Family Stability in Black Families : Values Underlying Three Different Perspectives

Abstract

Three models�the pathology, structural-functional, and emergent�have been used to address the issue of stability in black families. It is presently argued that the lack of consensus in their conclusions is due to the impact of differing, underlying, and only implicitly stated, assumptions and values held by the researchers. In support of this thesis, a brief discussion of the role of values and assumptions in social scientific research is followed by a review and evaluation of research reported by advocates of each model. This examination suggested that the primary dimensions on which value differences exist are : (a) the extent to which black families should be assessed by standards developed in mainstream culture; (b) the relative importance of assessing stability in terms of socioeconomic status as opposed to socioemotional constructs; and (c) the role of African heritage in the lives of modern black American families. It is suggested that future researchers explicitly acknowledge their assumptions and values on these dimensions, use an ethnographic/parti- cipant observation methodology, and adopt a developmental perspective. Finally, the social policy implications for black families of this debate among social scientists are discussed.