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Preparing the Way: A Qualitative Study of High-Achieving African American Males and the Role of the Family

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American Journal of Community Psychology

Abstract

Employed qualitative methods to examine the role of the family in the academic success of very high-achieving African American males. Findings revealed a complex tapestry of family processes and contexts involved in each youth's journey to outstanding academic achievement. Specifically, the combined importance of parental-determined academic engagement, strict discipline, nurturance, and community connectedness appeared to counteract potentially negative contextual influences of neighborhood, peers, schools, and society. The qualitative findings tell a multifaceted, rich, and compelling story of the pathways to academic success for Black males, and highlight the need for culture-specific and ecologically based conceptualization, research, and intervention approaches.

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Correspondence to Kenneth I. Maton.

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Maton, K.I., Hrabowski III, F.A. & Greif, G.L. Preparing the Way: A Qualitative Study of High-Achieving African American Males and the Role of the Family. Am J Community Psychol 26, 639–668 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1022197006900

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1022197006900

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