FAMILY CONTRIBUTIONS TO RISK AND RESILIENCE IN AFRICAN-AMERICAN CHILDREN

There is substantial evidence that African American children living in urban poverty run a disproportionately higher risk for negative funct ional outcomes than more affluent African American and Caucasian child ren. Both factors external to these families, as well as parental and other family factors, have been implicated as risk factors. Two studie s are reviewed that (1) identify which parental and family risk and pr otective factors are the best predictors elf problem behaviors in thes e children, and (2) identify which of these risk and protective factor s distinguish resilient versus vulnerable African American children. R esults identify maternal psychological distress, high family stress bu rden, use of coercive parenting practices, and reliance on reframing a nd active help-seeking as associated with more problem behaviors. The families of resilient children shared many of these risk factors excep t to a lesser degree, Longitudinal studies on larger, more representat ive samples are needed to clarify and confirm these results.