Dr. Jaleel Abdul-Adil
Interview
- Q: You are the co-founder of Young Warriors, a youth intervention program that uses modern rap music and hip-hop media while working with urban adolescents. How important is it to speak to the kids in their own language?
- A: I think it is essential to use language and other contextual features of assessment, treatment, and prevention that are culturally and contextually relevant to the specific kids participating in these services. With Young Warriors, I developed that program in response to the media and events that were reflections of kids' daily lives, preferences, and aspirations. Consequently, I could use their "language" to convey traditional psychology concepts and practices that addressed both their strengths and challenges.
- Q: Recently you've been transitioning from handling specific cases to mentoring professionals and students who are working with chronically troubled youth. What's the most unexpected reward of mentoring, and what do you miss most about working directly with young people?
- A: I think that the most unexpected reward of mentoring is to assist in the development of current and future scholars, researchers, and practitioners who are seeking to make a positive difference in the lives of arguably the most needy populations. The chronically troubled youth targeted by my mentorship activities face daunting challenges, in terms of both severity of clinical problems and scarcity of intervention resources, and I am pleased to take on this challenge of "serving the incorrigible" in conjunction with colleagues and trainees.
- Q: What's the biggest challenge faced by the Disruptive Behaviors Disorder Clinic?
- A: The complexity and co-morbidity of the children and families. Many of our children and families have endured multiple stressors, including community violence, physical and sexual abuse, school failure, court and police interventions, multiple residential transitions, and chronic and debilitating poverty. Consequently, I have had to design services that incorporate these complexities and co-morbidities while linking to community agencies as supplemental and concurrent service providers to address this multitude of needs.
- Q: Share your favorite success story with us.
- A: In brief, I had a 10-year-old who was considered a "throwaway" after failing multiple placements and exhibiting severe emotional and behavioral problems, despite years of previous clinical and medication services. By mobilizing best clinical practices as well as family and community support networks, I/we successfully made a dramatic turnaround such, that the youth was able to terminate services without a need for resumption in treatment.
- Q: Any chance of you wearing a suit and tie to the office now that your focus is on management?
- A: No, never. My wardrobe is a direct reflection of my personal and professional beliefs. Consequently, you'll always see my Islamic wardrobe as an indicator and reminder of my underlying motivations of service and explicit principles of professional practice. I do not, however, have anything against any of my old suits that I have since donated to charity!
While I find I enjoy this new mentorship role, I do miss the intensive direct contact with the children and families who participate in my mentorship-related activities. Consequently, I use periodic introductions, videotaped sessions for consenting families as well as volunteer community services to maintain a direct link to the community that maintains relevance and insights into "real world" experiences rather than abstract academic/statistical perspectives.
