African American Mothers of Academically Successful Sons: Familial Influences and Implications for Social Work

Abstract

African American mothers of academically successful sons can teach school social workers a great deal about successful child rearing. This article, drawing on a larger study of 38 such mothers, focuses on seven mothers' early family experiences in an attempt to learn what influenced them to help raise their sons. The authors asked the mothers specifically about the beliefs they received from their families as well as the messages about education and gender roles. The mothers were raised in homes that emphasized traditional values of hard work, responsibility, and the importance of education. Implications for practice are included.