Date of Award
5-12-2024
Degree Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Arts (MA)
Department
African American Studies
Advisor(s)
Vlad Dima
Keywords
community;Life Satisfaction;psychology;syracuse
Subject Categories
African American Studies | Arts and Humanities | Race, Ethnicity and Post-Colonial Studies
Abstract
Syracuse, NY has a long history of poverty, crime, and low academic performance, especially in communities that Black residents call home. A Thematic Analysis of the Experiences of Black Participants and Their Life Satisfaction in Relation to Living in Syracuse is an exploratory study that examines the life satisfaction of Black residents of Syracuse, NY, as well as what aspects of their lives most affect--and are most affected by--their overall life satisfaction. The theory that guided this research is the bottom-up life satisfaction theory, which states that overall life satisfaction is dependent upon how an individual weighs their own satisfaction with different domains of their lives. Nine participants signed up and met the criteria to participants in a semi-structured focus group that involved discussions relating to life satisfaction, adolescent experiences, relationships, government, community resources, and more. The voiced experiences and perspectives of participants led to over 60 pages of audio transcriptions. The data was then analyzed using thematic analysis. The results of this study revealed three main themes: Community Connectedness, Residential Environment, and Adolescent Experiences. Within these main themes, eight subthemes were identified. The results of the analysis are discussed further in the paper.
Access
Open Access
Recommended Citation
Wilson, Shalyce, "A Thematic Analysis of the Experiences of Black Participants and Their Life Satisfaction in Relation to Living in Syracuse" (2024). Theses - ALL. 876.
https://surface.syr.edu/thesis/876
