title: Cultural Meanings of Mothering Through the Eyes of African American Adolescent Mothers.
abstract: The life-course perspective considers the effects of chronic, high levels of stress as contributing to the disparity in infant mortality between African Americans and all other groups. Many young mothers are mothering their children in isolation without benefit of the cultural safety net that once existed, further contributing to a state of chronic stress. This study explored the cultural meanings of mothering for African American adolescent mothers using Photovoice, a participatory research methodology. Results suggested a network consisting of extended kin and "other mothers" is integral in providing support and identifying cultural strengths used in coping and reducing effects of chronic stress.
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing & Health Studies, Georgetown University, Washington, District of Columbia (Dr Dole); and College of Nursing, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio (Dr Shambley-Ebron).
authors.forename: Debora M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Dole
authors.forename: Donna
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Shambley-Ebron
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D001741:Black or African American / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009034:Mother-Child Relations / Q000523:psychology*; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology*; D016487:Parenting / Q000523:psychology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011253:Pregnancy in Adolescence / Q000523:psychology*