Dr. Jones’ research encourages scholars and clinicians to consider the cultural context of effective clinical interventions when working with children and families of color. Her work unequivocally underscores that culture matters and that children are better served by clinicians who actively seek to understand their clients’ cultural context. Thus, in order to serve the “whole child,” providing culturally responsive services is critical (Jones, 2014; Jones et al., 2017; Zigarelli, Jones et al., 2016).

 

Dr. Jones strives to produce empirically-based research about the cultural factors that promote resilience in children, particularly for children of color.  She believes that culture is the context for resilience and that culturally responsive interventions reduce the negative impact of life’s unavoidable stressors on the well-being of children and adolescents of color.

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Sample of Dr. Jones’ Research findings:

In a study comparing cognitive behavior therapy treatment to a culturally adapted version Jones found significant differences between treatment satisfaction and depth of treatment where cultural adaptations led to greater satisfaction and greater depth of treatment (Jones et al., 2016; Jones et al., 2017).

 

In another study on a culturally centered group based intervention in schools, she found that school engagement in adolescent girls was more likely to increase after participating in a culturally centered intervention (Jones, in press).

 

Her research on resilience has shown that African American children who are exposed to community violence are more resilient when cultural values are enacted as protective factors (Jones, 2007).