Sociology, Department of
Date of this Version
Winter 2010
Abstract
African Americans remain disproportionately represented in the low-income population, and there is a sizable literature addressing the influence of these circumstances on family well-being. There is, however, an increasing need for the integration of the life course perspective into research on economically disadvantaged African American families as they continue to be vulnerable to deleterious mental health outcomes and lower life chances. This article discusses the tenets of the life course perspective followed by a summary of the research on economically disadvantaged African American families and their adolescent youth’s developmental outcomes. In addition, new emerging areas of research are discussed. In conclusion, future directions of research on this population are addressed.
Comments
Published in African American Research Perspectives 11:1 (Winter 2010), pp. 22-34. Published by Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan. http://www.rcgd.isr.umich.edu/prba/