Poster Session 2: African American Families

Presenters: LaKisha David, Naya Sutton

Summary
African American adults who engage in social interactions with their extra-extended African cousins are receiving ethnic socialization messages. The objectives of this study are to examine African American ethnic socialization and ethnic identity development. Data were analyzedusing grounded theory methods.Participants were seven self-identified African American adults residing throughout the U.S. who were engaged in communications with at least one of their extra-extended African relatives, self-identified using autosomal genetic genealogy. Upon reviewing test results listing genetically related individuals, participants intentionally reached out to relatives from Africa. By taking a more active role in the socialization process, participants expanded upon their pre-existing ethnic identity. This study highlights that ethnic identity continues to develop well into adulthood among those with meaningful non-parental agents of socialization.

Objectives
-- To examine the processes of ethnic socialization of African American adults engaged in social interactions with their extra-extended African cousins.
-- To examine ethnic identity development of African Americans adults engaged in social interactions with their extra-extended African cousins.
-- To characterize African ancestral family processes

Subject Codes: ethnicity, family processes
Population Codes: African Americans, inclusive of adults
Method and Approach Codes: grounded theory