African American Parenting

• Main Authors: McLoyd, Vonnie C, Hardaway, Cecily, Jocson, Rosanne M
• Format: text
• Published: Archīum Ateneo 2019
• Subjects: parenting; african american; developmental psychology; Psychology
• Online Access: https://archium.ateneo.edu/psychology-faculty-pubs/373; https://www.routledge.com/Handbook-of-Parenting-Volume-4-Social-Conditions-and-Applied-Parenting/Bornstein/p/book/9781138228740
• Institution: Ateneo De Manila University

This chapter begins with an overview of the broader context within which African American parenting occurs; with special attention to race-related economic and spatial dimensions and their linkage to historical and contemporary racism. It focuses on six domains of African American parenting such as behavioral control; discipline; emotion socialization; paternal involvement; parental involvement in education; and racial socialization. The chapter discusses implications of our current knowledge about African American parenting for future research; practice; and policy. African American parents bear the same responsibilities as European Americans for the survival; care; and upbringing of their children. African Americans are more likely to be rearing their children in the context of adverse economic conditions; single parenthood; significant neighborhood disadvantages; and less favorable employment conditions. A broader perspective on African American parents’ strong emphases on obedience; respect; and behavioral control is afforded by looking at other cultural groups that espouse similar emphases.