East African Immigrant Females: Adolescent Developmental Protective/Risk Factors

University Of California, San Francisco, San Francisco CA

Investigators

Abstract

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Current positive youth development frameworks acknowledge the unique strengths, protective factors and risk factors contributing to adolescent development. Screening tools, treatment and intervention plans, as well as community programs that integrate these protective/risk factors have been developed using knowledge gained from adolescent populations. However, little is known of the developmental processes leading to decision- making and health behavior development in the growing African immigrant adolescent population. It is unclear whether the information on strengths and risk factors currently in practice are applicable to this unique population. The purpose of this grounded theory study is to examine the developmental strengths and protective/risk factors of this immigrant group with a focus on adolescent females. This study aims to 1) explore adolescent perceptions, beliefs and attitudes toward health and self-development; 2) describe factors across social contexts that contribute to risk and protective factors, developmental assets, and health behaviors; and 3) describe the resources and barriers to healthy adolescent growth and development (e.g., adequacy of health information and social and tangible support, acculturation). The overall goal of the study is to develop a theory of risk and protective factors inherent in the female African immigrant adolescent population. Twenty to twenty-five early adolescent female East African immigrants, ages 11-18, will be recruited from community centers in the San Francisco Bay area to participate in this grounded theory study. The Risk/Protective Factor Framework developed by Hawkins, Catalano and Miller and Bronfenbrenner's Ecological model will provide the theoretical underpinnings for the development of interview guides. The interviews will explore various aspects of development including, but not limited to health, health behaviors (nutrition, physical activity, and risk behaviors) and self-development (self-esteem, self-identity, interpersonal relationships) with respect to the experience of immigration and adaptation to life in the US. Using procedures of grounded theory method, the iterative analysis of data collected will be used to reach an understanding of the phenomenon and theoretical integration will result in a grounded theory/model. This population will benefit from evidence-based theory that begins to highlight the unique developmental strengths as well as health risks of African immigrant females. Understanding the unique risks and protective factors of this population, which contribute to overall health and social success, is key in overall health promotion and in preventing the degradation of health status so often seen in immigrant groups. This may, in turn, result in program development and supportive interventions that are developmentally and culturally appropriate and effective.