African American Families Research Articles

"Actually, I don't do different": Black parents' perceptions of gender socialization of sons versus daughters.

This study expanded on research examining families' roles in youth gender development that has investigated boys' versus girls' family experiences by using a within-family design to study the gender socialization of brothers versus sisters from the same families. We drew from archival data collected in 2001-2002 from an ethnic homogeneous sample of Black American mother-father families (N = 128) who were raising at least one son and one daughter; the majority of youth were adolescents (range 2-31 years). In separate home interviews, mothers and fathers described whether and how they socialized their sons versus daughters about education, their futures, and racism and discrimination. Across these three domains, most parents reported that they did not socialize their sons and daughters differently. Nonetheless, several themes emerged that illuminated race and race-gender intersectionality in parents' socialization, both resistance and accommodation to traditional gender norms, and the role of children's personal characteristics in parents' socialization, with similar themes evident among parents who did and who did not report socializing sons and daughters differently. This study advances understanding of parents' gender socialization and has implications for family-focused interventions aimed at promoting the well-being and achievement of Black American boys and girls. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Actively changing the narrative: An exploration of culturally grounded parenting and social skills.

Recognizing culturally salient aspects of socialization practices and understanding how these practices support culturally valued aspects of development is an integral component in conducting anti-racist research and validating the lived experiences of minoritized families. With this aim, we explored how Active Direction, an observational rating of an African American approach to parenting measured during mother-child interactions at age 2.5 (n=172), supported social skills and emotion regulation for children living in a Southwestern metropolitan area of the United States concurrently, in kindergarten (n=109), and in 1st grade (n=108). Descriptive findings indicated few significant associations between Active Direction and socials skills or emotion regulation. Exploratory analyses, which included traditional parenting behavior measures of Sensitivity and Intrusiveness, also indicated limited significant relations between any measure of parenting and child skills. However, moderation analyses indicated that high levels of Active Direction attenuated the effects of sensitivity on aspects of child social skills. The lack of significant findings across the current study highlight how extant measures-of child social skills and parentings behaviors-are not performing as expected within these African American families.

Abstract B034: Understanding how family dynamics influence discussions about prostate cancer: A PEN-3 model analysis of shared risk communication within African American families

Abstract Background: Race and family history are important risk-stratifying variables for prostate cancer prevention and control. Despite their elevated risks for developing and dying from the disease, African-Americans are less knowledgeable about their shared familial risk than the general population. African American family structures are quite diverse. However, the manner in which this diversity influences the flow of shared risk information is largely absent from the literature. This study uses the PEN-3 cultural model to investigate how family dynamics influence prostate cancer information sharing within African American families. Method: Twenty-three members of ten families with African-American men completed semi-structured interviews in 2018 - 2019. Using a non-probability sampling scheme, nuclear, blended, extended, single-parent and cohabiting families were recruited to participate. The interview guide was structured to elicit information about participant's (a) family descriptions/family dynamics, (b) health communication patterns, (c) motivations for sharing health information, (d) health communication approaches, (e) handling of withheld information, and (f) generational communication strategies. All audio-recorded interviews were conducted by three African- American investigators and transcribed verbatim by a professional transcriptionist. All verbatim transcripts were entered into MAXQDA qualitative software for analysis using the PEN-3 model dimensions. Results: Cultural Identity - Personal/Extended: Families were more supportive of sharing sensitive health information with kinship group members who are viewed as close than distant. Neighborhood: The church family was sometimes viewed as an extension of the immediate family, particularly in situations where family members are geographically dispersed. Relationships and Expectations - Perceptions: Indirect communication is acceptable for relaying general information with young people, but direct communication is preferred for older adults. Cultural Empowerment - Negative: Withholding information to protect other's emotions can sometimes result in feelings of exclusion or mistrust when those being protected discover that information was withheld. Conclusion/Discussion: These findings highlight the complexity of family dynamics in communicating shared prostate cancer risk information within African American families. The generational divide in communication preferences suggests that strategies are needed to bridge that gap. Citation Format: Levi Ross, Michael A. Preston, Linda Collins, Florida Uzoaru, Torhonda C. Lee. Understanding how family dynamics influence discussions about prostate cancer: A PEN-3 model analysis of shared risk communication within African American families [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 17th AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2024 Sep 21-24; Los Angeles, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2024;33(9 Suppl):Abstract nr B034.

African American Family Caregivers' Experiences and Mental Health: A Convergent Mixed-Methods Study.

Caregiving in the African American community is informed by strong cultural expectations but may be associated with negative experiences and poor mental health outcomes. The purpose of this convergent mixed-methods study is to understand the relationship between caregiving experiences and mental health and explore stress management strategies in African American family caregivers of adults with chronic or disabling conditions. African American family caregivers (N = 100) were recruited using community-engaged methods and completed a sociodemographic questionnaire, the Caregiver Reaction Assessment scale, and the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression (CES-D-10) Scale. A subsample (n = 24) participated in semi-structured interviews. Data were analyzed using linear regression and content analysis. A matrix was developed to integrate quantitative and qualitative results. Participants were on average 59 years old. Most were women and provided care to a parent. Lack of family support (B = 1.37, P = .03) and impact of caregiving on caregivers' finances (B = 1.74, P = .004), schedule (B = 2.92, P < .001), and health (B = 3.26, P < .001) were associated with depressive symptoms and were reported as stressful experiences. Negative interactions with the care recipient and caring for multiple people emerged as other sources of stress. Participants used independent and interpersonal coping strategies, as well as strategies to facilitate their caregiving role to reduce their stress. Values of reciprocity, limited use of community-based resources, and mental health stigma emerged as important cultural considerations. Our findings suggest the need for culturally-sensitive interventions to improve communication and care coordination within African American family caregiving networks and educational programs about mental health and caregiving resources endorsed by trusted community sources.

The Voices on Vax Campaign: Lessons Learned from Engaging Youth to Promote COVID Vaccination

Abstract: Background: The Voices on Vax campaign was a collaborative effort that engaged youth to create an interactive website and social media presence to increase COVID vaccine confidence and uptake among African American families in Baltimore, Maryland. Objectives: To describe lessons learned and offer recommendations for future health communication campaigns involving youth ambassadors and virtual platforms. Methods: We collected website analytics and limited data from pop-up surveys on the Voices on Vax website, as well as reflections from the youth ambassadors about their experiences. Lessons Learned: Challenges included difficulties engaging the priority population and methodological limitations of our campaign’s impact evaluation. Successes included our focus on youth and adaptive engagement strategies. Conclusions: We recommend using techniques to maximize engagement by the priority population, conducting in-person outreach, incorporating mixed methods data collection, and providing a mix of structured training and creative freedom to youth ambassadors.

A Comparative Analysis of Dramatic Structure in Lorraine Hansberry’s A Raisin in the Sun (1959) and August Wilson’s Fences (1986)

This paper conducts a comparative analysis of the dramatic structures in Lorraine Hansberry’s A Raisin in the Sun and August Wilson’s Fences, utilizing Freytag’s Pyramid as a framework. Despite differences in scene and act composition, both plays share a similar narrative structure marked by multiple climactic points rather than a single one. Each play presents the lives of African American families in mid-20th century America, grappling with themes of racial oppression, economic hardship, and personal aspirations. Hansberry’s work primarily addresses the relationship between African Americans and White society, while Wilson’s focuses on intergenerational conflicts within a Black family. Both playwrights weave moments of heightened tension throughout the narratives, surprising audiences with new inciting incidents just as the action seems to be falling. This study reveals that although Fences was written nearly 30 years after A Raisin in the Sun, the two plays mirror one another in their exploration of socio-economic struggles and racial dynamics. Ultimately, the paper illustrates how both works encapsulate a continuous struggle for dignity and self-actualization within the constraints of a racially discriminatory society.

Neoliberalism, Incarceration, and Fracturing the Institution of the African American Family in Angie Thomas’s The Hate U Give

Neoliberalism, Incarceration, and Fracturing the Institution of the African American Family in Angie Thomas’s The Hate U Give

Examining Demographic & Socio-Cultural Factors as Predictors of Alcohol Consumption Among African American Male College Students Attending an Urban Historically Black College and University

ABSTRACT Alcohol consumption among college students continues to be a significant public health concern for colleges and universities across the country. However, a preponderance of research primarily included White samples from predominantly white institutions. Unsurprisingly, this practice limits what is known regarding alcohol consumption among African American male college students on historically Black campuses. Notably, as a “rite of passages” from childhood to adulthood, early exposure to alcohol consumption has been viewed as a cultural norm in African American families. The negative consequences associated with alcohol abuse, early exposure to alcohol, and the prevalence of problem drinking among college students in general, mandated further research facilitating a better understanding of this public health concern on historically Black campuses. This study examined alcohol use among African American male college students, investigating relationships between demographics and socio-cultural factors as predictors of alcohol consumption among African American male college students who drink. A convenience sample of 94 students was used. A multiple regression was conducted to test whether demographics and socio-cultural factors were predictors of alcohol consumption. Findings from this study will advance social work research and stimulate discussions about substance abuse disparities among African American male college students who consume alcohol. Furthermore, this research highlights the public health issue, prompting the development of prevention and intervention programs aimed at addressing the social problem of alcohol consumption among African American male college students at historically Black universities.

Experiences of African American caregivers providing care for family living with Alzheimer's disease: A descriptive phenomenological study.

This study aimed to describe how African American family caregivers of people living with Alzheimer's disease manage caregiving. A qualitative study design using a descriptive phenomenological approach was used to understand the lived experiences of African American family caregivers. Fifteen individual semi-structured and in-depth interviews were conducted via telephone or videoconference between January and June 2023 to address the research question. Guided by Swanson's theory of caring, the data transcribed verbatim from the audio-recorded interviews were analyzed using Colaizzi's methodology. Eight themes emerged from the data: (a) Parenting all over again, (b) Self-sacrifice, (c) Caring for the caregiver, (d) Connecting to God, (e) Responsibility to care, (f) Trapped, (g) Beyond exhaustion, and (h) Loss of self. The findings of the study indicate that African American family caregivers of people living with Alzheimer's disease often experience physical, mental, and emotional exhaustion while managing care. Thus, there is a considerable need for greater support, health promotion, and development of appropriate interventions to alleviate the challenges experienced so that they can continue in their caregiving role with some respite.

Strength-based strategies for addressing racial stressors in African American families: lessons learned from developing the LEADS health promotion intervention

Recognizing the real-life impact of racial stress on physical and psychological health is vital for creating impactful health promotion interventions among African American families. Despite the known link between racial stress and poor physical health outcomes, no existing intervention to date has targeted stress management strategies to buffer racial stress and build positive health behaviors among African American families. The current study outlines the lessons learned throughout the development of the Linking Exercise for Advancing Daily Stress (LEADS) Management and Resilience program, a 10-week family-based health promotion, stress management, and resilience intervention that aimed to improve physical activity, healthy eating, and well-being among African American adolescents and parents. We highlight the evolution of the LEADS intervention from a health promotion and stress management intervention to a culturally salient health promotion, stress management, and resilience intervention utilizing community-based participatory research strategies. This paper chronicles our systematic journey in making those changes and the lessons we learned along the way. We provide specific recommendations and implications for future health promotion interventions developed for African American families. Overall, we argue for a research orientation that respects cultural and racial contexts, embraces diversity within research teams and self-reflection, recognizes the heterogeneity among African American populations, and applies strength-based approaches.

Effects of the Pathways for African American Success Program: Reductions in Adolescent Depression Through the Promotion of Racial Equity-Informed Parenting and Racial Pride

African American adolescents face persistent disparities in depression and related behavioral health outcomes, which have been attributed to experiences with discrimination. The integrative model for the study of stress in Black American families provides a comprehensive perspective on how historical and current discrimination has direct and indirect effects on child behavioral health. Culturally based protective mechanisms (e.g., racial socialization) have been demonstrated to buffer adolescents from the negative effects of discrimination. The Pathways for African American Success (PAAS) program was developed as a scalable eHealth preventive intervention to facilitate parents’ use of strategies to protect their children from exposure to racism and the disproportionate consequences of risk behaviors, which we label as racial equity-informed parenting. Using data from a randomized effectiveness trial of PAAS and following stress and resilience approaches, we tested multiple hypotheses about the nature of discrimination as a source of risk, as well as program-driven improvements in adolescent racial pride as a source of protection. Our risk model indicated adolescent depression was associated with their own (direct) and their parents’ (indirect) experience of discrimination. Mediation analyses showed that program-driven improvements in adolescent racial pride served as a risk reducer/compensatory factor. Findings of moderation analyses, however, showed the negative effects of discrimination, even when racial pride was high. Implications for theory and cultural tailoring of evidence-based preventive interventions are presented.

Roles of Chaplains and Clergy in Spiritual Care for African Americans in Hospice: A Pilot Study.

Spiritual care is recognition of patient and caregiver spiritual/religious needs and attention to those needs. Caregivers of African American hospice patients are more likely to report worse emotional/religious support. Yet, spiritual care delivery and roles of community clergy and chaplains for African American hospice patients are not well understood. Examine who provides spiritual care to African American hospice patients and caregivers. Partnering with large, urban/suburban community hospice, we interviewed caregivers of deceased African American hospice patients (n = 12), their clergy (n = 3) and chaplains (n = 5). Using a phenomenological qualitative study design, we coded transcripts and deceased patient chart data and conducted thematic analysis to identify themes. Community clergy and chaplains tend to not interact and provide different aspects of emotional, religious and spiritual support to hospice patients and families. Clergy and chaplains agreed that rapport and openness of the patient were main factors in meeting spiritual care needs. Clergy provided interaction with a trusted person and connection to church, congregational support, religious beliefs/theology, and practices. Chaplains focused on present needs and issues of death and dying. Clergy and chaplains have distinct, complementary roles in providing spiritual care to African American hospice patients and families. Both are needed to provide desired spiritual care for African American hospice patients and their caregivers. Robust spiritual care programs need to ensure chaplains have sufficient time to spend with patients and families and incorporate collaboration, handoffs and integrated processes for clergy and chaplains. Research is needed on effectively including clergy in hospice spiritual care delivery.

“African root and American fruit”: African American families and culture in college choice

PurposeResearch shows that family is influential to African Americans in college choice (Chapman et al., 2018; Chapman et al., 2020; Freeman, 2005; Hines et al., 2019; Lowry, 2017; Williams, 2018). However, it often overlooks unique, African-rooted characteristics of African American families and culture. This study aimed to explore whether and how these characteristics shape college choice for these students.Design/methodology/approachData were collected through semi-structured interviews with six, first-year African American students at an urban university. The data were analyzed using theoretical thematic analysis.FindingsThe major themes showed the influence of family, community and spirituality in shaping participants’ college choice decisions and perception of higher education.Originality/valueIn addition to identifying specific family members who were influential to African Americans in college choice, this work highlighted the role of communities as a whole in shaping these students’ decisions and creating supportive environments. It also showed the importance of these students’ relationship with God through the college choice process. The work can guide researchers and educators in considering African American families and culture as strengths in helping these students through college choice.

Parenting in African American families: Profiles of general and culturally specific dimensions of parent-adolescent relationships during late adolescence.

Developmental and parenting frameworks suggest that factors at the individual-level and multiple levels of adolescents' contexts are important determinants of how African American parents prepare their children to live in a racially stratified society. Using a person-centered approach, this study explored heterogeneity in profiles of African American parent-adolescent relationships (PARs) using indicators of parent-reported ethnic-racial socialization (cultural socialization, preparation for bias), general parenting practices (autonomy support, monitoring, behavioral control), and relationship quality (warmth, communication, conflict). We also examined how adolescents' characteristics, parents' personal and psychological resources, and contextual sources of stress and support contributed to profile membership. Data were from the Maryland Adolescent Development in Context Study (1991-2000) and consisted of 589 African American caregiver-adolescent dyads (caregivers: 89% female; 57.2% married; adolescents: 50.7% female; Mage = 17, SD = 0.64, range = 15-19 years old). Latent profile analysis revealed four profiles: (a) No-Nonsense High Socializers, (b) Indulgent Average Socializers, (c) Unengaged Silent Socializers, and (d) Authoritative Cultural Socializers. Adolescent characteristics (gender, depression, and problem behavior), parents' personal and psychological resources (parenting self-efficacy, centrality, private regard, and depression), and contextual sources of stress and support (stress: economic hardship, family stress, neighborhood disadvantage and support: marital status, family cohesion, family organization) were correlated with profile membership. Findings suggest that variability in African American PARs is shaped by an extensive set of individual and contextual factors related to adolescents and the family and neighborhood context. These findings have important implications for future research and how to target multiple potential levers for change in African American parenting practice.

Water and Sanitation Access for Children in Alabama.

Safe drinking water and closed sanitation are fundamental to health and are assumed in the United States, however, gaps remain, disproportionately affecting marginalized communities. We sought to describe household sanitation access for children in rural Alabama and local health provider knowledge of sanitation related health concerns. Data were collected from self-administered surveys obtained from children enrolled in a larger cross-sectional study to determine soil transmitted helminthiasis prevalence in Alabama, from a survey of health providers from local federally qualified health centers and from a baseline knowledge check of Alabama health providers enrolled in an online sanitation health course. Surveys completed on 771 children (approximately 10% of county pediatric population) revealed less than half lived in homes connected to centralized sewers; 12% reported "straight-pipes," a method of discharging untreated sewage to the ground outside the home, and 8% reported sewage contamination of their home property in the past year. Additionally, 15% of respondents were likely to use well water. The local health providers surveyed did not include routine screening for water and sanitation failures or associated infections. Regional healthcare providers have limited knowledge of soil transmitted helminthiasis. A significant number of children from rural counties of Alabama with high rates of poverty reside in homes with water and sanitation challenges that predominantly affect African American families. This is an under-recognized health risk by local health providers, and its contribution to well-documented health disparities in this region is poorly understood.

Different trajectories of relationship satisfaction among rural Black couples following preventive relationship intervention.

This study examined variability in response to a couple and relationship education program for Black coparenting couples using group-based trajectory modeling. We identified groups of couples with different relationship satisfaction trajectories across a 2-year period following preintervention assessment. Black couples with a preadolescent child were randomized to the Protecting Strong African American Families intervention (N = 170) or a control condition (N = 174) and reported on their relationship satisfaction preintervention and approximately 9, 17, and 25 months later. Results indicated two trajectory groups among men and women receiving the intervention, comprising a large group consistently high in relationship satisfaction over time and a smaller group with moderate, stable satisfaction over time. In the control condition, there was also a large group of men and women who remained consistently high in satisfaction, but the smaller group with initially moderate satisfaction experienced decreased satisfaction over time. Trajectories among men and women in the moderate groups differed by treatment condition, reflecting nonsignificant change (i.e., stable satisfaction) for those receiving intervention and significant decline for controls. Trajectories among women in the high group also differed by treatment condition, reflecting better functioning among women receiving intervention. Results indicated many benefits of intervention, most notably the stabilization of satisfaction among couples beginning with moderate satisfaction (who experienced declining satisfaction in the control condition). Similar examination of within-sample variability in response to other couple and relationship education programs may enhance understanding of specific treatment effects and guide identification of those most likely to benefit from relationship intervention. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Caregiver, Youth, and Community Partner Perspectives on the Impact of COVID-19 on African American families

The current study identified qualitative themes describing the impact of COVID-19 on African American families living in urban, low-income areas. A total of 22 caregivers, 15 adolescents, and 37 community partners, including service providers and organizational leaders participated in qualitative interviews. Study findings identified five qualitative themes that included: (a) the worsening of existing inequities, (b) altering the framework for public education delivery, (c) changes in the dynamics of family relationships, (d) challenges in healthcare, emotional impact, and well-being, and (e) positive changes such as learning and coping. Our findings provided a context-specific examination of COVID-19′s impact, identifying some novel qualitative aspects using multiple perspectives that have implications for policy and practice.

Active Direction: A new observational measure of African American parenting

A new observational measure of a culturally salient, supportive African American parenting style, Active Direction, was developed. Ratings were compared to standard qualitative ratings and across two ethnic groups. Active Direction represents the provision of structure to interactions in the form of corrective direction with clear and concise feedback that is assessed for supportiveness rather than simple content or tone. The 7-point rating item was examined in observations of African American (n = 172) and Hispanic American (n = 196) mother-child interactions collected at age 2.5 years in families from low-income households. Ratings were compared and associations to previously reported ratings of the interactions were examined. Active Direction was often observed among the African American mothers (81%) but rarely observed among the Hispanic mothers (16%), with a large effect size difference, supporting the hypothesis that Active Direction may represent a culturally specific approach to parenting for African American parents. Maternal behavior correlations of Active Direction with cognitive stimulation, intrusiveness, scaffolding, and calm authority and with child affiliative obedience and dyadic routines and rituals were significantly higher and detachment significantly lower in the African American compared to the Hispanic sample. The new measure of Active Direction, centered around culturally salient values and differences in both historical and lived experiences, addresses characteristics of parenting in African American families that are supportive of their children’s development and provides a fruitful direction for future research.

Enhancing dietary adherence among African-American adolescents: the role of parenting styles and food-related practices.

Parenting styles (PSs) and food-related parenting practices (FPPs) play a crucial role in shaping adolescent eating behavior. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between the different PSs and FPPs of African-American families and the frequency of consumption of MyPlate food items by adolescents based on recommendations from the Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA). This study used a cross-sectional design. Data collection was conducted using Qualtrics through an online survey of 211 African-American parents and their adolescents aged 10-17-year-old. Adolescents completed the Youth and Adolescent Food Frequency Questionnaire to assess their dietary behavior, while parents filled out the survey to identify the degree of PSs (i.e., authoritative, authoritarian, setting rules, and neglecting) and FPPs (i.e., monitoring, reasoning, copying, and modeling). Spearman's rank correlation coefficient, Wilcoxon rank-sum test, and stepwise logistic regression were performed to determine the answers to the research questions. For fruit consumption, authoritative parenting significantly reduced the likelihood of adherence to DGA, while authoritarian, monitoring, and reasoning practices increased it. Female adolescents were more likely to meet fruit intake recommendations, with a similar positive impact observed for those whose parents had above high school education. In vegetable intake, authoritarian and monitoring practices positively impact on adherence to DGA, whereas setting rules had a detrimental impact. Being in a married household also increased vegetable intake DGA adherence. For grain consumption, reasoning was a significant positive predictor, while setting rules negatively impacted adherence. Dairy DGA adherence was positively impacted by monitoring and copying practices, but negatively impacted by female gender. Protein intake showed a positive association with reasoning and parental education. Our findings confirm the importance of parenting in developing desired eating behaviors among African-American adolescents. The results of this study can be used to develop culture-based nutritional education programs for parents and youth.

Phonological awareness mediates the relationship between DCDC2 and reading performance with home environment

Proficient reading requires critical phonological processing skill that interacts with both genetic and environmental factors. However, the precise nature of the relationships between phonological processing and genetic and environmental factors are poorly understood. We analyzed data from the Genes, Reading and Dyslexia (GRaD) Study on 1419 children ages 8–15 years from African-American and Hispanic-American family backgrounds living in North America. The analyses showed that phonological awareness mediated the relationship between DCDC2-READ1 and reading outcomes when parental education and socioeconomic status was low. The association between READ1 and reading performance is complex, whereby mediation by phonological awareness was significantly moderated by both parental education and socioeconomic status. These results show the importance of home environment and phonological skills when determining associations between READ1 and reading outcomes. This will be an important consideration in the development of genetic screening for risk of reading disability.