Low-income African American Families Research Articles

O27 Family Mealtime Behaviors Among Low-Income African Americans Participating in a Healthy Meal Kit Intervention

Background The home environment influences health behaviors of families. Frequent family meals are associated with healthier dietary behaviors and lower BMI across children of varying ages, ethnicities, and socioeconomic groups. Therefore, interventions that increase family meals are warranted. Objective To evaluate the impact of a healthy meal kit intervention on mealtime behaviors among low-income African American families. Study Design, Setting, Participants Low-income African American main preparers of food (n = 36) were recruited in Gainesville, Florida. Participants received meal kits for 6 weeks with ingredients for 3 healthy recipes that served 4 people, recipe cards, cooking incentives, and nutrition handouts. Data collection occurred at baseline and post-intervention via in-person surveys. Measurable Outcome/Analysis Demographic data were collected at baseline. A family mealtime behavior survey captured aspects of family mealtime and eating behaviors at baseline and post-intervention. Qualitative data were also collected post-intervention. Demographic data and family mealtime behaviors were analyzed using descriptive statistics with changes in some mealtime behaviors analyzed using a paired t-test. Results Participants were 42.5 ± 13.8 years old, primarily female (89%), had 2.3 ± 1.2 children in the household, and had a BMI of 35.4 ± 9.2. At baseline, participants cooked 3 and ate 5 meals together as a family, which did not change post-intervention (−0.3 ± 2.5; p=0.5 and 0.3 ± 1.5; P = .20, respectively). Most (86%) families were involved in preparing meals, and the intervention positively affected most (67%) family mealtimes. Fifty-three percent and 47% of the children always or often enjoyed preparing and eating the meals, respectively. Participants suggested adding kid-friendly alternatives and a dessert. Meal kits decreased stress related to shopping for food (72%) and eating together as a family (58%). Conclusion Meal kits may positively engage children in preparing and eating family meals and decrease stress associated with mealtimes. Future interventions should further assess the impact of meal kits on the dietary intake of children. Funding None.

Severe poverty and growth in behavioral self-regulation: The mediating role of parenting

This study examined how exposure to severe poverty related to behavioral self-regulation growth during early childhood as mediated by parenting practices. Ethnic differences were tested. Data were collected across 4 waves from 359 low-income African American and Latino families. The frequency of exposure to severe poverty was indicated by how many times family income fell below 50% of the federal poverty line across 4 waves. Behavioral self-regulation was assessed when children were 3½, 6, and 7 years old (Wave 2–4), and parenting was observed when children were age 2½ years old (Wave 1). More frequent exposure to severe poverty was associated with slower behavioral self-regulation growth, and the effect was partially mediated through less sensitive and supportive parenting practices for Latino families. The mediation was not observed for African American families. Targeting the promotion of sensitive and supportive parenting practices may be an effective strategy for accelerating self-regulation development.

Changing developmental trajectory in high-risk families: the effectiveness of an attachment-informed Therapeutic Nursery Program (TNP) for preschool children with complex emotional and behavioral problems

ABSTRACT The article describes a “Therapeutic Nursery Program“ (TNP) and presents a study that examined its effectiveness. This attachment-informed program serves preschoolers with severe emotional and behavioral problems. Efficacy was assessed based on: 1) children’s success in transitioning from the TNP to typical schools; (2) improvement in children’s outcomes as a function of specific intervention factors; (3) gains in social informational processing during the school year. The sample included 60 children from mostly low-income African American families (>60%). Nearly 80 percent of graduates attended typical educational settings after graduation. More classroom attendance and more individual child therapy sessions were associated with better social, academic, and cognitive child outcomes. Finally, TNP children with better attendanceclosed the gap with a comparison group in their social information processing. Our findings point to the TNP as a promising prevention approach with specific implications for the practice of attachment in the ”real world.”

My Life as a Female Leader in the Academy: Lessons Learned

In this article, I share my story as a clinical psychologist in academic medicine and as a female leader within organized psychology. I discuss how my sociocultural background impacts and is impacted by the care I provide at an inner-city, safety net hospital and my clinical-research with low-income African American women and families. I offer my thoughts on how my personal and professional identities are informed by my dedication to supervising and mentoring women from diverse backgrounds. I address how these identities led me to embrace a collaborative, transformational, and courageous leadership approach and to engage in social justice advocacy.

An Exploration of the Ecological Context of Low-Income, Urban African-American Adolescent Sexual Risk.

Prior health disparities research has indicated that urban, low-income African-American families and adolescents experience ecological and environmental hardships that result in higher rates of engagement in risk behaviors. Contextual factors like community violence, socioeconomic status, and family processes, as well as limited sexual health knowledge, a psychological element, also contribute to high rates of sexual risk among urban African-American adolescents. However, protective factors like parental monitoring and parent-adolescent communication about sex may decrease sexual risk among this urban teen population. Therefore, the current study sought to explore the following research questions: (1) Is parent-adolescent communication about sex associated with adolescent sexual health knowledge?, (2) Is parent-adolescent communication about sex associated with parental monitoring?, (3) Are parental monitoring and parent-adolescent communication about sex predictors of adolescent sexual risk?, (4) Are there gender differences in parent-adolescent communication about sex and parental monitoring?, and (5) Are age and gender predictors of adolescent sexual risk? A sample of approximately 1102 African-American adolescents aged 13-17 from urban Midwestern high schools were included in this study. There was no significant association found between sexual health knowledge and parent communication about sex or parental monitoring. Female adolescents reported higher levels of communication about sex than males. Findings indicated a significant negative association between parental monitoring and adolescent sexual risk, with the association being stronger for males than females. There was a significant negative association found between sexual health knowledge and adolescent sexual risk. Additionally, findings indicated a significant negative association between parental monitoring and adolescent sexual risk.

Why Poor Families Move (And Where They Go): Reactive Mobility and Residential Decisions

Despite frequent moves, low–income black families are more likely than any other group to churn among disadvantaged neighborhoods, and the least likely to escape them. Traditional explanations for neighborhood inequality invoke racial preferences and barriers to living in high–income neighborhoods, but recent work suggests that it is also involuntary mobility—such as eviction—which predicts the neighborhood destinations of poor African American families in urban areas. However, we know little about how individuals actually make residential decisions under such unplanned and constrained conditions. Using longitudinal interviews with low–income African–American families residing in Mobile, AL, and Baltimore, MD, we describe the array of factors that lead poor black families to move, and describe how families secure housing in the wake of unplanned mobility. We observe that moving among the poor is more reactive than it is voluntary: Approximately 70 percent of most recent moves are catalyzed by landlords, housing quality failures, and violence. We show how this reactive mobility both accelerates and hampers residential selection in ways that may reproduce neighborhood context and inequality. Where mobility is characterized by a greater degree of agency, we show that the strategies families use to make decisions often prohibit them from investigating a wider range of residential options.

“If You Have a Kid That’s Ready to Learn:” the Kindergarten Transition Experiences of Urban, Low-Income, African-American Preschoolers

ABSTRACT Research suggests that children from urban, low-income African-American families lack school readiness skills and will experience challenging kindergarten transitions. Such studies emphasize family and child deficits. Addressing this gap, we conducted qualitative interviews before and at the end of kindergarten with 12 inner-city, low-income, African-American mothers of Head Start preschoolers. During both periods, mothers assessed children’s readiness skills, and provided home-based support. At the end of kindergarten, despite challenges, children’s transitions were overwhelmingly positive. Our findings suggest how preschools and schools can promote children’s successful transitions, including families’ home-based strategies.

The Impact of Religion on Family Functioning in Low-Income African American Families With Adolescents

The current study explores the association between religion and family functioning. Specifically, this study examined whether two aspects of religion, social religious support (from clergy and members of the congregation) and support from God (or spirituality), were related to frequency of household routines and parenting strategies as reported by both parents and adolescents, as well as adolescent problem behaviors. The sample consisted of 115 low-income African American mother-adolescent (age 14-18 years) dyads. Families were recruited as part of a larger study on the lives of low-income African American families with adolescents. Results indicated that higher levels of social religious support and spirituality were associated with increased levels of family routine as reported by caregivers. These results highlight the important roles relationships with God and other church members may play in supporting the lives of low-income African American parents and their children.

Psychosocial Determinants of Food Acquisition and Preparation in Low-Income, Urban African American Households.

Psychosocial factors are important determinants of health behaviors and diet-related outcomes, yet relatively little work has explored their relation to food-purchasing and preparation behaviors in low-income populations. To evaluate the psychosocial factors associated with food-related behaviors. Cross-sectional data collected from 465 low-income African American adult caregivers in the baseline evaluation of the B'more Healthy Communities for Kids obesity prevention trial. Questionnaires were used to assess household sociodemographic characteristics, food sources frequently used, and food preparation and food acquisition behaviors. Multiple linear regression models explored the associations between caregiver psychosocial variables and food-related behaviors, controlling for caregivers' age, sex, household income, household size, and food assistance participation. Caregivers purchased prepared food at carry-outs on average 3.8 times (standard deviation [ SD] = 4.6) within 30 days. Less healthy foods were acquired 2 times more frequently than healthier foods ( p < .001). Higher food-related behavioral intention and self-efficacy scores were positively associated with healthier food acquisition (β = 0.7; 95% confidence interval [CI] [0.09, 1.4]; β = 0.04; 95% CI [0.02, 0.06]) and negatively associated with frequency of purchasing at prepared food sources (β = -0.4; 95% CI [-0.6, -0.2]; β = -0.5; 95% CI [-0.7, -0.3]), respectively. Higher nutrition knowledge was associated with lower frequency of purchasing food at prepared food venues (β = -0.7; 95% CI: [-1.2, -0.2]). Our findings indicate a positive association between psychosocial determinants and healthier food acquisition and food preparation behaviors. Interventions that affect psychosocial factors (i.e., food-related behavioral intentions and self-efficacy) may have the potential to increase healthier food preparation and food-purchasing practices among low-income African American families.

Perceptions of Adequate Personal Time and Wellbeing among African American Families with Adolescents

The current study examines the perception of adequate personal or leisure time, and its association with family and caregiver functioning, among a sample of low-income African American families. The investigation is grounded in Conservation of Resources (COR) theory which predicts that caregivers who perceive more adequate personal time will also report higher levels of optimism and lower levels of depressive symptoms, and will have adolescents who report more household routines and less psychologically controlling parenting. A total of 115 caregiver-adolescent (age 14–18) dyads were recruited from a low-income, predominantly African American neighborhood in a major metropolitan center in the United States as part of a larger survey on African American family life. Results indicate that caregivers report perceiving inadequate amounts of time to sleep, get enough exercise, and relax. Caregivers also report comparatively less adequate personal time than time with children. Analyses reveal that caregivers who perceive having more adequate leisure or personal time, report fewer depressive symptoms and higher levels of optimism, after controlling for perceptions of adequate financial resources. Alternatively, there was no association between perceptions of free or leisure time and parenting behaviors, including maintenance of household routines and the use of psychological control. The results underscore the need to examine non-material resources, and their association with wellbeing.

“The types of kids we get are different”—The distinguishing characteristics of school choosers in Detroit, Michigan

ABSTRACTProviding improved educational options for low-income African American families has been one of the primary objectives of the charter school movement. However, among demographically similar families, school choosers may possess subtle advantages compared to nonchoosers, leading to biased estimates of charter school performance in nonexperimental research. This study examines within-group differences between school choosers and nonchoosers in Detroit, Michigan through semistructured interviews with parents (n = 31) and teachers (n = 23) in charter and public schools. Findings indicate differences between school choosers and nonchoosers in access to transportation, experience, social and professional networks, orientation toward choice, parental involvement, and home stability. These differences offer insight into potential controls for self-selection bias that may lead to improved statistical evaluations using nonexperimental methods.

A Longitudinal Study of the Effect of Computers on the Cognitive Development of Low-Income African American Preschool Children

ABSTRACTResearch Findings: The current study examined the impact of daily classroom computer use on the cognitive development of preschool children in 14 urban Head Start classrooms. The sample consisted of 208 predominantly African American low-income children with a mean age of 48.8 months. A quasi-experimental design was used in which 7 classrooms had computers and 7 classrooms served as the control. Assessments were made at baseline and at 6, 12, and 18 months. Hierarchical linear modeling was used to assess differences between the computer and control groups on cognitive developmental trajectories. Children in the computer condition displayed significantly greater increases in quantitative development than did children from the control condition. Practice or Policy: Children’s access to computers at home and at school has become increasingly prevalent. However, there is still a substantial disparity in access to technology between different socioeconomic groups. The preschool years may offer a promising opportunity to close this gap in access; however, little is known about the impact of computers on the developing minds of children, particularly those from low-income African American families. Findings from the current study suggest that daily use of computer centers in the Head Start classroom may benefit quantitative outcomes for young children.

Preschool book-sharing and oral storytelling experiences in ethnically diverse, low-income families

ABSTRACTChildren’s book-sharing and oral storytelling experiences were examined in 264 4-year-olds from low-income African-American, Dominican, Mexican, and Chinese families in the United States. Mothers reported on children’s book-sharing and oral storytelling experiences with mothers, fathers, and other people (siblings, grandparents, relatives, and family friends). Results showed that children’s book-sharing experiences were strongly associated with their oral storytelling experiences, suggesting that individual children had uniformly high or low participation in these activities. Mothers, fathers, and other people (especially siblings) participated in these activities with children. Family socio-economic status (i.e. parent education and employment), parental ethnicity, and household composition related to children’s experiences showing that learning experiences are embedded in ecological contexts. Future interventions should recognize the specific needs and advantages of families from diverse backgrounds, and involve multiple family members, including siblings.

Maternal Monitoring Knowledge Change and Adolescent Externalizing Behaviors in Low-Income African American and Latino Families.

Drawing on a sample of 318 African American and 354 Latino urban, low-income families, we identify maternal monitoring knowledge trajectories and examine which trajectory predicts fewer late-adolescent externalizing problems and which family and neighborhood factors predict trajectories with positive implications for late-adolescent externalizing behaviors. The majority of adolescents in both groups perceived long-term high levels of maternal monitoring knowledge throughout adolescence-stably high for the African American sample and high for the Latino sample. Long-term high levels of knowledge predicted fewer general late-adolescent externalizing problems for both groups and fewer late-adolescent delinquent behaviors for the African American sample. Family routine and mother-adolescent trust predicted long-term high levels of knowledge for both groups. For the African American sample, family routine and neighborhood cohesion predicted stably high levels of knowledge via the mediation of mother-adolescent trust. We discuss implications for improving positive adolescent development and family environments for both groups.

Family Rituals in Low-Income African American Families at Risk for Trauma Exposure and Associations with Toddlers' Regulation of Distress.

This study included 75 mother-father-toddler triadic low-income families. Mothers and fathers reported separately on their own posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms and family rituals while children were rated by an independent observer during an emotionally eliciting task on key indicators of regulation of distress. Regression analyses supported a significant association between key dimensions of family rituals and Toddlers' regulation of distress: occurrence, continuation, and spirituality. Effect sizes of tested relationships were strong, ranging from 25% to 36% of variance in children's distress explained. Family rituals are a salient intervention target in families and specifically help support children's developing emotion regulation competencies. Certain dimensions of family rituals may be particularly relevant to African American families, considering cultural resiliency factors. Clinical implications are discussed.

Developing a Multiple Caregiver Group for Caregivers of Adolescents With Disruptive Behaviors

This article describes the development of a 6-week multiple caregiver group intervention for primary caregivers of adolescents diagnosed with Oppositional Defiant Disorder or Conduct Disorder in low-income African American families. The intervention is aimed at increasing the primary caregivers' self-efficacy in managing interactions within the family and especially with child serving educational, mental health, juvenile justice, and child welfare systems. Development of the intervention involved seven iterative activities performed in a collaborative effort between an interdisciplinary academic team, community engagement specialists, members of the targeted population, and clinical partners from a large public mental health system. The intervention development process described in this article can provide guidance for teams that aim to develop new mental health interventions that target specific outcomes in populations with unique needs.

A Community-Responsive Adaptation to Reach and Engage Latino Families Affected by Maternal Depression.

As family researchers and practitioners seek to improve the quality and accessibility of mental health services for immigrant families, they have turned to culturally adapted interventions. Although many advancements have been made in adapting interventions for such families, we have yet to understand how the adaptation can ensure that the intervention is reaching families identified to be in greatest need within a local system of care and community. We argue that reaching, engaging, and understanding the needs of families entails a collaborative approach with multiple community partners to ensure that adaptations to intervention content and delivery are responsive to the sociocultural trajectory of families within a community. We describe a cultural adaptation framework that is responsive to the unique opportunities and challenges of identifying and recruiting vulnerable families through community partnerships, and of addressing the needs of families by incorporating multiple community perspectives. Specifically, we apply these principles to the cultural adaptation of an intervention originally developed for low-income African American and White families facing maternal depression. The new intervention, Fortalezas Familiares (Family Strengths), was targeted to Latino immigrant families whose mothers were in treatment for depression in mental health and primary care clinics. We conclude with key recommendations and directions for how family researchers and practitioners can design the cultural adaptation of interventions to be responsive to the practices, preferences, and needs of underserved communities, including families and service providers.

“We Keep the Education Goin’ at Home All the Time”: Family Literacy in Low-Income African American Families of Preschoolers

ABSTRACTResearchers have examined the impact of family on child literacy among low-income African American families and preschoolers considered to be at risk for not being ready for kindergarten. Quantitative studies identify family-parental variables associated with poorer literacy outcomes, whereas qualitative studies detail family practices that promote child literacy development. Addressing the limitations of social address variables in quantitative research, and the paucity of research on preschoolers in qualitative research, this study examines the home-based literacy practices of 20 low-income, African American families with preschoolers in Head Start transitioning to kindergarten. Using qualitative interviews informed by a resilience framework, we found that home-based literacy activities were carried out within teams of diverse kin who worked together to promote children's school readiness. Family literacy teams expanded the literacy resources available to preschoolers, providing a rich literacy environment for children's development. These findings contribute to our substantive understanding of literacy practices within low-income African American families, resilience theory, and culturally relevant home-school collaborations.

Barriers and motivators to reducing secondhand smoke exposure in African American families of head start children: a qualitative study.

To identify barriers and motivators for reducing secondhand smoke exposure (SHSe) for families of African-American, low-income, urban children. Audiotaped intervention sessions of 52 African-American caregivers of Head Start children who reported being a smoker and/or had at least one smoker in the home were randomly sampled from a larger trial examining the effectiveness of a motivational-interviewing intervention in reducing child's SHSe. Counseling sessions were qualitatively coded to identify barriers and motivators to implementing a home smoking ban or quitting smoking. African-American families identified several themes that were either or both barriers and motivators for SHSe reduction, including: asking others not to smoke, other family living in the home, neighborhood safety, absence of childcare, cost/availability of cessation tools, physician support and prevention of health problems. Urban, low-income African-American families face numerous barriers to reducing SHSe. Families were able to identify many motivators for reducing SHSe, suggesting an awareness of the importance for SHSe reduction but uncertainty in their confidence to change behaviors. Counseling should include tailoring to be most effective in supporting health behavior change. Greater emphasis on motivators is needed, such as low-cost/free cessation tools, engagement from physicians and greater involvement of extended family members.

Stressful Life Circumstances, Resources for Support, and African American Children’s Psychological Symptoms

This brief report examines African American children’s and caregivers’ exposure to stressors and perceived support in relation to children’s internalizing and externalizing symptoms. Forty-six children aged 8 to 12 years and their primary caregivers were recruited from an urban school in the Midwestern United States and interviewed separately. Adjusting for child’s age and gender, caregiver’s gender, and number of caregivers in the family, child-reported stressful life events were associated with child-reported internalizing and externalizing symptoms. When children reported greater support from caregivers, children reported fewer externalizing symptoms and caregivers reported fewer oppositional behaviors and ADHD symptoms on the part of their child. Caregivers’ health- and relationship-related stressors were associated with child-reported externalizing symptoms, as well as caregiver-reported ADHD symptoms. Family-based mental health services within schools and communities may improve caregiver and child support systems, reduce caregiver-child conflict, and promote resilience to stress among urban, low-income African American families.