| This study gathered and analyzed the perceptions of individuals who work with African American youths in juvenile justice and residential treatment settings. It investigated the current level of understanding of the impact of racism, trauma, and attachment experiences on youths' functioning. The literature reviewed suggests that each of these three types of experiences hold the potential for great impact on the lives of African American adolescent boys, specifically impacting anger, aggression, and behavioral problems. This study generated data to compare participants' (adults who work with African American youth) level of understanding of racism, trauma, and attachment problems with the level of understanding experts have developed from conducting and reading research. The results of this study suggest that the adults sampled do not understand the ubiquity of racism. While the literature demonstrates that 75--100% of African Americans experience racism, these adults believe that less than 75% of their African American youth experience racism. In fact, 43% of the sample believes that less than half of their African American clients have experienced racism. The results also suggest that, as a group, the participants did not fully comprehend the potential level of harm associated with experiencing racism. Additionally, the literature demonstrates the positive effects of openly discussing racism in residential treatment settings. However, the participants reported a relatively low frequency of discussions amongst clients and staff about racism. These results combine with the participants' explicit report of a need for developing a better understanding of how to address race-related stress with their clients. The sample's understandings of the impact of trauma and attachment problems are also addressed within this study. The cumulative impact of these distinct risk factors at varying stages of development is discussed through the lens of psychoanalysis. Overall, this study details the need for efforts to improve the understanding of racism, trauma, and attachment problems of clients in juvenile justice and residential treatment settings. |
