Development of Boys and Young Men of Color: Implications of Developmental Science for My Brother's Keeper Initiative and commentaries

Introduction to the Special Issue on the Intersections of Race, Gender, and Class in the Wake of a National Crisis

“…It is no mystery that Black boys and men experience disproportionately higher levels of psychological distress due to their exposure to a greater frequency and severity of psychosocial stressors when compared to other groups (Barbarin, McBride Murry, Tolan, & Graham, 2016; Dow, 2016; Moore et al, 2016; Otuyelu, Graham, & Kennedy, 2016; Reid, 2015; Sellers, Bonham, Neighbors, & Amell, 2009; Watkins, Hudson, Caldwell, Siefert, & Jackson, 2011). But a disconcerting fact is that the burden of distress among Black boys and men is ever increasing.…”

“…Black boys and men face many challenges as they transition to and through adulthood (Jefferson et al, in press; Patton & Gabarino, 2014; Watkins, 2012; Watkins et al, 2015), but unfortunately, many of their challenges are masked or difficult to monitor because of the lack of services and culturally sensitive programming (Barbarin et al, 2016; Otuyelu et al, 2016; Watkins & Jefferson, 2013). Despite this, however, researchers agree that many Black boys and men share a common bond of poverty in a society that discriminates and limits their opportunities for success.…”

“…For example, adhering (or not) to the masculine scripts performed by other Black males in one’s social network is a very individualized experience (Cole-Lewis, Hammond, Matthews, Melvin, & Nuru-Jeter, 2013; Watkins, 2012). Moreover, in the wake of a national crisis, the ways in which Black boys and men process the negative events around them is often shaped by how they understand their own gender, racial, and cultural identities (Barbarin et al, 2016; Moore et al, 2016; Reid, 2015) and the intersections therein. Oftentimes, their thoughts and behaviors are a reflection of whether (and how) they conform as individuals and in the contexts of their family and friends.…”

“…Yet on the other hand, there remain challenges in the nation’s racially segregated cities, towns, and suburbs that continue to threaten the safety and well-being of Black boys and men, such as violence, poverty, community disorganization, loss experienced from incarceration, inadequate schools, and racism and discrimination (Lewis et al, 2015; Margolin & Gordis, 2000; Miller & Alexander, 2016). These challenges are exacerbated by the events surrounding the policing and victimization of Black boys and men and call for the redirection of resources to improve their safety and well-being (Barbarin et al, 2016; Moore et al, 2016; Reid, 2015). Moreover, the association of disproportionate incarceration, academic underperformance, unemployment, and other socioeconomic indicators with the aforementioned risk factors provides a strong rationale for promoting research that addresses the safety and well-being of Black boys and men.…”

The Development and Correlates of Gender Role Orientations in African‐American Youth

“…The challenges faced by many African-American boys also are distinct in some ways, but equally pervasive. These include more frequent discrimination by teachers, lower educational expectations from parents, more frequent negative encounters with police, and less access to early psychological care in comparison to African-American girls (Barbarin, Murry, Tolan, & Graham, 2016). Importantly, these gendered experiences may have downstream implications, as evident in studies documenting gender differences among African-American youth in academic, employment, and health outcomes (Gregory, Skiba, & Noguera, 2010;Losen, 2011;Matthews, Kizzie, Rowley, & Cortina, 2010).…”