Hope and Despair: Diverse Voices of Hope from Urban African American Adolescent Gang Members

The Center for Disease Control (2010) found that 9.8% of African American adolescents reported having a suicide plan compared to 10.9% of all youth surveyed. Hope emerged as a caring construct in a study of african american adolescent gang members and may be a factor in the prevention of depression and suicide. Before age 12, adolescents were hopeful about their future, but shortly after their thirteenth birthday, they expressed feelings of hopelessness and despair. Interventions for promoting health and well-being in African American gang members include nonjudgmental listening, forming age-specific support groups, and offering strategies for achieving life goals.