Healing Through the Struggle: Sociopolitical Empowerment as Context for Youth Thriving
Young people from marginalized groups are impacted by structural and societal injustice yet are systematically prevented from participating in processes that disrupt oppressive systems (Camino & Zeldin, 2002). Because social justice requires the inclusion of marginalized groups in sociopolitical processes, programs and initiatives intended to reduce these barriers to civic and social changemaking have become popular (Ginwright, 2018). In order to meaningfully support youth resistance, those who are positioned to collaborate with young people must be informed about youths’ experiences of oppression and the processes and implications of their sociopolitical empowerment. This explanatory sequential mixed-methods study used quantitative and qualitative data as part of a program evaluation that aimed to explore the impacts of intersecting oppressions on youth well-being, assess the relationship between psychological empowerment and youth well-being, identify program experience factors facilitating the success of youth empowerment interventions, and understand changemaking as a healing experience resolving the traumas of oppression. Data were collected from a 2017-20 evaluation of Changeist, a high-dosage afterschool program engaging middle and high school students in sociopolitical work, including developmental outcome surveys (N = 366) conducted the first and last weeks of program implementation, momentary program experience surveys (4,540 program quality ratings provided by 276 participants) conducted throughout the program year, and program alumni interviews (N = 8) conducted following program completion. First, regression analyses were conducted to (1) predict well-being (i.e., basic psychological needs satisfaction and thriving) from psychological empowerment after program participation, (2) assess the moderating effect of oppression and (3) the mediating effect of healing on these relationships, and (4) predict post-program psychological empowerment from program quality indictors. Next, semi-structured interviews were conducted with program alumni to (1) identify the psychological impacts of oppression on youth, (2) characterize the phenomenon of healing from oppression, and (3) identify factors contributing to healing. Empowerment significantly predicted both post-program psychological needs satisfaction and post-program thriving. The number of oppressed identities held by a participant significantly moderated the relationship between empowerment and psychological needs satisfaction, such that empowerment more strongly predicted well-being for those who are less oppressed; number of oppressed identities did not moderate the relationship between empowerment and thriving. Healing significantly, partially mediated the relationship between empowerment and thriving; healing did not mediate the relationship between empowerment and psychological needs satisfaction. Two program quality indicators significantly predicted post-program psychological empowerment: individual mean enjoyment and individual mean skill development; however, these relationships were only true for middle school program participants, not high school participants. In interviews, participants asserted that oppression has impacted their well-being by causing hyperarousal, emotional distress, maladaptive survival skills, mental illness, and adultification. Participants described their experiences of healing as a resolving of trauma, post-traumatic growth, increased capacity for positive emotions, and increased resilience. Participants identified several factors leading to their healing: identifying with the broader movement for liberation, experience taking critical action, relationships encouraging mattering and attachment, experiencing joy, play and self-expression, and developing mental health management skills. Findings supported the ongoing body of research recognizing systemic oppression as a significant trauma disrupting healthy development, especially for those surviving at the intersection of multiple marginalizations, and demonstrated a direct link between psychological empowerment and well-being. Findings affirmed youth critical action (i.e., behavior to combat oppression and promote social justice; Aldana, Bañales & Richards-Schuster, 2019) as a healing modality; joyful resistance, empowerment skills, and the interpersonal relationships, sense of community, and identity that come from organizing are key drivers of this healing relationship.
critical action, healing, oppression, psychological empowerment, social change, youth empowerment, Developmental Psychology
Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations