Defending Their Honor, Building Their Selves: A Descriptive Ethnography on the Socio-Psychological Outcomes of African-Based Martial Arts Practice for Inner City Black Youths

This study explores the benefits of African-based martial arts practice for at-risk youth of African descent. Conducted over 4 years, the findings show that these arts can address issues related to self-identity, self-perception, and youth violence, while also improving decision-making skills for young males and females. The results highlight the role of Os Malandros de Mestre Touro , a school of African-based martial arts located in San Diego, California, in this initiative. Its teaching approach and community engagement address the socio-psychological needs of Black youth by utilizing a culturally grounded worldview and African value system, adapting them to meet the community’s youth needs. Afrocentric methodology was employed to incorporate both theoretical and clinical work in Black psychology. Social identity theory was used to examine how racial self-perceptions influence student group processes and intergroup behavior.