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Family-Level Factors and African American Children’s Behavioral Health Outcomes: A Systematic Review

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Abstract

Background

Considerable prior research targeting African American children has focused on the pervasiveness of problematic behavior and negative risk factors associated with their development, however the influence of family on better behavioral health outcomes has largely been ignored.

Objective

The purpose of this review is to examine empirical studies that focus on the association between family-level factors (e.g., parenting practices, family functioning) and African American children’s behavioral health. Specifically, we examined the studies’ characteristics, the relationship between various family-level factors and behavioral health outcomes, and the extent to which these studies consider racial, ethnic, and/or cultural nuances and competencies.

Methods

This review was guided by systematic review methods of Gough et al. (An introduction to systematic reviews. Sage, London, 2012) and Moher et al. (Preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses: the PRISMA statement. PLoS Med 6(6):e1000097, 2009). Thirty-five studies were included and assessed.

Results

The majority of the studies’ samples were low-income, resided in female-headed households, and lived in urban areas. Parenting practices (66 % of studies) were by far the most frequently examined family-level factor associated with behavioral health outcomes. A few studies examined the moderating or mediating role of racial discrimination and/or racial socialization.

Conclusion

Findings from this review can inform the development or adaptation of family-based interventions that can effectively promote better behavioral health and resiliency of African American children and adolescents.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Social Work, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, P.O. Box 26170, Greensboro, NC, 27402-6170, USA

    Tyreasa Washington & Gia Colombo

  2. School of Social Work, University of Maryland, 525 W. Redwood Street, Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA

    Theda Rose

  3. School of Social Work, Wayne State University, 136 Thompson Hall, 4756 Cass Avenue, Detroit, MI, 48202, USA

    Jun Sung Hong

  4. Department of Human Development and Family Studies, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, 248 Stone Building, Greensboro, NC, 27402-6170, USA

    Stephanie Irby Coard

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  1. Tyreasa Washington
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  2. Theda Rose
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  3. Gia Colombo
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  4. Jun Sung Hong
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  5. Stephanie Irby Coard
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Correspondence to Tyreasa Washington.

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Washington, T., Rose, T., Colombo, G. et al. Family-Level Factors and African American Children’s Behavioral Health Outcomes: A Systematic Review. Child Youth Care Forum 44, 819–834 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10566-015-9308-z

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