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What Factors Contribute to the Resilience of African-American Children Within Kinship Care?

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Abstract

Research about African-American children who overcome adversity to adapt successfully within kinship care is virtually nonexistent. To address this knowledge gap, we studied the caregivers of 30 African-American children residing in kinship care homes to determine why some children succeed in their placements while others do not. In this qualitative investigation, we interviewed the kinship caregivers of resilient and nonresilient children. Resilient children generally resided in families characterized by more structure, clear boundaries, and well-defined roles. Kinship caregivers indicated that the support they received from extended family was helpful and promoted positive child outcomes.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Roosevelt University, USA

    Monique Y. Johnson-Garner & Steven A. Meyers

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  1. Monique Y. Johnson-Garner
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  2. Steven A. Meyers
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Johnson-Garner, M.Y., Meyers, S.A. What Factors Contribute to the Resilience of African-American Children Within Kinship Care?. Child & Youth Care Forum 32, 255–269 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1025883726991

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