LIBERATING OURSELVES WITH #RADICALPERMISSION: A MIXED-METHODS INTERVENTION STUDY OF PEOPLE IN DIGITAL COMMUNITY

Online mental health communities (OMHC) serve as a vital avenue for individuals facing mental health challenges and in need of connection and support, especially those from marginalized communities such as queer people of color (QPOC). Self-permission is the degree to which an individual utilizes self-determined thoughts, feelings, and behaviors to increase their well-being. Radical Permission is a community approach that encourages individuals to practice self-permission. The three studies of this dissertation examine Radical Permission in an online context, its links to mental health and well-being, and its ability to cultivate an OMHC. Paper 1 used data from a social media platform (i.e., X) to conduct a thematic content analysis to identify self-permission categories used during COVID-19 and socio-political unrest. Papers 2 and 3 used data from a mixed methods pilot feasibility study of 32 young adult QPOC (ages 18-29 years) experiencing depression and anxiety symptoms. Thematic analysis revealed 9 self-permission categories (e.g., Permission to ‘Be,’ Permission to Move Towards, Permission to Accept the External) employed by social media users, and the results were applied in the creation of the pilot intervention mixed methods study of Radical Permission for QPOC. Paper 2 examined the overall feasibility, demand, acceptability, and implementation of the intervention, platform metrics (e.g., number of permission slips and comments), and participants' overall experience in the 4-week intervention. Study participants report that they are satisfied with and value the intervention and find Radical Permission relevant to their mental health needs. Paper 3 reveals the promise of this approach, with the findings suggesting that Radical Permission increases community connectedness, self-compassion, and emotional support seeking and decreases anxiety and depression symptoms. Participants report experiencing enhanced self-awareness and a strengthened sense of belonging and connection within the QPOC community. This dissertation addresses the current research gap regarding how Radical Permission can be used in mental health practice and to create an OMHC for a multiple marginalized population group. Future studies should use these findings to adapt Radical Permission for other priority populations while employing more rigorous methods.