Date of Conferral
5-6-2024
Date of Award
May 2024
Degree
Ph.D.
School
Human Services
Advisor
Gregory Hickman
Abstract
Adversity has been a topic of study among scholars who have highlighted the relationship between stress and depressive symptoms increasing over time because of childhood experiences and exposure to traumatic situations. The purpose of this generic qualitative study was to explore the perceptions and experiences of Black young adults age 18–35 regarding depressive symptoms and strategies used to cope with adverse experiences throughout their teenage years growing up in a low-income community and later in life. The perspectives were examined through a retrospective lens of the young adults’ adolescent years. Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory was used as the framework to explain the impact of each system on human development. Semistructured interviews with nine participants were used to capture the data for this study. The themes that emerged from deductive content analysis were (a) the impact of financial hardship, (b) the impact of the lack of support and guidance, and (c) the impact of racism and discrimination. All three themes affected the participants’ ability to successfully cope with depressive symptoms and adversity. Findings may inform individuals who work with this population by implementing culturally sensitive services and supports tailored to the needs of this population, which may increase their emotional awareness and healthy coping strategies.
Recommended Citation
Harding, Sherral, "Perceptions and Experiences of Black Young Adults Regarding Depressive Symptoms and Strategies Used to Cope With Adverse Experiences During Adolescence" (2024). Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies. 15704.
https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/15704
