Black Male Adolescents Research Articles

Contextualizing Attitudes About Violence from the Vantage Point of Street-Identified Black Male Youth: The Role of the Perceived Neighborhood and Bypassing Adolescence in the Development of Black Masculinity

Using Street Participatory Action Research (Street PAR), we examined the role of subjective neighborhood quality in bypassing adolescence (through adultification) and pro-violence attitudes among Black male youth. One hundred and thirty-seven street-identified, Black adolescent males (M/SD age = 18.07/1.66) were recruited using snowball sampling through social networks of individuals who identified as “street” or engaged in illegal activity. Respondents reported on neighborhood quality, bypassing adolescence, and pro-violence attitudes. Results showed that poorer perceived neighborhood quality correlated positively with bypassing adolescence and pro-violence attitudes. Bypassing adolescence mediated the association between neighborhood quality and pro-violence attitudes. Thus, street-identified Black boys who had more negative perceptions of their neighborhoods endorsed more positive attitudes toward violence and greater bypassing adolescence, or perceived adultification through street life. This novel finding contextualizes the development of violence attitudes in this understudied population and may suggest that bypassing adolescence is an important site of resilience within a street-identified Black masculinity framework.

Trapped in Violence: A Life Table Analysis of Firearm Injury and Death Among Adolescent Black Males

PurposeWe report the chances of 14-year-old males becoming victims of firearm injury or death before age 25 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. MethodsUsing life table methods, we followed 4,501 Black males aged 14 years, and a comparison group of 1,751 White males, over 11 years. ResultsAmong 14-year-old Black males, the risk of a nonfatal firearm injury before age 25 was 10.1% (95% confidence interval, 9.2%–11.0%), the risk of death from firearms was 2.5% (1.7%–3.2%), and the combined risk was 12.5% (11.0%–14.1%). Among White males, the risk of nonfatal firearm injury was 0.8% (0.3%–1.2%), the risk of death was 0.3% (0.02%–0.5%), and the combined risk was 1.0% (0.5%–1.5%). DiscussionRisk estimates reveal the dire likelihood of firearm injury or death among Black adolescent males in Philadelphia. Immediate interventions are needed to de-escalate conflicts, provide supports, and address the upstream causes of violence like poverty and structural racism.

Exploring bereavement processes among BLACK adolescent male CO-VICTIMS of homicide

Black adolescent males are disproportionally impacted by violence exposure and violent loss. The primary aim of this study was to explore the bereavement experiences of Black adolescent males who have lost a friend or family member to murder. Participants were Black adolescent males between the ages of 14–19 years. This was a purposive sample recruited from a community-based study that took place in urban neighborhoods in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Participants who completed their final survey for the parent study were recruited from January to June 2017. Participants completed a brief computerized survey and those who responded affirmatively to a screening question about losing a friend or family member to murder were invited to a qualitative interview. Interviews were audio recorded, transcribed, and coded to identify key themes. Among the 31 youth interviewed, 30 had lost more than one person to murder. Four primary themes emerged from their narratives: (1) self-preservation through isolation, (2) finding sanctuary through shared narratives of loss, (3) freedom from the mind, and (4) post-traumatic growth (i.e., motivation, healing, resilience). Findings suggest that interventions that provide sanctuary for youth that are culturally relevant and create opportunities for youth to process violent loss may aid in promoting opportunities for youth to grieve and heal from violent loss.

Hip Hop, Social Reproduction, and the Possible Selves of Young Black Men

Twenty-seven years ago, the documentary Hoop Dreams solidified a theory—that the world of athletics was one of the few places where adolescent Black males could find success. By the late 1990s, researchers were framing athletics as the next direction in the Civil Rights Movement. In this article, I argue that the historical framing of Black boys in athletics—as a way up, a way out—is similar to the contemporary framing of Black boys in Hip Hop Based Education (HHBE). Using an ethnographic case example of the Homeboys, a group of adolescent Black males experiencing homelessness, I maintain that HHBE, without critical implementation and reflection, limits the possible selves of Black boys in socially reproductive ways. Unlike Hoop Dreams, which historically created an incentive to stay invested in formal educational settings, HHBE offers little “possible selves” development for young Black men. This research asserts that if HHBE, and the myriad ways Hip Hop is taken up in formal and informal educational settings is not dually paired with the critical process of institutional actors envisioning all the possible selves that black boys can become, then it becomes another hegemonic socially reproductive tool wielded by educators.

Examining the integrated model of the interpersonal-psychological theory of suicide and intersectionality theory among Black male adolescents.

Guided by Opara etal.'s (2022), Integrated Model of the Interpersonal Psychological Theory of Suicide and Intersectionality Theory, the current study examined contextual stressors experienced disparately by Black youth (racial discrimination, poverty, and community violence) as moderators of the association between individual motivating factors for suicidal thoughts and behaviors (perceived burdensomeness, thwarted belongingness, and hopelessness) and active suicidal ideation. Participants were 457 Black adolescent boys (mean age = 15.31, SD = 1.26) who completed self-report surveys. As predicted, the association between perceived burdensomeness and active suicidal ideation was significantly moderated by economic stress. In addition, the association between peer belongingness and suicidal ideation was significantly moderated by racial discrimination, but there were no moderating effects for school belongingness. Finally, the association between hopelessness and suicidal ideation was significantly moderated by both racial discrimination and witnessing community violence. These findings highlight the need for research, interventions, and policy work devoted to using integrated approaches of individual and socioeconomically relevant patterns of suicidal thoughts and behaviors to support Black youth exposed to various forms of structural oppression.

Paternal Communication and Sexual Health Clinic Visits Among Latino and Black Adolescent Males With Resident and Nonresident Fathers

PurposeLatino and Black adolescent males experience sexual health inequities, and their engagement in sexual health services remains low. Parents shape adolescent sexual health behavior and other youth outcomes. However, the role of Latino and Black fathers in promoting male adolescent sexual health is understudied, in part because about one in four fathers resides apart from their children and nonresident fathers are presumed to be less influential. We examined associations of paternal communication with sexual health service use and perceived paternal role modeling among Latino and Black adolescent males with resident and nonresident fathers. MethodsWe recruited 191 Latino and Black adolescent males aged 15–19 years and their fathers in the South Bronx, New York City, using area sampling methods; dyads completed surveys. We estimated bivariate and adjusted associations of paternal communication with adolescent male sexual health service use and perceived paternal role modeling using logistic and linear regressions. Effect measure modification by paternal residence was assessed. ResultsA unit increase on a five-point paternal communication scale was associated with approximately twice and 1.7 times the likelihood of clinical sexual health service use during adolescent males' lifetime and in the past 3 months, respectively; there was no significant effect measure modification by paternal residence. Paternal communication was associated with increased levels of perceived paternal role modeling and usefulness of paternal advice, with stronger associations for nonresident fathers. DiscussionBoth resident and nonresident Latino and Black fathers warrant greater consideration as partners in promoting male adolescent sexual health service use.

In Their Own Words: The Experiences of Black and Latinx Youth in Culturally Relevant Programming

This study aims to learn from and with students of color to understand the influence of culturally relevant programming. Grounded in conceptions of counter-narrative and culturally relevant education (CRE), we center the voices and perspectives of Black and Latinx male adolescents to explore the impact of CRE-related programs and practices. Drawing on 10 focus groups with 37 students in urban schools, we illustrate how integrating community-based mentoring, critical conversations, and family-based relationships positively shaped students’ high school experiences. These findings contribute to growing empirical work on the benefits of CRE, while pushing for holistic efforts that extend beyond the classroom.

Barriers to School-Based Mental Health Resource Utilization Among Black Adolescent Males.

Black adolescent males use available mental health services at a disproportionately lower rate compared to males of other racial groups. This study examines barriers to school-based mental health resource (SBMHR) use among Black adolescent males, as a means of addressing reduced usage of available mental health resources and to improve these resources to better support their mental health needs. Secondary data for 165 Black adolescent males were used from a mental health needs assessment of two high schools in southeast Michigan. Logistic regression was employed to examine the predictive power of psychosocial (self-reliance, stigma, trust, and negative previous experience) and access barriers (no transportation, lack of time, lack of insurance, and parental restrictions) on SBMHR use, as well as the relationship between depression and SBMHR use. No access barriers were found to be significantly associated with SBMHR use. However, self-reliance and stigma were statistically significant predictors of SBMHR use. Participants who identified self-reliance in addressing their mental health symptoms were 77% less likely to use available mental health resources in their school. However, participants who reported stigma as a barrier to using SBMHR were nearly four times more likely to use available mental health resources; this suggests potential protective factors in schools that can be built into mental health resources to support Black adolescent males' use of SBMHRs. This study serves as an early step in exploring how SBMHRs can better serve the needs of Black adolescent males. It also speaks to potential protective factors that schools provide for Black adolescent males who have stigmatized views of mental health and mental health services. Future studies would benefit from a nationally representative sample allowing for more generalizable results regarding barriers and facilitators to Black adolescent males' use of school-based mental health resources.

Child Firearm Injury Circumstances and Associations With Violence Intervention Program Enrollment

IntroductionPediatric firearm injuries are the leading cause of death among American children. While assault is the most commonly cited cause, few studies have investigated circumstances surrounding such injuries. Violence intervention programs (VIPs) have been utilized to combat firearm violence, though a similar lack of knowledge exists regarding possible associations between firearm injury circumstances and youth VIP enrollment. MethodsThis cross-sectional study included children aged 6-17 y who presented to an urban level 1 pediatric trauma center with firearm injuries from 2014 to 2017. Victim demographics and enrollment in a VIP were obtained from medical records, as well as circumstances surrounding the injuries based on account of the victim, victim's family/friends, and/or police present at the hospital. Circumstances included location of the shooting, if the shooter was known to the victim, and if the shooting was confirmed by the victim or their contacts to have been accidental or an intentional assault. Medical record numbers were used to locate victims in our trauma registry in order to obtain their assigned international classification of disease codes. Wilcox-rank sum, Pearson's chi-squared and Fisher's exact tests were used to detect associations between demographics, VIP enrollment, and shooting circumstances. Results156 victims of firearm injury were described, including primarily Black adolescent males. 72% of victims were shot outdoors by an unknown shooter, the motivation of which was unknown in 93% of cases. 36% of these shootings were “drive-by”. The majority of victims received international classification of disease codes for assault, though shootings that were confirmed by the victim to have been intentional assaults were relatively uncommon (13.4%). Most children lived in the same zip code in which they were shot (71%), and three particular zip codes accounted for 40% of shootings. 26% of victims chose to enroll in the VIP, and those that were victims of confirmed assaults (odds ratio 3.5) as well as those admitted to the hospital (odds ratio 2.4) were significantly more likely to enroll. ConclusionsBased on victim account, children living in an urban setting are more frequently victims of unclearly motivated, outdoor neighborhood shootings rather than intentional assaults. More accurate understanding of the causes of pediatric firearm injuries should inform both recruitment into VIPs, as well as a balancing of VIPs with community-level interventions to address firearm violence.

Type of household firearm ownership and firearm suicide among adolescents, 1976–2018

After declining steadily for almost two decades, the rate of firearm suicide among adolescents (aged 15–19 years) has increased nearly every year since 2007. At the same time, overall levels of household firearm ownership have been declining. In this paper, we examined whether and how types of firearms in the homes of adolescents have changed over time, and the extent to which such changes are associated with trends in firearm suicides among adolescents. Our analyses focused on understanding these trends among Black and White male and female adolescents to better understand longstanding race-gender differences in firearm ownership and firearm suicide. With combined data from the General Social Survey (GSS) and the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), the findings show that handgun ownership in Black and White households increased over the last four decades, while overall levels of firearm ownership declined. Increases in handgun ownership were predictive of increased firearm suicide rates among White adolescents, especially among males. We found no significant relationship between firearm suicide among Black adolescents and firearm ownership among Black households, regardless of gun type, which is potentially unsurprising given that firearm ownership is substantially lower in Black households compared to White households. Possibly reflecting race and gender differences in household gun ownership, our findings also show that rates of firearm suicide were lower for Black and female adolescents and highest for White male adolescents. Taken together, these findings provide new evidence on the relationship between trends in firearm ownership and adolescent firearm suicide and address important questions about the influence of race and gender for understanding firearm suicide among adolescents.

When WE See Us: Commentary on Black Adolescent Research by Black Male Youth Activists.

Research viewed exclusively through the lenses of adults, even good-meaning adults, in some respects can strip young people of their agency to create knowledge about their world and their conditions. Given this reality, this commentary departs from traditional forms of research about adolescents to make spaces for Black male adolescents and young men to make sense of, and highlight their own connection to, research. It is our hope that scholars and practitioners who are interested in supporting Black youth will gather insights from our experiences, and hopefully use them to elevate the agency of Black youth in their schools and communities.

Is ACEs Screening for Adolescent Mental Health Accurate and Fair?

Increasingly, adversity-focused assessment tools are being introduced into preventive mental health screening protocols. However, few studies have explicitly examined whether use of these instruments serves as equitable, clinically useful measures of mental health risk in adolescents. In response, the present study examined whether an adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) measure was accurate and fair as an index of environmental risk for adolescent mental health diagnoses. Secondary data analyses were conducted on the National Comorbidity Survey-Adolescent Supplement. Adolescents (N = 10,148; AgeMean = 15.20; 51.3% male; 65.6% White, 15.1% Black, and 14.4% Hispanic) answered ten questions concerning childhood adversities and completed diagnostic interviews for PTSD, depression, and externalizing disorders. In the overall sample, ACEs showed some clinical utility (e.g., area under the curve (AUCs) ≥ 0.64), diagnostic likelihood ratios (DLRs) > 4.0) and acceptable calibration (i.e., expected/observed indices' confidence intervals included 1) across diagnoses. Within subpopulations, however, predictive validity varied. The AUCs were lower for multiple diagnoses in Black male and Hispanic female adolescents and DLRs suggested greater clinical utility for indexing mental health in White, female adolescents. Finally, models were not well-calibrated between adolescent subpopulations, suggesting recommended ACEs screening can potentially produce biased results when used to inform mental health policy and prevention. Reasons for why results from ACEs screening may vary across adolescent subpopulations and the importance of testing statistical fairness for preventive mental health screening are discussed.

Exploring Black adolescent males' experiences with racism and internalized racial oppression.

We explore Black male high school students' perceptions of racial oppression, their internalization of racial oppression, and the impact of these experiences on their academic lives. Using constructivist grounded theory, 10 semi-structured interviews were conducted with Black adolescent boys. Results identified five core categories: (a) racial socialization, (b) understandings of and experiences with racism, (c) emotional and behavioral responses to racism, (d) internalization of racial oppression, and (e) school resistance and support needed. Based on these categories, we developed an ecological model of Black male students' experiences with racism and internalized racial oppression to elucidate existing interactional dynamics within students' ecological contexts. We discuss how schools and counselors can better support Black adolescent boys' positive development and ability to cope with racism and internalized racial oppression. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

Upper extremity firearm injuries: epidemiology and factors predicting hospital admission.

Civilian gun violence is a public health crisis in the USA that will be an economic burden reported to be as high as $17.7billion with over half coming from US taxpayers dollars through Medicaid-related costs. The purpose of this study is to review the epidemiology of upper extremity firearm injuries in the USA and the associated injury burden. The Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research's Firearm Injury Surveillance Study database, collected from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System, was queried from 1993 to 2015. The following variables were reviewed: patient demographics, date of injury, diagnosis, injury location, firearm type (if provided), incident classification, and a descriptive narrative of the incident. We performed chi-square testing and complex descriptive statistics, and binomial logistic regression model to predict factors associated with hospital admission. From 1993 to 2015, an estimated 314,369 (95% CI: 291,528-337,750; 16,883 unweighted) nonfatal firearm upper extremity injuries with an average incidence rate of 4.76 per 100,000 persons (SD: 0.9; 03.77-7.49) occurred. The demographics most afflicted with nonfatal gunshot wound injuries were black adolescent and young adult males (ages 15-24years). Young adults aged 25-34 were the second largest estimate of injuries by age group. Hands were the most commonly injured upper extremity, (55,014; 95% CI: 75,973-89,667) followed by the shoulder, forearm, and upper arm. Patients who underwent amputation (OR: 28.65; 95% CI: 24.85-33.03) or with fractures (OR: 26.20; 95% CI: 23.27-29.50) experienced an increased likelihood for hospitalization. Patients with a shoulder injury were 5.5× more likely to be hospitalized than those with a finger injury (OR:5.57; 95% CI:5.35-5.80). The incidence of upper extremity firearm injuries has remained steady over the last decade ranging between 4 and 5 injuries per 100,000 persons. Patients with proximal injuries or injuries involving the bone were more likely to require hospital admission. This study should bring new information to the forefront for policy makers regarding gun violence.

"Be Kind But Not Too Kind": Black Males' Prosocial Behaviors in the Face of Dehumanization.

This qualitative study examined how adolescent Black males (N = 12) talk about their identities, prosocial behaviors, and connections between them. Of special interest was whether and how the participants included their experiences of dehumanization. Focus group data were analyzed using modified analytic induction. Participants felt good about their racially gendered identities but felt they occupied a precarious position in the United States. Participants’ beliefs about how others viewed them motivated restraint from engaging in too many prosocial acts to prevent appearing vulnerable. Participants explicitly referred to their experience of oppression in these discussions and its interaction with identity and prosociality. Results suggest research must consider how macro‐level processes like racism influence the identities and prosocial behaviors of adolescent Black males.

Intersecting Structural Oppression and Suicidality Among Black Sexual Minority Male Adolescents and Emerging Adults.

This study examined associations between structural racism, anti-LGBTQ policies, and suicide risk among young sexual minority men (SMM). Participants were a 2017-2018 Internet-based U.S. national sample of 497 Black and 1536 White SMM (ages 16-25). Structural equationmodeling tested associations from indicators of structural racism, anti-LGBTQ policies, and their interaction to suicide risk factors. For Black participants, structural racism and anti-LGBTQ policies were significantly positively associated with depressive symptoms, heavy drinking, perceived burdensomeness, thwarted belongingness, self-harm, and suicide attempt. There were significant interaction effects: Positive associations between structural racism and several outcomes were stronger for Black participants in high anti-LGBTQ policy states. Structural racism, anti-LGBTQ policies, and their interaction were not significantly associated with suicide risk for White SMM.

Development of Black to Success: A Culturally Enriched Social Skills Program for Black Adolescent Males

Within schools across the nation, disproportionality in school discipline policies and practices continues to impact many racially and ethnically minoritized (REM) students. To combat the detrimental implications of discipline disproportionality, systemic changes to policies, practices, and accountability for teachers and school staff are required. Additionally, more culturally responsive social–emotional learning programs and interventions intended for Black males are needed to teach and promote culturally relevant prosocial behaviors. The current study sought to collect evidence from leading experts regarding the cultural validity of a culturally enriched social skills program for Black male adolescents titled Black to Success (B2S). Feedback from experts was integrated into the B2S curriculum to foster effectiveness and appropriateness for Black male participants. Results suggest that experts agreed or strongly agreed that the ten social skills and instructional strategies within B2S were important and culturally relevant, and included activities that promote positive racial/ethnic identity development of Black adolescent males.Impact Statement Feedback from school psychologist with expertise in social skills, racial/ethnic identity development, and culturally responsive adaptations to interventions for Black male adolescents enabled modifications to improve the cultural relevance and effectiveness of a culturally enriched social skills program for Black male adolescents. Such interventions are needed for Black adolescent males to promote culturally appropriate prosocial behavior and help Black males navigate the systemic barriers such as discipline disproportionality found within schools. Impact Statement Feedback from school psychologist with expertise in social skills, racial/ethnic identity development, and culturally responsive adaptations to interventions for Black male adolescents enabled modifications to improve the cultural relevance and effectiveness of a culturally enriched social skills program for Black male adolescents. Such interventions are needed for Black adolescent males to promote culturally appropriate prosocial behavior and help Black males navigate the systemic barriers such as discipline disproportionality found within schools.

Understandings of mental health and support for Black male adolescents living in the UK

Black males within Western society, who navigate recurrent racism and discrimination, have frequently been constructed as “high risk” for mental health difficulties. Research, particularly in the USA, has identified the barriers that Black males face in relation to seeking help, with research outlining the underutilisation of mental health services and overrepresentation of acute mental health diagnoses such as psychosis. Research within the UK has explored barriers to help-seeking amongst males in general, or adult Black males who are within the mental health or prison systems, yet to date little is known about the ways in which Black male adolescent youth outside of formal services understand mental health. Therefore, this paper offers a contribution to knowledge by examining the way in which young Black males in the UK make sense of mental health and associated systems of support. Data from ten interviews with males aged 16–18 from a South London school was collected and analysed using thematic analysis (TA). The young Black males’ understandings of mental health were embedded with notions of masculinity, being in control and strong, and they understood mental health as something that is experienced by other people. Formal support for mental health difficulties was constructed as an unfamiliar and unapproachable system, that is often unkind and discriminatory towards Black males. Speaking to family and friends about mental health difficulties felt more accessible for these young males, however their construct of mental health and constructs within the community provided further silencing on using this support. This study suggests important implications for understanding the experiences of mental health and seeking support amongst Black male adolescents in the UK.

The Need for Parent-Adolescent Conversations About Racial Discrimination in HIV Prevention Interventions

Black male adolescents and young adults (AYA) have eight times the rate of HIV compared to white male AYA [1]. To address this significant disparity, interventions that consider the social contexts and lived experiences of black males are critical, including racial discrimination and the role of parents in racial socialization and identity development [2–5]. Black males experience racial discrimination as early as preschool [6]. For example, black students are more likely than white students to be disciplined, expelled, and to be placed in juvenile detention facilities, especially black male students [6].

Condom Decision Making Among Latino and Black Adolescent Males: Social Neurobiological and Paternal Influences

Purpose: We explored mechanisms of paternal influence associated with adolescent male condom decision making and behavior within an integrated framework of social neurobiological and behavioral theories of condom use. Method: Self-administered surveys from Latino and Black adolescent males aged 15–19 years ( n = 191) and their fathers were obtained. Dyads were recruited using area sampling methodology. Analyses included multivariable logistic and ordinary least squares regression examining direct and indirect associations of adolescent decision-analytic and paternal influence factors with adolescent condomless sex in the past 3 months. Results: Notions of masculinity, low-risk perception, partner approval of, and self-efficacy for condomless sex were associated with engaging in unprotected sex. Adolescent males reported reduced odds of engaging in condomless sex when indicating greater levels of father–son communication, relationship satisfaction, and paternal monitoring. Conclusion: Father-based interventions grounded in integrated theoretical frameworks of behavioral decision making and neuroscience have the potential to promote condom use among adolescent males.