March 2019 - March 2021
The following study is part of the first steps in data collection for my dissertation. The data collected from these interviews, outlined below, will be used to develop a survey and future interview questionnaires that will investigate Black boys experiences with mental health and institutional punishment. In this study I look to investigate Black boy’s perspectives, comprehension and experiences of mental health. Using a modified health belief model, I look to understand how these perspectives interact with modifying factors to impact Black boys mental health communication behaviors. A key modifying factor that is of interest is experiences of institutional punishment and rather or not these experiences impact their perception and understanding of mental health and subsequently their mental health communication behaviors. Currently literature about Black boys mental health and Black boys experiences with punishment tend to be separate areas of study. A central goal of this study is to unite these areas of research in an attempt to more deeply understand the perspectives and experiences of Black boys.
