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Perceptions of Hope and Hopelessness Among Low-Income African American Adolescents

Harley, Dana Michelle
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1313009132

Abstract Details

2011, Doctor of Philosophy, Ohio State University, Social Work.
In 2001, African American minors comprised 30 percent of children living below the poverty threshold. High poverty environments tend to intensify feelings of hopelessness, powerlessness, depression, and high levels of stress among such youth. Yet, few studies have examined the perceptions of hope and hopelessness among poor African American adolescents. Furthermore, children and adolescents have not historically co-constructed research. This study explores the constructs of hope and hopelessness from the viewpoint of research participants utilizing photographs taken by research participants and in-depth interviews. The following questions guided the research study: a) How do low-income African American adolescents perceive and experience hope? b) How do low-income African American adolescents think about goals, future orientation and hope? c) How do low-income African American adolescents experience and perceive hopelessness? In-depth interviews were conducted and photographs representing hope and hopelessness were taken by 16 African American adolescents ages 13-17. Constant comparative analysis was employed to analyze interviews and photographs. Qualitative analysis software Nvivo9 was utilized to assist in data reduction and for the generation of themes across the data. The use of photovoice with such populations offers unique perspectives and allows for expression of sensitive topics. The analyses yielded important information about how hope and hopelessness are experienced and perceived in the everyday lives of the youth. Hope generated five themes including caring connections, spirituality, education, "basic needs,” and “gonna make it mentality.” Perceptions of hopelessness were connected to negative attitudes and beliefs, external constraints, negative behaviors, and deleterious environmental conditions. This study reshapes the constructs of hope and hopelessness beyond the cognitive process related to goal attainment. It provides specific factors that promote hope and factors that impinge upon hope in low-income African American adolescents. This study also gives new insight to culturally relevant ways in which hope is defined and maintained among African American adolescents. This study highlights the use of culturally sensitive research methods with populations that have been historically understudied and marginalized. Findings from the study provide important implications for social work practitioners, researchers, and educators in understanding the perceptions of children and adolescents.
Rudolph Alexander, Jr (Advisor)
Dawn Anderson-Butcher (Committee Member)
Mo Yee Lee (Committee Member)
207 p.
Social Work
Hope; Hopelessness; Photovoice; African American; Adolescents

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Harley, D. M. (2011). Perceptions of Hope and Hopelessness Among Low-Income African American Adolescents [Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1313009132

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Harley, Dana. Perceptions of Hope and Hopelessness Among Low-Income African American Adolescents. 2011. Ohio State University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1313009132.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Harley, Dana. "Perceptions of Hope and Hopelessness Among Low-Income African American Adolescents." Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University, 2011. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1313009132

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

osu1313009132
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© 2011, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by The Ohio State University and OhioLINK.
Release 3.2.12