Search

Child and adolescent mental health indicators were trending in the wrong direction pre-COVID-19 and have worsened with the exacerbation of life stressors during a pandemic, especially among youth of color and girls (Racine et al. in JAMA Pediatr 175:1142–1150, 2021). Hip Hop integrated group work with adolescents has increased in the literature, with an emphasis on being more culturally responsive and engaging compared to traditional therapeutic approaches. Levy and Travis (J Spec Group Work 45:307–330, 2020) found in their research that while all Hip Hop integrated groups were effective, the semi-structured group had the most significant reduction in symptoms of stress, depression, and anxiety, compared to the highly structured and minimally structured groups. The purpose of the present study was to determine whether a Hip Hop integrated intervention, that is multi-modal and interdisciplinary (i.e., blending two distinct models [HHE/CCMC] and facilitated by a social worker and school counselor). could effectively promote positive social and emotional development, across three leadership styles. Three groups of six high school students (total n = 18), identifying predominantly as Latinx and Black, were selected from a high school summer enrichment program. Results suggest social and emotional benefits for youth across all groups, regardless of facilitation style. Benefits included increased confidence, a strong sense of community, experiencing joy, and a willingness to step outside of their comfort zones to collaborate and create something personally meaningful. The setting (summer) and sample (high school students) have implications for programming and policies to best meet the mental health needs of youth year round and during times of instability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mental health disorders and suicidality are rising among adolescents and young adults (A-YA) while rates of treatment engagement remain notoriously low. Emerging research supports the potential of music-based interventions to improve mental health, but their efficacy remains unclear for A-YA. This systematic review evaluates the evidence on music-based psychosocial interventions to improve engagement in treatment and/or mental health outcomes among A-YA. This review was prospectively registered with PROSPERO and followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Twenty-six studies were extracted. There was heterogeneity of designs, populations, measures, and outcomes. A typology of music-based interventions emerged, which is characterized by combinations of three broad categories: 1) Somatosensory, 2) Social-Emotional, and 3) Cognitive-Reflective. Most interventions are Socio-Cognitive and Holistically Integrated (combines all three) followed by Socio-Somatic. All interventions involved Social-Emotional processes. Results indicate that most studies report significant effects for mental health outcomes related to social and emotional improvements and reductions of internalizing symptoms for adolescents. Few studies targeted young adults and effects on engagement were rarely measured. There is a need for more studies that use rigorous methods. This review illuminated a need for interventions that are developmentally and culturally tailored to subgroups. Finally, the field is ripe from more studies that apply experimental therapeutics to conceptualize, operationalize, and test mechanisms of change to improve the understanding of how and for whom music-based interventions work. Recommendations for embedding these innovative strategies into research and practice for A-YA are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Mental health remains a significant issue among young people in the US and elsewhere. Evidence of the beneficial role Hip Hop-based approaches can play in this space is growing. The value of such approaches centers on links to community, culture, and the therapeutic potential of practicing certain Hip Hop elements. Yet, while there has been a steady growth in Hip Hop-based approaches, little work has explored how they can overlap, complement, or reinforce each other. In response, this article explores the theoretical synergies between two established Hip Hop-based models – "Hip Hop and Empowerment" (HHE) and "Therapeutic Beat Making" (TBM) – to offer an integrated approach that draws on the complementarity between and uniqueness of each. Findings: Authors identify an integrated HHE–TBM model for supporting youth mental health which forefronts sense of community, cultural relevance, social justice, and empowerment. Authors outline a practice model, which leverages the best of activities, reflections, and discussions, and indicate its potential in working adaptively with diverse communities of young people. Applications: When engaging Hip Hop for therapeutic means, whether for health promotion or complex therapy, it is a dynamic, creative, culturally sensitive, regulating, and developmental means for finding common ground and creating rapport. It bridges creative and insight-oriented practices. It embraces the ability to generate emotional responses from creating and analyzing music, including esthetic emotions (i.e. appreciation (of qualities)), utilitarian emotions (i.e. functional, motivational, relevant to immediate well-being, goal-oriented), and epistemic emotions (i.e. gained knowledge or insight, awareness). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Successful reintegration of formerly incarcerated individuals into communities is important because of both the personal and emotional costs to the former offender and the social and financial costs to the community and criminal justice system. Prior research examining reentry success has used structural and psychological explanations for better understanding the processes that contribute to recidivism. Using B.F. Skinner's (1957) Theory of Verbal Behavior as a theoretical foundation, twelve focus groups totaling 128 formerly incarcerated persons and reentry service providers were conducted that explored perspectives of the current reentry system, views on recidivism, and opportunities for improvement. Results indicate that a Verbal Behavior approach enhances the understanding of reentry when examined as a metacontingency with a goal of a particular outcome. Implications for reentry intervention are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article describes Empowerment Today, a strategy developed by two work educators, linking public and higher education, public health, and hip-hop culture to enhance the personal and academic success of African Americans. Empowerment Today aims to promote positive youth development among male African Americans. The results reportedly showed improvements and that they align with the core positive youth development of confidence, competence, and connection.

Hip-hop culture can be used as a conduit to enhanced cultural competence and practice skills through the individual and community empowerment framework. This framework is introduced as a tool for direct practice that allows social workers to understand the competing messages within hip-hop culture and how they may impact youths by promoting or inhibiting positive youth development. The individual and community empowerment framework can inform direct practice skills for improved communication and relationships by providing a structure for collaborative development of goals and change strategies. The individual and community empowerment assessment tool and a sample music index are included. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses community development in South Africa. South Africa, which is the most industrialized country in Africa, is often referred to as a first-world country in a third-world continent. In a country in which former apartheid rule served to "under-develop" the majority of South Africa's population while the minority portion held on to power and control through social, political and economic inequalities, the task for the new government was to "reconstruct develop". Poverty is an issue of great concern for all of South Africa. A major characteristic of urban poverty is the emergence of sprawling informal settlements comprising illegal squatters. Social and economic development was needed in South Africa. Many people live in communities with little or no infrastructure and in social conditions which perpetuate the country's problems of violence, poverty, ill health, illiteracy and a plethora of related issues faced by South Africans and the government. Community development is a method that is very attractive because it promotes empowerment and holds the people to be the key factor in their development. The concept of community development requires contributions at each level of development projects. Community development as a capacity-building process is used to help areas become self- sustaining. It involves contributions from a variety of directions.