Lived Experiences of Black Girls in Richmond

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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This study is to understand the quality of life of Black Girls in Richmond, Virginia, which includes generating a report about the status of Black girls in Richmond. Research or reports about the state of the girls are growing more common across the country in cities like Los Angeles, Chicago, and Philadelphia. Most of these studies generate deficit narratives focusing on these groups' problems, needs, and deficiencies. Fewer studies focus solely on the experience of Black girls specifically. This study proposes a new approach and explores the quality of life of Black girls using an asset-based approach that thinks differently about the subject of these studies and how to address their needs appropriately.

Official Title
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Lived Experiences of Black Girls in Richmond

Conditions
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Lived Experiences, Strengths, and Community Assets of Black Girls

Intervention / Treatment
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* Behavioral: Survey
* Behavioral: Interviews
* Behavioral: Focus group


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria (Online Survey and focus groups): Self-identify as Black/African American adolescent cisgender girls, between the ages of 12-17, and reside in the City of Richmond. Exclusion Criteria (Online Survey and focus groups): Girls who are not between 12 to 17 years of age, do not self-identify as Black, does not identify as cisgender, legal residence is not located in the city of Richmond, and/or who do not read English. Inclusion Criteria (Interviews): Parents/guardians (any sex; no age range for parent/guardian) of Black girls (ages 12-17) who reside in the City of Richmond; and Black emerging adult women (ages 18-22) who resided in the City of Richmond when they were under 18. Exclusion Criteria (Interviews): Parent/Guardian - Does not have a child (daughter) between the ages of 12-17; child does not self-identify as cisgender and Black/African American; legal residence is not in the city of Richmond; unable to read, write, or speak in English. Emerging adult women - does not self-identify as Black/African American, under 18 or over the age of 22, did not reside in the City of Richmond under 18, and unable to read, write, or speak in English.

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 12 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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No

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Online Survey<br> | Behavioral: Survey<br>* Black adolescent girls (aged 12-17) will participate in an online survey and will be asked questions regarding their strengths, family, school and community experiences, sexual education knowledge, physical health and mental wellbeing, etc.<br>|
| Focus group<br> | Behavioral: Focus group<br>* Black adolescent girls (aged 12-17) will participate in a focus group and will be asked questions regarding their strengths, family, school and community resources, etc.<br>|
| Interviews<br> | Behavioral: Interviews<br>* Parents/guardians of Black girls (aged 12-17) and Black emerging adult women aged 18-22 will participate in individual interviews and will be asked questions about their understanding of Black girls' strengths and resources.<br>|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Survey Outcome | Exploration Subscale is a 7-item instrument about individuals' exploration of their ethnicity measured on a 4-point scale. Community Experience Subscale is measured by a 5-item Rasch-validated measure of youth interpersonal resilience measured on a 4-point scale. Gendered Racial Pride & Empowerment Subscale is a 19-item scale that reflect the intersectional racial and gender messages young African American women receive measured on a 4-point scale. Spiritual Support Subscale is a 13-item scale that measures spiritual maturity in persons of diverse religious and spiritual beliefs measured on a 6-point scale. Safety and Perceived Safety is a 7-item scale that measures community safety perceived measured on a 5-point scale. Physical Health & Mental Wellbeing is measured by 13 items of the 36-Item Short Form Survey measured on a 6-point scale or a 5-point scale. Sleep scale is a 5-item measure of subjective sleep quality for adolescents aged 12-18 years measured on a 6-point scale. | 3 months | 
| Focus group outcome | Strengths of Black girls: summarize the themes of strengths of Black girls; Community assets: summarize the themes of community assets for Black girls | 3 months | 
| Interviews outcome | Strengths of Black girls: summarize the themes of strengths of Black girls; Community assets: summarize the themes of community assets for Black girls | 3 months |