 Cultural Centrality 19 Internalization 21 Positive Youth Development Model 23 Group Process 25 Conclusion 28 METHODS 30 Introduction 30 Research Question 30 Design 31 Subjects 33 Instrumentation 34 Data Gathering Procedures 35 Data Analysis 35 Protection of Human Subjects 36 Summary 37 FINDINGS 38 Introduction 38 Demographics 38 Findings 39 High Level of Stress 39 viii High Level of Scrutiny 41 Pressure to Blend In 43 Changes in Behavior 44 Centrality 46 Summary 47 INTERPRETATIONS 48 Introduction 48 Review of Findings 48 Implications 51 Recommendations for Further Research 52 Summary 53 Appendix A Human Subjects Protections 55 Appendix B Consent Form 56 Appendix C Interview Questions 57 References 58 ix Chapter THE PROBLEM Introduction African American males are having an increasingly difficult time achieving in ways that society deems conventional They are having difficulty academically, socially, as well with internalizing some of the negativity they encounter This is problematic because instead of attempting to achieve, conventional or otherwise, most young African American men are adapting to a structure which does not wholly support them; adapting in dysfunctional and unhealthy ways which contribute to adverse and limited life outcomes This general problem exists for the majority of African American male youth in the United States, but when looking at the experiences of this population as they reside in predominantly white suburban areas, the problem has a more narrow focus It has been the experience of this researcher that environments inhabited by predominantly Caucasian residents and business owners, not provide the same cultural cover that integrated or predominantly Black areas Without this cover, child and adolescent development are very different, because race relations and socialization become increasingly important developmental tasks Additionally, the programs and services that parents use to assist as they navigate adolescence are not present in the community; thus, causing them to travel to more urban areas Because little knowledge and expertise concerning the issues and needs of 51 the protection of the environment, youth in predominantly white environments, where there are very few Black educators, mentors and cultural programs, are attempting to cope with facilitating healthy adolescent development without the shielded space It is evident that this task is increasingly hard because police, teachers and even parents scrutinize the youth in social and academic life This caused a great amount of stress for parents and caused them to be extremely protective over their Black youth; Black youth who were exhibiting symptoms of withdrawal from academic and social life This study supports Wright’s (1981) research, which provided that Black students in predominantly white environments will have an increasingly difficult time attempting to socially and academically perform congruently with schoolmates They exhibit higher levels of stress and lower levels of self-esteem In this particular study, parents felt that they could relieve stress by helping their youth to blend into the environment by making sure their youth did not dress, speak or socialize in ways that brought attention to them However, in the home and during program sessions, youth were free to express themselves in whichever way they saw fit Implications The results suggests that because Black male youth suffer from environmental and sometimes cultural pressures, they may need a range of services to help them exert themselves in the environment, live comfortably in the environment and make contributions to their environment Parents recognize the struggle that their youth face as they attempt to achieve this level of comfort Parents therefore make choices to 52 separate their sons from the stereotypic These choices include utilizing cultural programs and services that educate them about the Afrocentricity and cultural mores that may keep them from suffering some of the stereotypic outcomes of the entire population Noguera (2003) agrees that agency is critical in the face of adversity This study implicates the necessity for social workers to develop programs in suburban environments, not only because services are typically scarce, but also because parents want the programs in their communities to assist with the development of their youth Parents clearly recognized the benefits of creating cultural centrality in their environment, however were unclear on how to collectively provide centrality for their youth When social workers are culturally and environmentally competent, they have the ability to facilitate change and adjust outcomes for youth and their families Recommendations for Further Research Barazani, Cosden, Gottheil, Gutierrez and Panteleakos (2004) state that there is not a sufficient number of programs utilizing strength based approaches in order to help youth, families and communities The first reason this is true is that program developers are interpreting and implementing the approaches in a variety of ways The strength-based approach is versatile in that sense However, versatility poses a problem because researchers are finding that conditions and findings cannot be generalized The authors suggest that there are many standardized interventions, therefore replication of approaches become difficult and determining effectiveness 53 over a regional or general population is equally difficult In order for the findings of this study to be generalized, this researcher suggests conducting this study on a much larger scale With the necessary resources, this type of study could potentially prove that Afrocentric strength based programs can contribute to the success of Black youth and instill the necessary skills for them to succeed in all facets of life It is important for researchers to conduct further studies in support of these finding because not only are they contributing to providing evidence that the culturally competent programs and services work, but also they especially work for those youth living in suburban environments Summary The results of this study enhance the knowledge and provide evidence in favor of the use of Afrocentric programs in predominantly white suburban environments Unanimously parents believe that implementing a program such as the one in this study helps their youth to communicate, gives them a space to socialize freely under little scrutiny Parents believe that the program was effective in helping them deal with the pressures of their environment Most importantly, parents believe that the program reinforces racial socialization that was already occurring in the home and builds upon the cultural beliefs that parents instill in their youth in their individual homes The evidence provided in this study helps to operationalize the concepts of cultural centrality and racial socialization for social workers in and around this environment; adding to their cultural competence as they work with clientele in this environment 54 APPENDICES 55 APPENDIX A Human Subjects Protections CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, SACRAMENTO DIVISION OF SOCIAL WORK TO: Denise Lanier DATE: February 24, 2010 FROM: Committee for the Protection of Human Subjects RE: YOUR RECENT HUMAN SUBJECTS APPLICATION We are writing on behalf of the Committee for the Protection of Human Subjects from the Division of Social Work Your proposed study, “A Case Study: African American Male Youth Coping with Adversity in a Predominantly White Suburban Environment.” X_ approved as _ _ _EXEMPT NO RISK _X MINIMAL RISK Your human subjects approval number is: 09-10-092 Please use this number in all official correspondence and written materials relative to your study Your approval expires one year from this date Approval carries with it that you will inform the Committee promptly should an adverse reaction occur, and that you will make no modification in the protocol without prior approval of the Committee The committee wishes you the best in your research Professors: Teiahsha Bankhead, Chrys Barranti, Andy Bein, Joyce Burris, Maria Dinis, Susan Eggman, Serge Lee, Kisun Nam, Sue Taylor 56 Cc: Dr Joyce Burris APPPENDIX B Consent Form Dear Participant: My name is Denise Lanier and I am a graduate student in the MSW Program at California State University, Sacramento I am currently working on my master’s project and would greatly appreciate your help The purpose of this research study is to evaluate whether a positive youth development modeled program, which is culturally sensitive, will assist African American youth in coping with the adversity they face in the city of Davis This study is considered “minimal risk.” Your involvement in this research project is voluntary and involves participating in a recorded thirty to forty-five minute interview The questions will focus on any changes that you have observed in your son’s behavior, attitudes and character You will also be asked about conversations you have had with your son about his involvement in the PYD program You may skip questions if you feel uncomfortable or stop your participation at any time, for any reason If after your participation in the interview you wish to seek support, you may contact Yolo Family Service Agency at (530) 753-8674 Additional referrals are listed on the attached document for your convenience There is no compensation being offered for your participation The results of the research project may be published, but your name will not be used Consent forms will be stored separately from recorded interviews to protect your confidentiality Information that is recorded and transcribed from the interviews will be stored in a separate file in the home of the researcher All documentation and recorded interviews will be destroyed after the study is complete The results of this research project will be available after May 2010 If you would like to see a copy of the results, read the finished product, or if you have any concerns regarding your participation, you may contact me at (530) 758-1183 or by email at dl735@saclink.csus.edu For specific inquiries or concerns pertaining to this study or your participation, you may also contact my thesis advisor, Dr Joyce Burris, at (916) 278-7179 or by email at burrisj@csus.edu By signing or initialing below you are indicating that you have read the consent form and agree to participate in the research project A copy of this consent form will be provided to you upon request Thank you for your participation 57 _ _ Signature/Initials of Participant Date APPENDIX C Interview Questions Define your son’s identity? a Have you seen this definition change since being involved in the group? If yes, give examples Talk about how your son perceives himself? a Have you observed any changes since he has been a member of the group? What improvements have you observed in your son’s self-esteem? a How does he exert self-esteem or confidence? Have you observed any changes in your relationship with your son? What are some of the messages you give your son in terms of racial socialization? What are some of the messages about culture that your son received from the group? How has the group helped your son to become more culturally competent? How has the group helped him to communicate these messages through speech, behavior, and attitude? Tell me about your son’s academic experiences a What areas need improvement? b Have you observed any improvements? c What are his strengths? d How does your son communicate that he needs help? e Talk about the relationship that your son has with his educators f How these relationships affect your son’s educational experience? g What has your son communicated to you about being able to explore culture in an education setting? 10 Talk about the relationships that your son has established with other group members 11 Have you observed an increase in social activities? a If yes, what kind of activities does he now participate in that he did not prior to the group? 12 What did your son like most about the group? 13 What did he like least about the group? 14 How you think a positive youth development program, which is sensitive to this population will benefit the local environment? 58 REFERENCES Anderson, E (1990) Streetwise: Race, class, and change in an urban community Chicago: University of Chicago Press Auerback, J.A., Krimgold, B.K., & Lefkowitz, B (2000) Improving health: It doesn’t take a revolution Health and social inequality Washington, DC: Kellogg Foundation Babbie, E &Rubin, A (2008) Research methods for social work (6th ed.) 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This is a predominantly Caucasian environment where the majority of African American students are... Abstract of A CASE STUDY: AFRICAN AMERICAN MALE YOUTH COPING WITH ADVERSITY IN A PREDOMINANTLY WHITE SUBURBAN ENVIRONMENT by Denise Lanier The issue addressed in this study concerns whether a