Attachment Theory and Perspectives on Black Youth Development: A Dialogue

• In Event: Attachment Theory and Black Youth Development: New Directions for Cross-disciplinary Dialogue

Abstract

Historically, the literatures on attachment theory and Black youth development have remained largely separate, despite their common interests in the importance of social relationships, the role of context in shaping child development, and the processes of risk and resilience in the lives of children and families. This separation is due, in part, to the broader tendency of psychology research to focus on majority White, middle-class, “WEIRD” samples, and in part to the specific history of attachment research (e.g., the first major longitudinal study, conducted in Minnesota; Sroufe, 2005). We argue that the present era of “Black Lives Matter” represents a critical juncture in which dialogue between researchers studying attachment and Black youth development is especially important for understanding and promoting the conditions for Black youth’s secure, supportive relationships and positive development.

The papers presented in this symposium paint a portrait of the unique relational context in which Black youth develop—one in which caregivers must provide a secure base to protect their children from the multiple intersecting threats of systemic racism. Because racism-related threats are not experienced by White children, the secure base dynamics that arise in response to such threats have not previously been well characterized in the literature on attachment. The present papers suggest that in the context of systemic racism, secure base provision may take the form of mothers’ preparation for bias and moderate emotion suppression (Paper 2), fathers’ support for spiritual and cultural exploration (Paper 1), and a broader network of social support in adolescents’ communities (Paper 3). Together, this work highlights the importance of examining caregiving behavior and attachment within the context of race and racism.

Building on the work presented in this symposium, we suggest avenues for future work focused on three key questions: (1) How do the dynamics of threat and security play out similarly and differently for Black children in American, compared to children in other ecological contexts? (2) How can attachment-focused therapies and interventions integrate cultural humility and take into account the unique challenges of raising a Black child in the context of a racist society? (3) How can the ideas from this symposium be adapted to incorporate the experiences of Latinx families and other children of color?

Finally, we will end by inviting authors and audience members from different theoretical backgrounds into conversation. In doing so, our aim is to go beyond the conclusions of the individual papers and to move toward a broader framework for cross-fertilization and collaboration among researchers in attachment and Black youth development.

Authors

• Jessica A Stern, University of Virginia - Charlottesville
  Presenting Author

• Jude A. Cassidy, University of Maryland - College Park
  Non-Presenting Author

• Oscar Barbarin, University of Maryland - College Park
  Non-Presenting Author