African American Knowledge Optimized for Mindfully Healthy Adolescents

The aim of this study was to obtain an in-depth understanding of African Americans' perceptions of barriers to adolescent and family engagement in psychiatric treatment and research utilizing a mixed methods approach in two Phases. Phase I consisted of data collected via surveys, focus groups and individual interviews with African American adults and youth. The data generated in Phase I provided a foundation for the domains incorporated into manual development and therapist training procedures of the subsequent intervention phase of the project (Phase II). After the research team developed the depression treatment engagement intervention, the intervention was pilot tested in a sample of depressed African American youth and families (Phase II)