Date of Conferral

8-13-2025

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Counselor Education and Supervision

Advisor

Jennifer Shoffner

Abstract

Black American adolescents have increased rates of suicidal ideation above what is noted in the general U.S. youth and adolescent population. An in-depth literature supports the notion that many counselors and mental health clinicians, post-graduation from their training programs, feel ill-equipped to assess suicidal ideation in Black American adolescents. The purpose of this qualitative, hermeneutic phenomenological study was to examine the lived experiences and competence of counselors who have clinical experience working with Black American adolescents who have suicidal ideation. Prior to the inception of this research, no other documented study addressed counselor competence with assessing suicidal ideation in Black American adolescents. The research questions attempted to capture the lived experiences of counselors and their perceptions of competency for accurate assessment of suicidal ideation among Black American adolescents. A hermeneutic approach was used to allow information sharing among participating counselors (N = 10), all of whom worked in the state of Georgia. The hermeneutic circle was used to enhance the researcher’s own experiences with suicidal ideation and working with Black American adolescents. Eight participants engaged in semi structured interviews, and two participants completed a focus group. Coding and analysis of the interview data yielded four themes: safety planning/assessment, lack of preparation/training, building of skill sets, and need for education and support. The implications of this research for positive social change includes improved outcomes and experiences with competent counselors for Black American adolescents who are suicidal.

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