Date of Award
2024
Degree Type
Open Access Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Education (EdD)
Department
Educational Leadership and Policy Studies
First Advisor
Todd McCardle
Second Advisor
Christopher Budano
Third Advisor
Roger C. Cleveland
Abstract
Black and African American adolescent girls have a disproportionate prevalence of obesity, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease when compared to any other ethnic group. Data from previous studies have determined that hair harassment and hair care maintenance are explicit barriers to physical activity among Black and African American female adolescents. The purpose of this phenomenological qualitative study is to examine the lived experiences and implications of hair harassment, hair bias, and hair maintenance among African American female adolescents and investigate their usage and perceptions of yoga/mind-body practice to overcome hair related barriers to physical activity. Nine African American females aged 14-17 years old, attending an urban school in Central Kentucky participated in focus groups and follow-up interviews during their advisory block of school. Major themes of hair harassment emerged during early childhood primarily from Black boys, peer hair touching, physical inactivity due to straight hair and isolation in physical education courses, and stress relief from yoga practice. Findings of this study suggest that physical education courses adopt curriculum changes to more inclusive and culturally relevant teaching that consider hair practices and yoga education. School leaders should revise policies that include hair harassment as a form of bullying and consider the impact of yoga/mind-body practices on students’ race-based trauma experiences. Yoga/mind-body practices, through a racial trauma informed lens should be integrated in the physical education curriculum to enhance social emotional learning.
Recommended Citation
Washington, Crystal Sherry'ce, "Combating Hair Related Barriers to Physical Activity Among African American Female Adolescents with Yoga" (2024). Online Theses and Dissertations. 819.
https://encompass.eku.edu/etd/819
