Date of Conferral

4-24-2025

Date of Award

April 2025

Degree

Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.)

School

Psychology

Advisor

Sandra Caramela-Miller

Abstract

African American adolescents with untreated mental health problems can have symptoms of depression. Depressive symptoms can persist in adulthood if untreated. Caregiver recognition is the strongest predictor of adolescent behaviors and depressive symptom outcomes. Caregivers can identify depressive symptoms in African American adolescents by focusing on met and unmet needs. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to ask about caregiver perceptions of African American adolescent depressive symptoms with focus on physiological needs, safety, love, esteem, and self-actualization. The theoretical framework for this study is Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. Data analysis was conducted using NVivo to enhance the interpretation and understanding of participant responses. All participants identified sadness, emptiness, negative attitudes, sleep disturbance, loneliness, and boredom as depressive symptoms which were expressed by their adolescents. Caregivers reported the majority of adolescents remained at home or had limited social interactions. They also observed many adolescents experienced frustration and anxiety when faced with problem-solving challenges. The findings highlight urgent need for culturally competent mental health interventions, increased community resources, and policy initiatives to address systemic disparities. Future research would benefit from focusing on developing targeted support systems to promote resilience and well-being among African American adolescents in low-income communities. Understanding the experiences of caregiver perceptions can address African American adolescents' mental health in low-income communities which is critical to fostering positive social change and promoting overall well-being.

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