A mixed methods analysis of a culturally responsive body image pilot intervention for black adolescent girls: Black...

BackgroundBlack adolescent girls develop body image within intersecting sociocultural contexts shaped by race, gender, and physical activity, yet few interventions are culturally and gender-responsive to their lived experiences.ObjectiveThis study examined the preliminary impact of Black Girl Joy, a culturally responsive body image and wellness pilot intervention, on psychosocial outcomes among Black adolescent girls.Study designExploratory mixed-methods pilot study using a single-group pre-post design.MethodsThe 7-week intervention was delivered to Black middle school girls participating in a district-based enrichment program in Southern California. Participants who completed both pre- and post-assessments (N = 14) were included in the analyses. Outcomes included body image, self-esteem, physical activity enjoyment, self-compassion, and anxiety/depressive symptoms. Prior to analysis, normality of difference scores was evaluated using the Shapiro-Wilk test. Given observed violations of normality and the small sample size, Wilcoxon signed-rank tests were conducted for all pre-post comparisons. Baseline bivariate correlations were also examined. Qualitative data were collected through three semi-structured focus groups and analyzed using inductive thematic analysis.ResultsBaseline correlations revealed a positive association between body image and self-esteem, and a negative association between self-compassion and anxiety/depressive symptoms. Wilcoxon signed-rank tests indicated no statistically significant pre-to-post changes across outcome variables; however, several outcomes showed small-to-medium effect sizes in the expected direction, including body esteem weight (r = .320), PHQ anxiety (r = .348), and self-compassion self-kindness (r = .359). Qualitative findings identified four themes: body image discussions, perceptions of physical activity, connection, and program recommendations. Participants described increased self-love, confidence, and self-kindness; enjoyment of both strength-based and expressive movement; meaningful peer and coach relationships; and a desire for greater autonomy in programming.ConclusionFindings demonstrate the feasibility and acceptability of a culturally responsive pilot intervention for Black adolescent girls. Larger, controlled studies are needed to evaluate efficacy and inform scalable implementation.