ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the differences in behavioural problems and competencies as a function of one's proximity to a major stressor. It describes the relationship between socioeconomic status and behavioural outcomes and examines differences in parental values, beliefs, and child-rearing strategies as a function of the availability of socioeconomic resources. In addition, parental cultural value transmission, as a consequence of specific child-rearing practices, patterns, and beliefs, is associated with children's cultural values. The findings indicated that African-American families continue to use the church both as symbolic of their religious faith and as a general resource, although in an incomplete manner. The patterns of findings for the stress reactivity data and the parental interview data together suggested intriguing interpretations and developmental implications for black children and their adaptational processes. Independent of social class, all respondents classified church attendance as very important. Perhaps these mothers need to evolve an understanding that supplying the child with time may be of greater importance.
