Growing up Poor: The Family Experiences of Socially Mobile Youth in Low-Income African American Neighborhoods

The primary goal of this article is to discuss the family experiences of socially mobile adolescents in poor African American neighborhoods. Based on a review of existing qualitative studies, these data identify and describe an array of family strategies that buffer adolescents from the risks of growing up in poverty. These observations expand on quantitative studies that limit their discussions to a small number of parenting behaviors. The secondary goal of the article is to use the qualitativefindings to inform youth-serving programs. Grounded in the real-life experiences of families and their children, such programs can use qualitative data to maximize positive developmental outcomes for poor African American youth. Program proposals are suggested that demonstrate how scholarly research can be usedfor applied purposes.