Strong black girl: messages of strength in the lives of urban Black adolescent girls
| Author(s) | Tabb, Latiaynna | |
| Date Accessioned | 2016-04-20T12:12:07Z | |
| Date Available | 2016-04-20T12:12:07Z | |
| Publication Date | 2015 | |
| Abstract | Black adolescent girls living in disadvantaged urban neighborhoods experience different socialization processes than the White American mainstream because of their race, gender, and socio-economic status. This study is an examination of how intersecting oppressions have created opportunities for resilience, risk, and protective family processes among extended kinship networks in the Black community for Black girls. Specifically, from their own words, it is an exploration of the messages that Black adolescent girls from disadvantaged urban communities receive during strength training, a salient African-American gendered racial socialization practice. Two questions guided this research: 1) What are the messages related to strength that African American adolescent girls from disadvantaged neighborhoods receive from their female kinship support networks? and 2) How do these messages affect their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors? Ecological Systems Theory, Family Systems Theory, and Intersectionality were used as lenses to guide the research and contextualize the present study. Using a voice-centered strategy, five focus groups were conducted with 24 high-school aged participants who resided in various urban and urban-suburban communities throughout Philadelphia. The major findings include a comprehensive definition of strength, and four salient messages present during strength training. These messages were related to adversity, success, perception management, and relationships. Practitioners will be able to apply the study’s findings to creating meaningful relationships with African American adolescent girls and develop asset-based interventions centered on coping with adversity, cultivating social capital, and supporting girls in seeking out resources independently. | en_US |
| Advisor | Fleury-Steiner, Ruth E. | |
| Degree | M.S. | |
| Department | University of Delaware, Department of Human Development and Family Studies | |
| Unique Identifier | 946987032 | |
| URL | http://udspace.udel.edu/handle/19716/17653 | |
| Publisher | University of Delaware | en_US |
| URI | http://search.proquest.com/docview/1767378011?accountid=10457 | |
| dc.subject.lcsh | High school girls -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia. | |
| dc.subject.lcsh | African American girls -- Socialization -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia. | |
| dc.subject.lcsh | City children -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia. | |
| dc.subject.lcsh | Power (Social sciences) -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia. | |
| dc.subject.lcsh | Focus groups -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia. | |
| dc.subject.lcsh | Ecological Systems Theory. | |
| Title | Strong black girl: messages of strength in the lives of urban Black adolescent girls | en_US |
| Type | Thesis | en_US |