title: Voices of African American families: perspectives on residential treatment.
abstract: This article examines families' perceptions about involvement in residential treatment from the viewpoints of African American and non-African American family members. Focus group interviews found that all family members shared some common positive and negative experiences. However, unique issues remained for African American caregivers. The costs to children of being separated from their families and communities, fears regarding the use of medications, cultural dissimilarities of staff and clients, staff stereotyping, and a commitment to advocating for children other than their own were themes frequently expressed by African American family members. Implications for social services professionals serving African American families are highlighted.
authors.affiliation: School of Social Work, University of Washington, Seattle 98195-6299, USA. kruzich@u.washington.edu
authors.forename: Jean M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Kruzich
authors.forename: Barbara J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Friesen
authors.forename: Tracy
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Williams-Murphy
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Longley
mesh_terms: D001741:Black or African American / Q000523:psychology*; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D002648:Child; D003256:Community Participation; D018864:Cultural Diversity; D005195:Family Relations / Q000208:ethnology*; D017144:Focus Groups; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D011361:Professional Competence; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012114:Residential Treatment; D012949:Social Work, Psychiatric