P3.P307: Our Voices Matter Pilot Study: A Racial Justice Activism Intervention to Reduce Depression in Adolescents

Background: The murders of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor ignited protests that drew over 15 million participants, underscoring activism as a unified response against racism. Black and Latinx youths experience adverse mental health impacts due to racism and may engage in racial justice activism (RJA) to mitigate these effects. RJA encompasses efforts to combat racial injustice through political, communal, and interpersonal means. Limited research has explored RJA's potential as a beneficial coping mechanism for the mental well-being of Black and Latinx adolescents. The RJA Our Voices Matter pilot study aims to fill this gap by evaluating the impact of this intervention on adolescents’ depression and anxiety.

Methods: The RJA intervention was piloted February-April 2023, with 7 Black and Latinx adolescents in Chicago, IL (Mage = 16, SD = 1.3). Across 8 weeks, the group engaged in 90-minute virtual sessions. Participants learned about activism and social change through a critical examination of race and racism. The adolescents elected to concentrate their activism efforts on the school-to-prison pipeline, delving into national and local contexts using primary sources. They then devised social media campaigns raising awareness and prompting action concerning inadequate mental health resources in schools and the racial disparities present in school disciplinary procedures. Participants completed baseline, mid-point, and post-intervention measures of depression (Patient Health Questionnaire-9), anxiety (General Anxiety Disorder-7) and measures about intervention acceptability and adherence.

Results: Using Wilcoxon non-parametric signed-rank test, we found a statistically significant decrease in depressive symptoms from week 1 (M = 11.3) to week 8 (M = 6.2; z = -2.21, p = .03, r = -0.64). Participants had a 38% reduction in depressive symptoms by week 4, and a 45% reduction by week 8. The five-point reduction from week 1 to week 8 met the minimum clinically important difference, moving the average from moderate to mild depressive symptoms. Additionally, participants reported a reduction in anxiety symptoms from week 1 (M = 11.3) to week 8 (M = 7; z = -1.63, p = 0.1, r = -0.47), although it was not statistically significant. On a Likert scale from 1 (strongly disagree) to 7 (strongly agree), participants reported that sessions were helpful (M = 5.83), and an appropriate length (M = 5.67). The attendance rate was 71%-100%, with absence due to school and civic engagement activities.

Conclusion: The Our Voices Matter RJA intervention produced both a statistically significant and clinically meaningful reduction in depressive symptoms for Black and Latinx adolescents. Despite the adverse effects of racism on adolescent mental health, this study has demonstrated racial justice activism can serve as an adaptive coping strategy to enhance wellbeing. In the future, RJA must be examined as a health-promotion strategy to address the mental health burden that Black and Latinx adolescents face.