Multidimensional social support and parenting among Black fathers: A profile-oriented approach.

Though studies have examined the role of social support in the lives of Black men, less is known about the role and function of multi-domain social support as they navigate fatherhood. This investigation utilizes a profile-oriented approach to identify patterns of general and parenting-specific social support (i.e., family; peers; community) among a sample of 759 Black American fathers. Additionally, this study examines how identified support profiles are associated with Black fathers' parenting outcomes (i.e., stress, satisfaction, self-efficacy, and involvement). Latent class analyses identified 10 distinct social support profiles among Black fathers. Results also indicated that there was some profile variation in levels parenting outcomes. Findings suggest variation in the availability and utilization of general and parenting support among Black fathers.

'That is why we raise children': African American fathers' race-related concerns for their adolescents and parenting strategies.

INTRODUCTION: The current study highlights the voices and perspectives of African American fathers, with specific emphasis on their race-related concerns for their adolescents as well as how these concerns guide their parenting strategies. METHOD: Twenty-four African American fathers participated in 1.5-3 h long focus group interviews. All fathers (M = 42.24 years, SD = 6.93) resided in a mid-sized city in the Southeastern United States. All participants were either biological fathers (n = 20) or non-biological (n = 4) fathers. Fathers were residential (76%) and non-residential (24%), with at least one adolescent child (M = 14.32 years, SD = 5.80; Range: 10-16 years). Fifty-eight percent of fathers (n = 14) had both male and female children, 29% had only female children (n = 7) and 13% had only male children (n = 3). After codebook development and refinement, key themes were explored using a theoretical thematic analysis. RESULTS: In response to race-related and other social risks for African American adolescents, fathers articulated a number of parenting motivations and intentions: 1) fathers' own racial experiences; 2) negative media images of Black youth and families (e.g. media influences, negative stereotypes, and portrayals of Black fathers); 3) preserving families through community support; 4) developing awareness of discrimination and coping strategies; 5) cultivating positive personal and cultural identities; and 6) achievement as necessity. Also, gender emerged as a critical lens for African American fathers' concerns and parenting strategies. CONCLUSION: Overall, our investigation highlights African American fathers' own meaning-making around concerns for their adolescents as well as how they shape parenting processes.

Honoring foundational Black psychologists' contributions to research on Black fathers.

Much of the early psychological research on Black fathers and families employed a deficit lens, pathologizing Black fathers as absent and uninvolved contributors to their children's development. As a response, several Black psychologists articulated the need to move away from deficit-based approaches and employ strengths-based and adaptive frameworks to examine the social experiences of Black fathers and their contributions to child development. This transformative work was not only central to advancing research on Black fathers but also a cornerstone in the broader fathering literature. Though the list of foundational architects of Black fatherhood scholarship spans disciplines, we center this article around the contributions of eight Black psychologists-Drs. Phillip Bowman, Cleopatra Howard Caldwell, Anderson J. Franklin, Nancy Boyd-Franklin, Vivian Gadsden, Harriette Pipes McAdoo, John L. McAdoo, and Melvin Wilson. Their collective works and scientific contributions provided a critical lens and articulated a vision for research on Black fathers. In highlighting their contributions, we focus on six thematic areas: (a) conceptual and theoretical advancements, (b) research methods and designs that centered Black fathers, (c) description and contextualization, (d) children's development and well-being, (e) theory to practice and intervention, and (f) scientific cross-pollination and collaborative ethos. Last, we review and highlight research branches and extensions of these foundational roots. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

"When I Think of Black Girls, I Think of Opportunities": Black Girls' Identity Development and the Protective Role of Parental Socialization in Educational Settings.

While educational settings may be envisioned as safe spaces that facilitate learning, foster creativity, and promote healthy development for youth, research has found that this is not always true for Black girls. Their negative experiences within educational settings are both gendered and racialized, often communicating broader societal perceptions of Black girls that ultimately shape their identity development. Utilizing semi-structured interviews with adolescent Black girls (n = 12), the current investigation explored Black girls' educational experiences, their meaning making of Black girlhood, and the role of parents in their positive development. By centering Black girls' voices, this study illuminated how Black girls negotiate their multiple marginalized identities and how their identities are shaped by their home and school environments. Findings revealed that Black girls are aware of the difficulties in navigating educational settings for Black girls, but this awareness was coupled with parental support that promoted positive gendered racial identities for Black girls in middle school and high school. This investigation advanced current knowledge of Black girls' identity development and highlighted the protective role of parental socialization. Future research directions and implications are also discussed.