Rap-Based Intervention Among Youth With Different Strain Profiles: Expression of Lived Reality Through Rap Lyrics

This project examines the potential of a rap-based intervention as a culturally relevant and participatory approach for justice-involved youth. A three-day workshop was conducted with currently detained adolescents (N = 8) and a comparison group including youth with prior incarceration, psychiatric disorders, and normative backgrounds (N = 9). Using a mixed-methods design, the study focuses on qualitative lyric analysis complemented by descriptive quantitative measures collected before, during, and one month after the workshop. Results indicate thematic differences between groups and highlight rap as a highly accepted medium for self-expression among youth with varying strain profiles.