ABSTRACT
Recent psychological research suggests that we have limited understanding of the developmental pathways of ethnic minority and economically disadvantaged teens. An emerging body of research suggests that the realities of life for adolescents within lower-socioeconomic-status (SES) urban black American communities contribute to developmental trajectories that differ from those of traditional, majority youth. The participants' data supported the need to consider a different developmental pathway that would apply to the participants and other adolescent girls in their context. Adolescence is commonly viewed as a time of preparation for adulthood, as a time "between" childhood and adulthood. Recent research on minority adolescents' development reflects an awareness of the need to incorporate new perspectives in assessing development among lower-income minority populations. A reconceptualization of tasks and outcomes would better suit the participants' data and would acknowledge capacities and achievements overlooked or ignored by traditional models.
