Heterogeneity in Research on African American Boys and Men: Focusing on Resilience, Social Networks, and Community Violence

Abstract

The purpose of this final chapter is to highlight three areas in prior research that we believe have potential for advancing understanding of well-being among black men and boys in the US. These include (1) a shift from deficit-focused approaches toward an emphasis on resilience, (2) greater focus on the characteristics and influences of family and other social networks, and (3) a sociocultural perspective on exposure to community violence and associated trauma. We briefly review prior research in these areas and discuss the role adaptive racial socialization plays in each. Based on these findings we provide several specific suggestions for future research. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved)