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Family Social Support Networks of African American and Black Caribbean Adolescents

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Journal of Child and Family Studies
Authors:
Christina Cross at Harvard University
Christina Cross
Robert Taylor
Robert Taylor
Linda M Chatters at University of Michigan
Linda M Chatters
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Abstract

Although family social support has been linked to numerous psychological, behavioral, and academic outcomes for Black adolescents, little research investigates the family support networks of these youths. Using nationally representative data from the National Survey of American Life Adolescent Supplement (NSAL-A), this study examines the family social support exchanges of African American and Black Caribbean adolescents. We focus specifically on the frequency of instrumental and emotional support provided by and offered to adolescents and the sociodemographic and family correlates of this support. Findings indicate that both African American and Black Caribbean adolescents provide and receive a substantial amount of support from family, though there is significant variation by age, gender, income, ethnicity, region, and country of origin within and across these populations. Further, subjective family closeness was related to both the receipt and provision of support. Overall, findings affirm the importance of investigating adolescent family support networks, as well as examining ethnic differences within the U.S. Black population.
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Journal of Child and Family Studies (2018) 27:2757–2771
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-018-1116-2
ORIGINAL PAPER
Family Social Support Networks of African American and Black
Caribbean Adolescents
Christina J. Cross 1●Robert Joseph Taylor2●Linda M. Chatters3
Published online: 30 May 2018
© Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature 2018
Abstract
Although family social support has been linked to numerous psychological, behavioral, and academic outcomes for Black
adolescents, little research investigates the family support networks of these youths. Using nationally representative data
from the National Survey of American Life Adolescent Supplement (NSAL-A), this study examines the family social
support exchanges of African American and Black Caribbean adolescents. We focus specifically on the frequency of
instrumental and emotional support provided by and offered to adolescents and the sociodemographic and family correlates
of this support. Findings indicate that both African American and Black Caribbean adolescents provide and receive a
substantial amount of support from family, though there is significant variation by age, gender, income, ethnicity, region, and
country of origin within and across these populations. Further, subjective family closeness was related to both the receipt and
provision of support. Overall, findings affirm the importance of investigating adolescent family support networks, as well as
examining ethnic differences within the U.S. Black population.
Keywords Extended family ●Social support ●Support networks ●Race/ethnicity ●Adolescence
Introduction
Family social support, the exchange of material and emo-
tional resources among nuclear and extended family mem-
bers (Sarkisian and Gerstel 2004), is an important aspect of
daily life for most Americans. Family support networks can
serve as protective and/or risk factors for a variety of
wellbeing outcomes including, but not limited, to psycho-
logical, physical, and economic wellbeing. Family support
is related to higher levels of life satisfaction, lower mortality
risk, and improved individual standard of living (Nguyen
et al. 2016; Silverstein and Bengtson 1991; Swartz 2009;
Taylor et al. 2015). However, unreliable or sporadic family
support has been shown to reduce a sense of personal
autonomy, increase stress, depression, and other psycholo-
gical problems, and exacerbate interpersonal conflict among
family members (Dominguez and Watkins 2003; Garrett-
Peters and Burton 2016; McDonald and Armstrong 1995).
It is important to note that while considerable research has
examined the family support networks of adults and older
Americans, fewer studies focus on adolescents. Research is
especially sparse concerning ethnic variation in family
support among Black adolescents (we use the general term
‘Black’to refer to both African Americans born in the
United States [U.S.] and Black Caribbeans born in the U.S.
or abroad) and how sociodemographic factors are associated
with providing and receiving family support among Black
youth.
African Americans and Black Caribbeans share many
similar life circumstances in the U.S., such as attending the
same schools, living in segregated neighborhoods, and
experiencing discrimination (Goosby et al. 2012; Seaton
et al. 2008; Waters 1997). Given the predominance of race
categorization in the U.S., Black immigrants from the
Caribbean region are typically subsumed (along with
native-born African Americans) within the larger racial
category of ‘Black’without reference to their distinctive
cultures, histories, and countries of origin. Nevertheless,
*Christina J. Cross
crosscj@umich.edu
1Department of Sociology, Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy,
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
2School of Social Work, Institute for Social Research, University of
Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
3School of Public Health, School of Social Work, Institute for
Social Research, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109,
USA
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... Terefore, his/her social skills should be improved [65]. Te fndings of Cross et al. also reported that both African American and Black Caribbean adolescents provide and receive a substantial amount of support from their families [66]. Also, the results of another study showed the value and importance that mothers place on their children's autonomy, as well as the specifc factors that infuence the support they provide [27]. ...
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