Observing their backyards, neighborhoods, and the world at large, Hartford teenagers have plenty on their minds these days. Twenty youth (ages 14-17) working at The Institute for Community Research’s Summer Youth Research Institute (SYRI) have spent their summer studying how violence, partner relationships, and family situations affect teen stress. The youth researchers will present their findings, based on interviews, surveys, and visual research, to the community on Friday, August 11, 2006. The event will take place at The Institute for Community Research, 146 Wyllys St. in Hartford. It will begin at 1 pm and is free and open to the public.

A six-week summer program, SYRI trains Hartford youth to conduct participatory action research, where they determine an issue to investigate, decide what methods they will use to collect data, work together to analyze their findings, and then use their results to create change. “I’ve learned how to ask questions the right way, which will be useful in school,” says Youth Researcher Jennifer Rodriguez, 15, of the survey group. “Certain questions might be too hard for people to answer, and they just blank out,” she says.  Prevention Research Educator Damion “Sincere” Morgan emphasizes that participatory action research gives a community voice, as a way to raise, study and confront problems that it faces. “It’s interesting to talk about teen stress, because it isn’t discussed often,” says the facilitator of the Institute’s youth program. “A lot of the time the media talks about the independent variables that the youth identified, such as the violence ripping through the city. But they don’t talk about how that actually impacts one of Hartford’s most vulnerable populations: teenagers.”

Rodriguez was surprised to find that family situations, not violence, seemed to cause teens the most stress. “Family situations are stressful mainly because of paying bills and arguing with your parents or guardians,” Jennifer says. “When you see your parents struggling, you want to help.” According to Jennifer, stress takes a toll on teens - “you wake up stressed every day, making it hard to concentrate on other things.” Preliminary results indicate that the youth surveyed mostly handle stress in positive ways - by sleeping, or writing music and poetry.  

The young researchers also interviewed youth and adults in Hartford about teen stress and its causes. To find out how community members associate violence, partner relationships, and family situations with teen stress, a group conducting visual research presented images representing these ideas to youth and adults, and asked them to organize the images according to how stressful they are - then explain their reasoning.

The youth researchers are able to collect their data with cooperation and support from summer youth employment programs at Junior Art Makers, Echoes From the Street, Crunchtime Recording Studio, City Scan, Project Crecer, and the Village South.

SYRI participants are employed through the Summer Youth Employment and Learning Program of Capital Workforce Partners, which supports the program along with the Connecticut Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services. For more information please contact Chiedza Rodriguez, Youth Action Research Institute Coordinator, at (860) 278-2044 ext. 256.

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The Institute for Community Research is an independent, nonprofit organization that conducts applied research and community enhancement programs to promote equal access to health, education, and cultural resources.