Feeling loved, having friends to count on, and taking care of myself: Minority children living in poverty describe what is "special" to them

Poverty is a high-risk situation for the health and development of children. However, not all children growing up in poverty suffer long-term consequences from their experiences. Little is known about the perspective of children growing up poor in America and what helps them to be successful despite constant stressors. In this naturalistic, ethnographic study, 20 African-American and Mexican-American school-age children (ages 6-12 years) residing in a housing project in a city in the southwest United States were asked to take photographs of anything that was special to them. The children were interviewed in groups and asked to talk about their photographs. Themes that evolved from the study included "feeling loved," "having friends to count on," and "taking care of myself." A fourth theme that evolved from the environment of the housing project was "living with gangs." Understanding how children perceive their environment can lend valuable insights into their lives. Implications for intervention programs based on the study findings are suggested.