“A SAFE SPACE TO GO TO”: AN INTERPRETATIVE PHENOMENOLOGICAL ANALYSIS EXPLORING BLACK ADOLESCENT GIRLS FROM LOW SOCIOECONOMIC BACKGROUNDS SENSE OF BELONGING IN SCHOOLS AND THE ROLE OF THEIR SCHOOL COUNSELOR
Restricted (Penn State Only)
Author:
Clarke, Nkenji
Graduate Program:
Counselor Education
Degree:
Doctor of Philosophy
Document Type:
Dissertation
Date of Defense:
August 29, 2024
Committee Members:
Elizabeth Prosek, Professor in Charge/Director of Graduate Studies Elizabeth Prosek, Major Field Member Ashley Patterson, Outside Unit & Field Member Javier Casado Pérez, Major Field Member Janice Byrd-Badjie, Chair & Dissertation Advisor
Keywords:
Black girls Belonging School belonging School counseling Culturally responsive practices Development Black Feminist Theory Interpretative phenomenological analysis Misogynoir School counselor Systemic harm
Abstract:
The purpose of this qualitative research study was to explore the lived experiences of Black adolescent girls from low socioeconomic backgrounds regarding their sense of belonging in schools and the role their school counselor had in influencing their feelings of belonging. The critical theoretical framework that guided the design of this study is Black Feminist Thought (Collins, 2000). Belonging was expanded through a critical lens utilizing the Black feminist works of bell hooks (2009), specifically her book entitled Belonging: A Culture of Place. Eight Black adolescent girls from low socioeconomic backgrounds, who were alumna from a high school dedicated to girls and gender-expansive youth in a metropolitan city, were purposely selected to participate. Semi-structured individual interviews were conducted with the participants exploring how they self-defined and their experiences with Black girlhood, how they defined sense of belonging and experienced it in school, and their relationship with their school counselor and ways in which they fostered feelings of belonging. Findings from this research study reveal the significance of counternarratives, collectivist approaches, advocacy, and anti-oppressive practices and policies within the education pipeline. Seven themes emerged from the participants’ responses: (1) (Re) defining belonging in schools, (2) Affirming My Standpoint, (3) Deep Connections to Building and Sustaining Community, (4) Developing Tomorrow’s Leaders Today, (5) We are a [Learning] Collective: Academic Advocacy, Motivation and Engagement, (6) Destigmatizing Mental Health and Providing Psychological Safety, and (7) Role of the School Counselor in College-Going Culture. This research reveals the developmental and well-being impact of school belonging on participants, as well as implications to better support Black girls and other students with minoritized identities.
