Date Approved

2024

Degree Type

Open Access Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department or School

Teacher Education

Committee Member

Patrice Bounds, Ph.D.

Committee Member

Ethan Lowenstein, Ph.D.

Committee Member

Paul Ramsey, Ph.D.

Committee Member

Irene Ametrano, Ed.D.

Abstract

African American adolescent suicidality has become more prevalent, and urban school counselors are positioned uniquely to intervene. This research studied the overarching societal factors in the sociocultural, economic, and political spheres that influence increased suicidality behaviors in African American adolescents from the perspective of urban school counselors. The focus of this research was to hear the lived experiences of urban school counselors regarding the impact of racial discrimination on African American adolescent suicidality. The two theoretical frameworks that were used to support this study are the world-systems analysis theory and critical race theory. This study took a qualitative phenomenological approach that virtually interviewed seven school counselors that serve students in urban school settings. The interviews obtained information from the urban school counselor’s perspective on how race influenced suicidality in the real-life stories of adolescents they counseled. The research findings confirmed that racial discrimination may in fact influence African American suicidality but that further research is needed. Common themes that emerged were manifestation of African American adolescent suicidality, the Black experience, parental involvement, racial experiences in school, school procedure, and school prevention. Future topics of study were provided as well as implications for practical implementation for urban school counselors.

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