Date of Conferral
2023
Degree
Ph.D.
School
Human Services
Advisor
Gregory Hickman
Abstract
African Americans are 56% of the incarcerated population in the United States. Black males spend an average of 13.4% of their working lives incarcerated and 82.6% of their working lives addressing the stigma and restrictions associated with incarceration. The purpose of this study was to address a gap in research by exploring the preincarceration collaborative religious coping strategy experiences of Black males with a history of criminal offenses. Pargament’s theory of collaborative religious coping strategy guided the research, interview questions, and data analysis. The qualitative narrative approach with purposeful and snowball sampling was used to recruit and collect data from 14 participants. Data were collected via narrative interviews conducted by email or telephone, and the descriptive and interpretive analysis approach was applied. The key findings, conclusions, and recommendations include the recognition of the importance of the relationship between Black males and their neighborhood peers; collaborative religious coping strategies were taught, but in practice participants indicated they were encouraged to use self-directed or deferred coping strategies. Human services agencies that work with Black male adolescents should consider ways to engage neighborhood peers and consider incorporating collaborative religious coping in their treatment plan. The findings of this study have potential implications for positive social change by encouraging Catholic schools and other faith-based schools and agencies to consider examining their discipline policy for consistency in teaching and practice.
Recommended Citation
Springer, Pearlette E., "Preincarceration Collaborative Religious Coping Strategies of Black Males with a History of a Criminal Offense" (2023). Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies. 13795.
https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/13795
