Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

African American Families: Research Progress and Potential in the Age of Obama

  • Chapter
Handbook of Marriage and the Family

Abstract

This chapter is a review and critique of the research over the last 10 years on African American families. The first portion of the chapter briefly reviews the demographic trends and patterns in this population. It summarizes the major theories that have addressed the African American family experience and the various ideological lenses that shaped research in this area. The review of empirical findings is divided into two main sections. The first section addresses the research on family formation patterns in African American families: childbirth, cohabitation, marriage, and divorce. The second section addresses the research on parenting and children’s outcomes. Topics covered include general dimensions of parenting such as warmth and control, including physical discipline and racial socialization. The chapter concludes with a statement about the progress made in research on African American families in specific areas and identifies areas in need of more attention. Finally, researchers are urged to conduct more studies with African American families that explicitly incorporate the measurement of cultural processes. Such efforts will be essential to significantly advancing our understanding of normative functioning in African American families.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 99.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 129.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 129.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Allen, W. D., & Olson, D. H. (2001). Five types of African American marriages. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 27, 301–314.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Allen, W. R. (1978). The search for applicable theories of black family life. Journal of Marriage and Family, 40, 117–129.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Amato, P. (2010). Research on divorce: Continuing trends and new developments. Journal of Marriage and Family, 72, 650–666.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Baumrind, D. (1972). An exploratory study of socialization of effects on black children: Some black-white comparisons. Child Development, 43, 261–267.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Berger, A. S., & Simon, W. (1974). Black families and the Moynihan report: A research evaluation. Social Problems, 22, 145–161.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Billingsley, A. (1968). Black families in White America. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice-Hall.

    Google Scholar 

  • Billingsley, A. (1992). Climbing Jacob’s ladder: The enduring legacy of African American families. New York: Simon & Schuster.

    Google Scholar 

  • Booth, A., & Amato, P. (1991). Divorce and psychological stress. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 32, 396–407.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bowman, P. J., & Howard, C. (1985). Race-related socialization, motivation, and academic achievement: A study of Black youths in three-generation families. Journal of the American Academy of Child Psychiatry, 24, 134–141.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Boyd-Franklin, N. (2003). Black families in therapy: Understanding the African American experience. New York: Guilford Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Boykin, W. A., & Toms, F. (1985). Black child socialization: A conceptual framework. In H. McAdoo & J. McAdoo (Eds.), Black children: Social, educational, & parental environments (pp. 32–51). Newbury Park, CA: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brega, A. G., & Coleman, L. M. (1999). Effects of religiosity and racial socialization on subjective stigmatization in African American adolescents. Journal of Adolescence, 22, 223–242.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brody, G. H., Chen, Y. F., Kogan, S. M., Murry, V. M., Logan, P., & Luo, Z. (2008). Linked perceived discrimination to longitudinal changes in African American mother’s parenting practices. Journal of Marriage and Family, 70, 318–331.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brody, G. H., & Flor, D. L. (1997). Maternal psychological functioning, family processes, and child adjustment in rural, single-parent, African American families. Developmental Psychology, 33, 1000–1011.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brody, G. H., & Flor, D. L. (1998). Maternal resources, parenting practices, and child competence in rural, single-parent African American families. Child Development, 69, 803–816.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brody, G. H., Flor, D. L., & Gibson, N. M. (1999). Linking maternal efficacy beliefs, developmental goals, parenting practices, and child competence in rural single-parent African American families. Child Development, 70, 1197–1208.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brody, G. H., Kim, S., Murry, V. M., & Brown, A. C. (2004). Protective longitudinal paths linking child competence to behavioral problems among African American siblings. Child Development, 75, 455–467.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brody, G. H., Murry, V. M., Kim, S., & Brown, A. C. (2002). Longitudinal pathways to competence and psychological adjustment among African American children living in rural, single-parent households. Child Development, 73, 1505–1576.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bronfenbrenner, U. (1979). The ecology of human development: Experiments by nature and design. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bronfenbrenner, U. (1986). Ecology of the family as a context for human development: Research perspectives. Developmental Psychology, 22, 723–742.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brown, E., Orbuch, T. L., & Bauermeister, J. A. (2008). Religiosity and marital stability among Black American and White American couples. Family Relations, 57, 186–197.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brown, S. L. (2000). Union transitions among cohabitors: The significance of relationship assessments and expectations. Journal of Marriage and Family, 62, 833–846.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bryant, C. M., Taylor, R. J., Lincoln, K. D., Chatters, L. M., & Jackson, J. S. (2008). Marital satisfaction among African Americans and Black Caribbeans: Findings from the National Survey of American Life. Family Relations, 57, 239–253.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Burton, L. M. (1990). Teenage childbearing as an alternative life course strategy in multigenerational black families. Human Nature, 1, 123–143.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Burton, L. M., Bonilla-Silva, E., Ray, V., Buckelew, R., & Freeman, E. H. (2010). Critical race theories, colorism, and the decade’s research on families of color. Journal of Marriage and Family, 72, 440–449.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Burton, L. M., & Tucker, M. B. (2009). Romantic unions in an era of uncertainty: A post-Moynihan perspective on African American women and marriage. The Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, 621, 1321–1348.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bynum, M. S. (2007). African American mother-daughter communication about sex and daughters’ sexual behavior: Does college racial composition make a difference? Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology, 13, 151–160.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bynum, M. S., Best, C., Barnes, S. L., & Burton, E. T. (2008). Private regard, identity protection, and perceived racism among African American males. Journal of African American Studies, 12, 142–155.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bynum, M. S., Burton, E. T., & Best, C. (2007). Racism experiences and psychological functioning in African American college freshmen: Is racial socialization a buffer? Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology, 13, 64–71.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Campione-Barr, N., & Smetana, J. G. (2004). In the eye of the beholder: Subjective and observer ratings of middle-class African American mother-adolescent interactions. Developmental Psychology, 40, 927–934.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Caughy, M. O., Nettles, S. M., O’Campo, P. J., & Lohrfink, K. F. (2006). Neighborhood matters: Racial socialization of African American children. Child Development, 77, 1220–1236.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Caughy, M. O., O’Campo, P. J., & Muntaner, C. (2004). Experiences of racism among African American parents and the mental health of their preschool-aged children. American Journal of Public Health, 94, 2118–2124.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Caughy, M. O., O’Campo, P. J., Randolph, S. M., & Nickerson, K. (2002). The influence of racial socialization practices and behavioral competence of African American preschoolers. Child Development, 73, 1611–1625.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chase-Lansdale, P. L., Brooks-Gunn, J., & Zamsky, E. S. (1994). Young African American multigenerational families in poverty: Quality of mothering and grandmothering. Child Development, 65, 373–393.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cherlin, A. (2005). Marriage in the first half of the 20th century. The Future of Children, 15, 33–55.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Christie-Mizell, C. A., Pryor, E. M., & Grossman, E. R. B. (2008). Child depressive symptoms, spanking, emotional support: Differences between African American and European American youth. Family Relations, 57, 335–350.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Clark-Nicholas, P., & Gray-Little, B. (1991). Effect of economic resources on marital quality in Black married couples. Journal of Marriage and Family, 53, 645–655.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Clarkwest, A. (2006). Premarital characteristics, selection into marriage, and African American marital disruption. Journal of Comparative Family Studies, 37, 361–380.

    Google Scholar 

  • Clarkwest, A. (2007). Spousal dissimilarity, race, and marital dissolution. Journal of Marriage and Family, 69, 639–653.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Collins, P. H. (1998). Intersections of race, class, gender, and nation: Some implications for black family studies. Journal of Comparative Family Studies, 29, 27–36.

    Google Scholar 

  • Conger, R. D., Wallace, L. E., Sun, Y., Simons, R. L., McLoyd, V. C., & Brody, G. H. (2002). Economic pressure in African American families: A replication and extension of the Family Stress Model. Developmental Psychology, 38, 179–193.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Corra, M., Carter, S. K., Carter, J. S., & Knox, D. (2009). Trends in marital happiness by gender and race, 1973–2006. Journal of Family Issues, 30, 1379–1404.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cutrona, C. E., Russell, D. W., Abraham, W. T., Gardner, K. A., Melby, J. N., Bryant, C., et al. (2003). Neighborhood context and financial strain as predictors of marital interaction and marital quality in African American couples. Personal Relationships, 10, 389–409.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Deater-Deckard, K., Dodge, K. A., Bates, J. E., & Petit, G. S. (1996). Physical discipline among African American and European American mothers: Links to externalizing behaviors. Developmental Psychology, 32, 1065–1072.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Demo, D. H., & Hughes, M. (1990). Socialization and racial identity among Black Americans. Social Psychology Quarterly, 53, 364–374.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dixon, P. (2009). Marriage among African Americans: What does the research show? Journal of African American Studies, 13, 29–46.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dubois, W. E. B. (1908). The Negro family. Atlanta: Atlanta University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Edin, K., Kefalas, M. J., & Reed, J. M. (2004). A peek inside the black box: What marriage means for poor unmarried parents. Journal of Marriage and Family, 66, 1007–1014.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Egeland, B., Pianta, R., & O’brien, M. A. (1993). Maternal intrusiveness in infancy and maladaptation in early school years. Development and Psychopathology, 5, 359–370.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Faulkner, R. A., Davey, M., & Davey, A. (2005). Gender-related predictors of change in marital satisfaction and marital conflict. American Journal of Family Therapy, 33, 61–83.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Frabutt, J. M., Walker, A. M., & MacKinnon-Lewis, C. (2002). Racial socialization messages and the quality of mother/child interactions in African American families. Journal of Early Adolescence, 22, 200–217.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Furdyna, H. E., Tucker, M. B., & James, A. D. (2008). Relative spousal earnings and marital happiness among African American and white women. Journal of Marriage and Family, 70, 332–344.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gadsden, V. L. (1999). Black families in intergenerational and cultural perspective. In M. E. Lamb (Ed.), Parenting and child development in “nontraditional” families (pp. 221–246). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.

    Google Scholar 

  • GarcĂ­a Coll, C. T., Lamberty, G., Jenkins, R., McAdoo, H. P., Crnic, K., Wasik, B. H., et al. (1996). An integrative model for the study of developmental competencies in minority children. Child Development, 67, 1891–1914.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Garner, P. W. (2006). Prediction of prosocial and emotional competence from maternal behavior in African American preschoolers. Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology, 12, 179–198.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gibson-Davis, C. (2011). Mothers but not wives: The increasing lag between nonmarital births and marriage. Journal of Marriage and Family, 73, 264–278.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Goldscheider, F., & Kaufman, G. (2006). Single parenthood and the double standard. Fathering, 4, 191–208.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gonzales, N. A., Cauce, A. M., Friedman, R. J., & Mason, C. A. (1996). Family, peer, and neighborhood influences on academic achievement among African-American adolescents: One-year prospective effects. American Journal of Community Psychology, 24, 365–387.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gonzales, N. A., Cauce, A. M., & Mason, C. A. (1996). Interobserver agreement in the assessment of parental behavior and parent-adolescent conflict: African American mothers, daughters and independent observers. Child Development, 67, 1483–1498.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Goodwin, P. Y. (2003). African American and European American women’s marital well-being. Journal of Marriage and Family, 65, 550–560.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Goodwin, P. Y., Mosher, W. D., & Chandra, A. (2010). Marriage and cohabitation in the United States: A statistical portrait based on Cycle 6 (2002) of the National Survey of Family Growth. National Center for Health Statistics. Vital Health Stats 23(28). Washington, DC: Government Printing Office.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gutman, H. (1976). The Black family in slavery and freedom, 1750–1925. New York: Pantheon.

    Google Scholar 

  • Harris-Britt, A., Valrie, C. R., Kurtz-Costes, B., & Rowley, S. J. (2007). Perceived racial discrimination and self-esteem in African American youth: Racial socialization as a protective factor. Journal of Research on Adolescence, 17, 669–682.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Harrison, A. O., Wilson, M. N., Pine, C. J., Chan, S. Q., & Buriel, R. (1990). Family ecologies of ethnic minority children. Child Development, 61, 347–362.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Haskins, R. (2009). Moynihan was right: Now what? The Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, 621, 281–314.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hatchett, S., Veroff, J., & Douvan, E. (1995). Marital instability among black and white couples In early marriage. In M. B. Tucker & C. Mitchell-Kernan (Eds.), The decline in marriage among African Americans: Causes, consequences, & policy implications. New York: Russell Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Haynes, F. E. (2000). Gender and Family ideals: An exploratory study of black middle-class Americans. Journal of Family Issues, 21, 811–837.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hill, N. E., & Bush, K. R. (2001). Relationships between parenting environment and children’s mental health among African American and European American mothers and children. Journal of Marriage and Family, 63, 954–966.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hill, N. E., & Herman-Stahl, M. A. (2002). Neighborhood safety and social involvement: Associations with parenting behaviors and depressive symptoms among African American and Euro-American mothers. Journal of Family Psychology, 16, 209–219.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hill, S. A. (2006). Marriage among African American women: A gender perspective. Journal of Comparative Family Studies, 37, 421–440.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hill, S. A. (2009). Why won’t African Americans get (and stay) married? Why should they? In H. E. Peters & C. M. Kamp Dash (Eds.), Marriage and family: Perspectives and complexities. New York: Columbia University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Holland, R. (2009). Perceptions of mate selection for marriage among African American, college-educated, single mothers. Journal of Counseling and Development, 87, 170–178.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Holzer, H. J., Raphael, S., & Stoll, M. A. (2006). How do employer perceptions of crime and incarceration affect the employment prospects of less-educated young black men? In R. B. Mincy (Ed.), Black males left behind (pp. 67–86). Washington, DC: The Urban Institute.

    Google Scholar 

  • Horn, I. B., Joseph, J. G., & Cheng, T. L. (2004). Nonabusive physical punishment and child behavior among African American children. A systematic review. Journal of the National Medical Association, 96, 1162–1168.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hughes, D. (2003). Correlates of African American and Latino parents’ messages to children about ethnicity and race: A comparative study racial socialization. American Journal of Community Psychology, 31, 15–33.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hughes, D., & Johnson, D. (2001). Correlates in children’s experiences of parents’ racial socialization behaviors. Journal of Marriage and Family, 63, 981–995.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hughes, D., Rodriguez, J., Smith, E. P., Johnson, D. J., Stevenson, H. C., & Spicer, P. (2006). Parents’ ethnic-racial socialization practices: A review of research and directions for future study. Developmental Psychology, 42, 747–770.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hummer, R. A., & Hamilton, E. R. (2010). Race and ethnicity in fragile families. The Future of Children, 20, 113–131.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ipsa, J. M., Fine, M. A., Halgunseth, L. C., Harper, S., Robinson, J., Boyce, L., et al. (2004). Maternal intrusiveness, maternal warmth, and mother-toddler relationship outcomes: Variations across low-income ethnic and acculturation groups. Child Development, 75, 1613–1631.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jackson, A. P. (1993). Black, single, working mothers in poverty: Preferences for employment, well-being and perceptions of preschool-age children. Social Work, 38, 26–34.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jackson, A. P. (1994). Psychological distress among single, employed, Black mothers and their perceptions of their young children. Journal of Social Service Research, 19, 87–101.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jackson, A. P. (1998). The role of social support in parenting for low-income single Black mothers. The Social Service Review, 72, 365–379.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jackson, A. P. (2003). Mothers’ employment and poor and near-poor African American children’s development: A longitudinal study. The Social Service Review, 77, 93–109.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jackson, A. P., Brooks-Gunn, J., Huang, C. C., & Glassman, M. (2000). Single mothers in low-wage jobs: Financial strain, parenting, and preschoolers’ outcomes. Child Development, 71, 1409–1423.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jackson-Newsom, J., Buchanan, C. M., & McDonald, R. M. (2008). Parenting and perceived maternal warmth in European American and African American adolescents. Journal of Marriage and Family, 70, 62–75.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Johnson, L. B., & Staples, R. (2005). Black families at the crossroads: Challenges and prospects (2nd ed.). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kane, E. W. (2000). Racial and ethnic variations in gender-related attitudes. Annual Review of Sociology, 26, 419–439.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kelly, S., & Floyd, F. J. (2001). The effects of negative racial stereotypes and Afrocentricity on Black couple relationships. Journal of Family Psychology, 15, 110–123.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kelly, S., & Floyd, F. J. (2006). Impact of racial perspectives and contextual variables on marital trust and adjustment for African American couples. Journal of Family Psychology, 20, 79–87.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kim, J. (2010). A diverging trend in marital dissolution by income status. Journal of Divorce & Remarriage, 51, 396–412.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lacy, K. R. (2004). Black spaces, black places: strategic assimilation and identity construction in middle-class suburbia. Ethnic and Racial Studies, 27, 908–930.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lacy, K. R. (2007). Blue-chip black: Race, class, and status in the new black middle class. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lambert, S. F., Brown, T. L., Phillips, C. M., & Ialongo, N. S. (2004). The relationship between perceptions of neighborhood characteristics and substance use among urban African American adolescents. American Journal of Community Psychology, 34, 205–218.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lansford, J. E., Deater-Deckard, K., Dodge, K. A., Bates, J. E., & Petit, G. S. (2004). Ethnic differences in the link between physical discipline and later adolescent externalizing behaviors. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychology, 45, 801–812.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lau, A. S., Litrownik, A. J., Newton, R. R., Black, M. M., & Everson, M. D. (2006). Factors affecting the link between physical discipline and child externalizing problems in black and white families. Journal of Community Psychology, 34, 89–103.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lesane-Brown, C. L. (2006). A review of race socialization within Black families. Developmental Review, 26, 400–426.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lewin, A. (2001). A tale of two classes: The Black poor and the Black middle class. The Black Scholar, 21, 7–13.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lincoln, K. D., & Chae, D. H. (2010). Stress, marital satisfaction, and psychological distress among African Americans. Journal of Family Issues, 31, 1081–1105.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lincoln, K. D., Taylor, R. J., & Jackson, J. S. (2008). Romantic relationships among unmarried African Americans and Caribbean Blacks: Findings from the National Survey of American Life. Family Relations, 57, 254–266.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lundquist, J. H. (2006). The black-white gap in marital dissolution among young adults: What can a counterfactual scenario tell us? Social Problems, 53, 421–441.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Manning, W. D. (2001). Childbearing in cohabitating unions: Racial and ethnic differences. Family Planning Perspectives, 33, 217–223.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Marks, L. D., Hopkins, K. H., Chaney, C., Monroe, P. A., Nesteruk, O., & Sasser, D. D. (2008). “Together, we are strong”: A qualitative study of happy, enduring African American marriages. Family Relations, 57, 172–185.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mason, C. A., Cauce, A. M., Gonzales, N., & Hiraga, Y. (1996). Neither too sweet nor too sour: Problem peers, maternal control, and problem behavior in African American adolescents. Child Development, 67, 2115–2130.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McAdoo, H. P. (2002). African American parenting. In M. H. Bornstein (Ed.), Handbook of parenting: Vol. Social conditions and applied parenting (2nd ed., pp. 47–58). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.

    Google Scholar 

  • McGroder, S. M. (2000). Parenting among low-income African American single mothers with preschool-age children: Patterns, predictors, and developmental correlates. Child Development, 71, 752–771.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McHale, S. M., Crouter, A. C., Kim, J., Burton, L. M., Davis, K. D., Dotterer, A. M., et al. (2006). Mothers’ and fathers’ racial socialization in African American families: Implications for youth. Child Development, 77, 1387–1402.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McLoyd, V. C. (1990). The impact of economic hardship on Black families and children: Psychological distress, parenting, and socioemotional development. Child Development, 61, 311–346.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McLoyd, V. C. (1998). Socioeconomic disadvantage and child development. American Psychologist, 53, 185–204.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McLoyd, V. C. (2006). The legacy of Child Development’s 1990 special issue on minority children: An editorial retrospective. Child Development, 77, 1142–1148.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McLoyd, V. C., Cauce, A. M., Takeuchi, D., & Wilson, L. (2000). Marital processes and parental socialization in families of color: A decade of review of research. Journal of Marriage and Family, 62, 1070–1093.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McLoyd, V. C., Kaplan, R., Hardaway, C. R., & Wood, D. (2007). Does endorsement of physical discipline matter?: Assessing moderating influences on the maternal and child psychological correlates of physical discipline in African American families. Journal of Family Psychology, 23, 165–175.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McLoyd, V. C., & Smith, J. (2002). Physical discipline and behavior problems in African American, European American, and Hispanic children: Emotional support as a moderator. Journal of Marriage and Family, 64, 40–53.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mincy, R. B., Lewis, C. E., & Han, W. (2006). Left behind: Less-educated young black men in the economic boom of the 1990s. In R. B. Mincy (Ed.), Black males left behind. Washington, DC: The Urban Institute Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mitchell, S. J., Lewin, A., Horn, I. B., Valentine, D., Sanders-Phillips, K., & Joseph, J. G. (2009). How does violence exposure affect the psychological health and parenting of young African–American mothers? Social Science & Medicine, 70, 526–533.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Moynihan, D. P. (1965). The Negro family: The case for national action. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office.

    Google Scholar 

  • Murry, V. M., Brown, P. A., Brody, G. H., Cutrona, C. E., & Simons, R. L. (2001). Racial discrimination as a moderator of the links among stress, maternal psychological functioning, and family relationships. Journal of Marriage and Family, 63, 915–926.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Murry, V. M., Bynum, M. S., Brody, G. H., Willert, A., & Stephens, D. (2001). African American single mothers and children in context: A review of studies on risk and resilience. Clinical Child and Family Psychology Review, 4, 133–155.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Neblett, E. W., Smalls, C. P., Ford, K. R., NguyĂŞn, H. X., & Sellers, R. M. (2009). Racial socialization and racial identity: African American parents’ messages about race as precursors to identity. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 38, 1573–6601.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Neblett, E. W., White, R. L., Ford, K. R., Philip, C., NguyĂŞn, H. X., & Sellers, R. M. (2008). Patterns of racial socialization and psychological adjustment: Can parental communication about race and reduce the impact of racial discrimination? Journal of Research on Adolescence, 18, 477–515.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nobles, W. W. (1974). Africanity. Its role in black families. The Black Scholar, 5, 10–17.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ogbu, J. (1981). Origins of human competence: A cultural ecological perspective. Child Development, 52, 413–449.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Olson, D., & Fowers, B. (1993). Fives types of marriage: An empirical typology based on ENRICH. Family Journal: Counseling and Therapy for Couples and Families, 1, 196–207.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Orbuch, T. L., Veroff, J., Hassan, H., & Horrocks, J. (2002). Who will divorce?: A 14-year longitudinal study of black couples and white couples. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 19, 179–202.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Patillo-McCoy, M. (1999). Black picket fences. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Phillips, J. A., & Sweeney, M. M. (2005). Premarital cohabitation and marital disruption among White, Black, and Mexican American women. Journal of Marriage and Family, 67, 296–314.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Phinney, J. S., & Landin, J. (1998). Research paradigms for studying ethnic minority families within and across groups. In V. C. McLoyd & L. Steinberg (Eds.), Studying minority adolescents: Conceptual, methodological, and theoretical issues (pp. 89–109). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pinderhughes, E. B. (2002). African American marriage in the 20th century. Family Process, 41, 269–282.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pittman, L. D., & Chase-Lansdale, P. L. (2001). African American adolescent girls in impoverished communities: Parenting style and adolescent outcomes. Journal of Research on Adolescence, 11, 199–224.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pungello, E. P., Iruka, I. U., Dotterer, A. M., Mills-Koonce, R., & Reznick, J. S. (2009). The effects of socioeconomic status, race, and parenting on language development in early childhood. Developmental Psychology, 45, 544–557.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Roopnarine, J. L., Fouts, H. N., Lamb, M. E., & Lewis-Elligan, T. Y. (2005). Mothers’ and fathers’ behaviors toward their 3- to 4-month old infants in lower, middle, and upper socioeconomic African American families. Developmental Psychology, 41, 723–732.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ruggles, S. (1997). The rise of divorce and separation in the United States, 1880–1990. Demography, 34, 455–466.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sanders-Phillips, K. (2009). Racial discrimination: A continuum of violence exposure for children of color. Clinical Child and Family Psychology Review, 12, 174–195.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sayer, L. C., & Fine, L. (2011). Racial-ethnic differences in U.S. married women’s and men’s housework. Social Indicators Researchers, 101, 259–265.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sellers, R. M., Smith, M. A., Shelton, J., Rowley, S. A. J., & Chavous, T. M. (1998). Multidimensional model of racial identity: A reconceptualization of African American racial identity. Personality & Social Psychology Review, 2, 18–39.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Slaughter-Defoe, D. T., Garrett, A. M., & Harrison-Hale, A. O. (2006). Our children too: A history of the Black Caucus of the Society for Research in Child Development, 1973–1997. Monographs of the Society for Research in Child Development, 71(1, Serial No. 283).

    Google Scholar 

  • Smetana, J. G. (2000). Middle-class African American adolescents’ and parents’ conceptions of parental authority and parenting practices: A longitudinal investigation. Child Development, 71, 1672–1686.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Smetana, J. G., Campione-Barr, N., & Daddis, C. (2004). Longitudinal development of family decision making: Defining healthy behavioral autonomy for middle-class African American adolescents. Child Development, 75, 1418–1434.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Spencer, M. B. (1983). Children’s cultural values and parental child rearing strategies. Developmental Review, 3, 351–370.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Spencer, M. B. (2006). The “history” of two milestone developmental publications on black children. Monographs of the Society for Research in Child Development, 71, 113–120.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Spencer, M. B., Dupree, D., & Hartmann, T. (1997). A Phenomenological Variant of Ecological Systems Theory (PVEST): A self-organization perspective in context. Development and Psychopathology, 9, 817–833.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stack, C. (1978). All our kin: Strategies for survival in a black community. New York: Basic Books.

    Google Scholar 

  • Steele, C. M., & Aronson, J. (1995). Stereotype threat and the intellectual test performance of African Americans. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 69, 797–811.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Steinberg, L., Dornbusch, S. M., & Brown, B. B. (1992). Ethnic differences in adolescent achievement: An ecological perspective. American Psychologist, 47, 723–729.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Steinberg, L., & Fletcher, A. C. (1998). Data analytic strategies in research on ethnic minority youth. In V. C. McLoyd & L. Steinberg (Eds.), Studying minority adolescents: Conceptual, methodological, and theoretical Issues (pp. 279–294). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stevenson, H. (1994). Validation of the scale of racial socialization for African American adolescents: Steps toward multidimensionality. Journal of Black Psychology, 20, 445–468.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stevenson, H. C., & Arrington, E. G. (2009). Racial/ethnic socialization mediates perceived racism and the racial identity of African American adolescents. Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology, 15, 125–136.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stevenson, H. C., Cameron, R., Herrero-Taylor, T., & Davis, G. Y. (2002). Development of the Teenager Experience of Racial Socialization Scale: Correlates of race-related socialization frequency from the perspective of black youth. Journal of Black Psychology, 28, 84–106.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tamis-LeMonda, C. S., Briggs, R. D., McClowry, S. G., & Snow, D. L. (2008). Challenges to the study of African American parenting: Conceptualization, sampling, research approaches, measurement, and design. Parenting: Science and Practice, 8, 319–358.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Taylor, R. J., Chatters, L. M., Tucker, B. L., & Lewis, E. (1990). Developments in research on black families: A decade review. Journal of Marriage and Family, 52, 993–1014.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Teachman, J. D., & Tedrow, L. (2008). Divorce, race, and military service: More than equal pay and equal opportunity. Journal of Marriage and Family, 70, 1030–1044.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tomaskovic-Devey, D., & Stainback, K. (2007). Discrimination and desegregation: Equal opportunity progress in U.S. private sector workplaces since the Civil Rights Act. The Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, 609, 49–84.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tucker, M. B., & Mitchell-Kernan, C. (1995). The decline in marriage among African Americans: Causes, consequences, and policy implications. New York: Russell Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • U.S. Census Bureau. (1993). We the Americans: Blacks. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office.

    Google Scholar 

  • U.S. Census Bureau. (2005, August). We the people: Blacks in the United States. Census 2000 special reports. Retrieved February 2, 2011, from http://www.census.gov/prod/2005pubs/censr-25.pdf.

  • U.S. Census Bureau. (2007, February). The American community—blacks: 2004. American community survey reports. Retrieved February 2, 2011, from http://www.census.gov/prod/2007pubs/acs-04.pdf.

  • U.S. Census Bureau. (2008). Table A1. Marital status of people 15 years and over, by age, sex, personal earnings, race, and Hispanic origin/1, 2008. America’s families and living arrangements: 2008. Retrieved February 2, 2011, from http://www.census.gov/population/www/socdemo/hh-fam/cps2008.html.

  • U.S. Census Bureau. (2010, December). 2009 American community survey [Data file]. Retrieved February 2, 2011, from http://factfinder.census.gov.

  • Vespa, J. (2009). Gender ideology construction: A life course and intersectional approach. Gender and Society, 23, 363–387.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • White-Johnson, R., Ford, K. R., & Sellers, R. M. (2010). Parental racial socialization profiles: Association with demographic factors, racial discrimination, childhood socialization, and racial identity. Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology, 16, 237–247.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wickrama, K. A. S., Bryant, C. M., & Wickrama, T. K. A. (2010). Perceived community disorder, hostile marital interactions, and self-reported health of African American couples: An interdyadic process. Personal Relationships, 17, 515–531.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wildsmith, E., & Raley, R. K. (2006). Race-ethnic differences in nonmarital fertility: A focus on Mexican American women. Journal of Marriage and Family, 68, 491–508.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wilson, W. J. (1987). The truly disadvantaged: The inner city, the underclass, and public policy. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This chapter was prepared with the support of the National Institute of Mental Health (7R21MH083986-02). I would like to thank Dr. Sandra L. Barnes and Dr. Sharon Lambert for feedback on an earlier version of this chapter. I would also like to thank Tiffani Stevenson and Dr. Ndidi Okeke for their assistance in the preparation of this chapter.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Family Science, School of Public Health, University of Maryland at College Park, College Park, MD, USA

    Mia A. Smith-Bynum PhD

Authors
  1. Mia A. Smith-Bynum PhD
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Mia A. Smith-Bynum PhD .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Dept. Family Studies & Social Work, Miami University Dept. Family Studies & Social Work, Oxford, Ohio, USA

    Gary W. Peterson

  2. Dept. Family Studies & Social Work, Miami University Dept. Family Studies & Social Work, Oxford, Ohio, USA

    Kevin R. Bush

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2013 Springer Science+Business Media New York

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Smith-Bynum, M.A. (2013). African American Families: Research Progress and Potential in the Age of Obama. In: Peterson, G., Bush, K. (eds) Handbook of Marriage and the Family. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-3987-5_28

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation