African-American Families

Extended Family Support Networks

As with other American families, the family configuration of the majority of African-American families is the nuclear model of parent or parents and children. However, extended family living patterns are common among African-American families (e.g., grandmother, mother, and child living together in the same household). One reason for the extended household is economic necessity. Divorced or single parents, widows, and the elderly often find themselves faced with financial challenges due to lower income status. Moving in with family members helps to relieve some of the financial burden by sharing expenses.

Other reasons for extended households are family obligation and family devoutness. These are expectations of helping family members who may need assistance and feeling a sense of family loyalty to help take care of members, particularly caring for older family members who may have participated in caring for the younger generations. Cultural norms in the African-American community support and sanction these types of diverse family configurations.

Extended family households also have reciprocal psychological, social, and economic benefits between family members. Psychologically, the intergenerational relationships provide family members with a sense of belonging, attachment, and protection. Socially, diverse family configurations also permit members to share and exchange role responsibilities, such as providing childcare for working parents or elder care for the older adults in the household. The adaptability and flexibility of roles also provide households members with financial, emotional, and practical support such as food, clothing, information, and advice. These types of support allow parents to pursue and maintain employment and to avoid expensive child-care cost and allow younger members to attain higher educational status. It is also helpful that African-American men and women deemphasize strict gender roles and are more willing to share household tasks and responsibilities as needed. Older family members also provide emotional and financial support, serve as confidants, and provide childcare. They often possess valuable knowledge, skills, and insight to share with the younger generations. This exchanging and sharing of roles and responsibilities is important for sustaining family closeness and for improving self-esteem and self-confidence of members. In all, extended families provide African-American families a functional, mutually beneficial network from which to give and receive care, shelter, support, and protection.

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