Amplifying Black Canadian Youth Voices on Mental Health Service Utilization
Abstract
This research addresses the urgent need to understand the unique challenges faced by Black Canadian youth in accessing mental health services during critical developmental transitions. These youth often struggle to recognize and express mental health concerns, leading to help-seeking behaviours primarily in crises. Systemic racism, stigma, and the scarcity of Black mental health professionals further hinder timely access to care. This study specifically examines the mental health experiences of Black adolescents during crucial transition periods at the end of elementary school (grades 7/8) and secondary school (grades 11/12), filling a significant gap in the literature. The study engaged Black Canadian youth as co-researchers by employing a community-based participatory research approach grounded in the Unified Theory of Behavior and Bronfenbrenner's Bioecological Model. The research unfolded in three interconnected phases: focus groups, workshops, and collaborative knowledge mobilization. Insights from the focus groups directly informed the content and structure of the workshops, ensuring that they were relevant and responsive to participants' lived experiences. The workshops, in turn, served as a collaborative space for co-creating knowledge mobilization tools designed to resonate with and be accessible to peers. Reflexive thematic analysis revealed systemic, cultural, and individual-level factors influencing engagement with mental health services, including media portrayal, family dynamics, internalized racism, and learned helplessness. By exploring the impact of developmental transitions on Black adolescents' mental health, this research fills a critical gap in existing literature and proposes actionable strategies to enhance the equity and inclusiveness of Canadian mental health systems.