African American Mothers and Adolescents: Experiences with Mental Health Services

What is it about?

This research explored African American families’ experiences using mental health services. Forty mother-and-youth (ages 13 to 19) pairs were interviewed. Most had little experience with counseling or therapy. Group and family therapy were viewed favorably, but many families reported problems with medication, feeling a lack of professionalism, breaches of trust, and low concern from providers. These negative experiences may help explain why many African Americans do not seek mental health care. This research shows how low satisfaction with mental health services may stop African American families from seeking care. It highlights how positive experiences like group or family therapy matter, but that concerns about medication, confidentiality, and provider care often discourage use. Listening to families’ perspectives helps guide improvements in care access and quality.

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Photo by Wagner Santos on Unsplash

Photo by Wagner Santos on Unsplash

Why is it important?

The findings shed light on the mental health care experiences of African American mothers and adolescents, revealing that dissatisfaction with medication practices, confidentiality, and provider engagement may hinder service use. Favorable attitudes toward group or family therapy suggest areas for offering culturally attuned, collaborative care. Understanding and addressing these concerns can inform policies and programs to build trust, improve service quality, increase engagement in care, and better support underserved families.