SUMMARY Recent advances in theory and developmental science have contributed to a more thorough c... more SUMMARY Recent advances in theory and developmental science have contributed to a more thorough clinical understanding of role reversal in the young child-caregiver relationship. A comprehensive review of published literature in the areas of attachment theory, developmental capacities of the infant, child rearing practices, and parental beliefs was undertaken to determine how each of these areas inform the definition, assessment, and treatment of role reversal. It is suggested that a micro-analytic approach to the assessment of caregiver and young child interactions holds merit and may provide guiding principles for intervention.
On a summer drive in 2016, my son and I (K.T.A.) happily chatted about his planned activities for... more On a summer drive in 2016, my son and I (K.T.A.) happily chatted about his planned activities for the day while he attended camp. As we listened to the news on the car radio, we were silenced and horrified to hear about the second killing of a young African American man in as many days. We both started crying, and I asked my son, “How do you feel?” He responded somberly, “I am sad Mama... and afraid. I do not feel safe. This [country] does not feel like it is my home.” That exchange is now a prominent, recurrent experience embedded in our minds and hearts. We are dealing with police shootings resulting in publicly witnessed deaths of mostly African American men and women, deaths of Dallas police officers serving and protecting their communities, and “not guilty” verdicts for the 2015 police shooting of a young African American woman in Los Angeles and the 2015 death of Freddie Gray while in Baltimore police custody. We are also witnessing a rise in racial discord and violence after the November 2016 political elections. My son’s words that day now echo within many children of color who feel unsafe, afraid, angry, anxious, and sad. Professionally, I am a psychologist and population health scientist. I am also a mother to 2 African American children—a preadolescent boy and an adolescent girl. I too fear for their well-being.
Little empirical knowledge exists about the importance of culture and the sociopolitical context ... more Little empirical knowledge exists about the importance of culture and the sociopolitical context of race's influence on the social development of infants and young children. In this article, we review current research on the transmission of race and culture to the developing child. Utilizing a historical theoretical framework proposed by Margaret Mahler and colleagues' (1975) theory of infant's development of a separate self, we will examine the potential influence of racial context on children's development. Observational videotaped research methods will be used to describe several young children ages 6 months to 36 months from several racial/ethnic groups and their preferences for “same‐race” and “different‐race” dolls during structured play. How infants at different stages of social development notice differences associated with racial phenotype of toys during their play, how parents of these young children discuss issues of culture and race with their children, and the reasons underlying these discussions will be described for this sample. Finally, we discuss future research questions and areas of study suggested by the findings of this pilot study.
Advances in race and ethnicity in education, May 22, 2017
Black fathers, and specifically fathers who identify as African American, represent a group of pa... more Black fathers, and specifically fathers who identify as African American, represent a group of parents who are at once not well understood and pervasively stereotyped in negative ways. In this chapter, we describe the risks and resilience of Black fathers and their children, with a special focus on mental health and coping with stress. We emphasize a cultural practices approach that takes into account both the risks specific to Black fathers’ capacity to parent their children and a theoretical foundation for understanding the inherent strengths of Black men and their families. Finally, we address the need for early childhood educators to partner with Black fathers as a means to best support children and their families.
SUMMARY Recent advances in theory and developmental science have contributed to a more thorough c... more SUMMARY Recent advances in theory and developmental science have contributed to a more thorough clinical understanding of role reversal in the young child-caregiver relationship. A comprehensive review of published literature in the areas of attachment theory, developmental capacities of the infant, child rearing practices, and parental beliefs was undertaken to determine how each of these areas inform the definition, assessment, and treatment of role reversal. It is suggested that a micro-analytic approach to the assessment of caregiver and young child interactions holds merit and may provide guiding principles for intervention.
On a summer drive in 2016, my son and I (K.T.A.) happily chatted about his planned activities for... more On a summer drive in 2016, my son and I (K.T.A.) happily chatted about his planned activities for the day while he attended camp. As we listened to the news on the car radio, we were silenced and horrified to hear about the second killing of a young African American man in as many days. We both started crying, and I asked my son, “How do you feel?” He responded somberly, “I am sad Mama... and afraid. I do not feel safe. This [country] does not feel like it is my home.” That exchange is now a prominent, recurrent experience embedded in our minds and hearts. We are dealing with police shootings resulting in publicly witnessed deaths of mostly African American men and women, deaths of Dallas police officers serving and protecting their communities, and “not guilty” verdicts for the 2015 police shooting of a young African American woman in Los Angeles and the 2015 death of Freddie Gray while in Baltimore police custody. We are also witnessing a rise in racial discord and violence after the November 2016 political elections. My son’s words that day now echo within many children of color who feel unsafe, afraid, angry, anxious, and sad. Professionally, I am a psychologist and population health scientist. I am also a mother to 2 African American children—a preadolescent boy and an adolescent girl. I too fear for their well-being.
Little empirical knowledge exists about the importance of culture and the sociopolitical context ... more Little empirical knowledge exists about the importance of culture and the sociopolitical context of race's influence on the social development of infants and young children. In this article, we review current research on the transmission of race and culture to the developing child. Utilizing a historical theoretical framework proposed by Margaret Mahler and colleagues' (1975) theory of infant's development of a separate self, we will examine the potential influence of racial context on children's development. Observational videotaped research methods will be used to describe several young children ages 6 months to 36 months from several racial/ethnic groups and their preferences for “same‐race” and “different‐race” dolls during structured play. How infants at different stages of social development notice differences associated with racial phenotype of toys during their play, how parents of these young children discuss issues of culture and race with their children, and the reasons underlying these discussions will be described for this sample. Finally, we discuss future research questions and areas of study suggested by the findings of this pilot study.
Advances in race and ethnicity in education, May 22, 2017
Black fathers, and specifically fathers who identify as African American, represent a group of pa... more Black fathers, and specifically fathers who identify as African American, represent a group of parents who are at once not well understood and pervasively stereotyped in negative ways. In this chapter, we describe the risks and resilience of Black fathers and their children, with a special focus on mental health and coping with stress. We emphasize a cultural practices approach that takes into account both the risks specific to Black fathers’ capacity to parent their children and a theoretical foundation for understanding the inherent strengths of Black men and their families. Finally, we address the need for early childhood educators to partner with Black fathers as a means to best support children and their families.
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