Walden University ScholarWorks Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies Collection 2016 Correlations of Race, Ethnicity, and Family Relations on the Developmental Outcomes of Youth Raised in Single Mother Headed Households Sabrina Blount Watson Walden University Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations Part of the Developmental Psychology Commons, Family, Life Course, and Society Commons, and the Quantitative, Qualitative, Comparative, and Historical Methodologies Commons This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies Collection at ScholarWorks. It has been accepted for inclusion in Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Walden University College of Social and Behavioral Sciences This is to certify that the doctoral dissertation by Sabrina Watson has been found to be complete and satisfactory in all respects, and that any and all revisions required by the review committee have been made. Review Committee Dr. Dorothy Scotten, Committee Chairperson, Human Services Faculty Dr. Scott Hershberger, Committee Member, Human Services Faculty Dr. Kimberly Farris, University Reviewer, Human Services Faculty Chief Academic Officer Eric Riedel, Ph.D. Walden University 2016 Abstract Correlations of Race, Ethnicity, and Family Relations on the Developmental Outcomes of Youth Raised in Single Mother Headed Households by Sabrina Blount Watson MA, Norfolk State University, 1997 BS, Virginia Commonwealth University, 1994 Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy PhD Human Services – Family Studies & Intervention Strategies Walden University November 2016 Abstract Despite known risk factors associated with families headed by single mothers such as delinquency, substance abuse, and early unprotected sex, researchers have rarely focused on how family relations positively shape the developmental trajectories of youth living in nontraditional families. The purpose of this correlational study was to examine the relationship between the independent variables of ethnicity, parent-child relationship, and family interaction (including the relationship with important non-parental adults) and the dependent variables of developmental outcomes (social and emotional competence) for youth living in families headed by single mothers. The associations were investigated using data collected from the Project on Human Development in Chicago Neighborhoods, a longitudinal cohort study. The relationships between variables were analyzed using a descriptive statistics method. The results of the study indicated no race- related differences in a child’s closeness to mother in single-mother families. A significant positive correlation showed a difference in closeness to family members across ethnic groups, by age. Multiple regression analysis was employed to determine if there were statistically significant differences between closeness to the mother or family members, and the outcomes. The findings indicated that closeness to family was positively correlated to emotional outcomes for youth, and a significant positive correlation was found between family interaction and social outcomes. These results may have implications for positive social change by providing public health practitioners with strategies to support positive youth development, altering the future of youth, families, and society which will ultimately benefit from a stronger population of emotionally and socially competent young adults. Correlations of Race, Ethnicity, and Family Relations on the Developmental Outcomes of Youth Raised in Single Mother Headed Households by Sabrina Blount Watson MA, Norfolk State University, 1997 BS, Virginia Commonwealth University, 1994 Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy PhD Human Services – Family Studies & Intervention Strategies Walden University November 2016 Dedication This dissertation is dedicated to my Heavenly Father who has given me immeasurable strength and the spirit to persevere throughout this journey. I also dedicate this work to my two children, Miles Hampton Watson, and Mya Sabrina Watson who have given me the room to grow as their mother to achieve this goal. To my mother, Beverly Blount, thank you for being the solid rock in my life and for being my biggest fan. Thank you all for your unconditional love and support. Acknowledgements The completion of this dissertation is thanks in large part to the special people who journeyed with me, supporting me along the way. I would like to express my deepest gratitude to my committee chair, Dr. Dorothy Scotten for her full support, expert guidance, and encouragement that made it possible for me to pursue a topic of great interest to me. In addition, I express my appreciation to Dr. Scott Hershberger for having served on my committee. Their thoughtful comments and timely wisdom were valued greatly. I would like to also thank Kiwanis and Dr. Tom whose expertise and kind advice regarding my research and writing kept me moving forward. I would like to thank my children, mother, grandmother, sister, brother and extended family members for their unconditional love and support. Special thanks to Emanuel for encouraging me to keep going in tough times. I would not have been able to complete this dissertation without your support and encouragement. Finally, to my Lord and savior, Jesus Christ, I am eternally grateful for the gift of life given by you as a sacrifice. I consider this journey another gift to be used to serve others in the greatest capacity as your disciple. Table of Contents Dedication ........................................................................................................................... v Acknowledgements ............................................................................................................ vi Table of Contents ................................................................................................................. i List of Tables ...................................................................................................................... v List of Figures .................................................................................................................... vi Chapter 1: Introduction to the Study ................................................................................... 1 Introduction ................................................................................................................... 1 Background ................................................................................................................... 4 Problem Statement ........................................................................................................ 6 Purpose of the Study ..................................................................................................... 7 Research Questions and Hypotheses ............................................................................ 8 Theoretical Framework ............................................................................................... 10 Nature of Study ........................................................................................................... 11 Definition of Terms..................................................................................................... 14 Assumptions ................................................................................................................ 15 Scope and Delimitations ............................................................................................. 16 Limitations .................................................................................................................. 17 Significance................................................................................................................. 17 Summary ..................................................................................................................... 19 Chapter 2: Literature Review ............................................................................................ 21 i Literature Search Strategy........................................................................................... 22 Theoretical Framework ............................................................................................... 22 Recent Studies Using RDS ......................................................................................... 25 Single-Mother Families and Ethnicity ........................................................................ 28 Positive Youth Development and Outcomes .............................................................. 30 Parent-Child Relationships ......................................................................................... 31 Important Non-Parental Adults and Family Interaction ............................................. 32 Family Environments .................................................................................................. 35 Family Environments and PYD .................................................................................. 36 Literature Gaps...........................................................................................................