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This book provides an explanatory model of adolescent development in a social context in order to explicate how meaningful psychosocial identities are constructed. The maturational trajectories of adolescents are fully explored within particular developmental domains. The functional constructs of resilience and risk are utilized to clarify the intersection of social context and emotional-behavioral responses in the lives of Black girls and their families. Based on research findings, the book has a particular ethnic focus; notwithstanding, it offers powerful insight into the developmental issues confronting all adolescents. The book brings together empirical data and case illustrations to theorize about social competence and social assets that promote healthy development. The book argues that developmentally self-relatedness or the lack thereof makes for adaptive or maladaptive social adjustment. Altogether, authoritative foundational knowledge in theology, philosophy and human development underscores theorizations about the complexities of concrete life-experiences. The girls' self-reports are told in their own words. Their visceral language communicates chutzpah, intelligence, courage, and hope. Of import to students of social work, counselling, and psychology will be the book's theoretical composition and the presentation of actual case material all of which provide a knowledge base for the development of critical thinking and intervention skills. Case illustrations feature study questions for reflection and class discussion. A Glossary is provided at the end of the book to capture the meaning of core concepts presented throughout the text.

Changes in welfare programs are likely to have several important effects on populations served by social workers. While most attention has addressed the work requirement and time limits imposed by welfare reform, other aspects of the legislation also require attention. Living requirement legislation for teen parents receiving welfare has led the state of Massachusetts to develop Teen Living Programs (TLPs). TLPs are residential programs that allow teen parents to fulfill the living requirement when they are unable to live in the home of a parent or adult guardian. Data collected during program site visits to report on the implementation of the programs are used in this paper. This report identifies and analyzes issues related to service delivery that may be useful to social workers, policymakers, and program developers interested in supporting adolescent mothers affected by living requirement legislation. Analysis includes discussion of programming and staff, standardization of services, flexibility and individualized services, the residential model, and limitations of the program response.

Widespread drug use and drug trafficking in inner-city communities have destroyed important social and physical assets of community life, which enhanced and supported residents' personal and social well-being. This article describes ethnographic methodologies used to gain access to a central city drug-using population for the study of the intergenerational transmission of drug use. Key informant narratives report community and family asset losses. A paradigm of social disaster is presented to explicate the physical, emotional, social, and economic consequences of drug use and drug trafficking in urban communities. It is argued that researchers have not examined the social and moral effects of drug use in inner-city communities. A social disaster paradigm may help practitioners to develop practical stratagems to effect social change in urban communities that have been blighted by prevalent drug use and drug profiteering.

The author examines the foundational values of social work in current social work practices with inner-city black adolescent females. Case illustrations are presented to demonstrate how social work values are actualized in direct practice and research. Issues regarding the congruence of social work practices and basic ethical values and principles are discussed. Strength and empowerment perspectives in clear accordance with social work values are presented as practice models.

An important component of welfare reform aimed at minor teenage parents is a requirement that the teenager live in an appropriate living situation, typically with a parent or guardian. The State of Massachusetts developed Teen Living Programs as an alternate living arrangement for minor teenage parents receiving welfare who are unable to live with family members. This article reports on a survey of 199 teenage parents who lived in the Teen Living Programs. Three research questions were asked: Who are the teenagers served by these programs? What services were provided? To what extent have teenagers attained key outcomes? Outcomes measured included educational attainment, employment, welfare status, homelessness, and subsequent pregnancy. Implications for social policy, further program development, and clinical intervention are discussed.

African American female adolescents have unique identity issues that structure developmental tasks. Qualitative data from a longitudinal research project are used to explicate a three-dimensional model of the identity developmental process in early-age African American female adolescents. The limitations of a gender analysis model of voice and connection are noted. It is suggested that the African American female adolescent experiences a relational crisis in both racial and gender identity development. Moreover, African American female adolescents develop skillful, unique, expressionistic, and assertive styles of relating to negotiating perceived hostile environments. Practice implications for child welfare are outlined.

This article reports on research conducted in collaboration with a school of social work, a school of education, and an inner-city middle school. The intervention was culturally sensitive and designed to address specific adolescent developmental issues and problem behaviors. The article recounts the collaborative research process undertaken to carry out the research agenda, including a discussion of the practice challenges of collaborative research in communities of color and school settings, the collaborative process itself, and the specific issues or principles derived from the project. The article also discusses implications for school social work practice.

Stevens reviews \"The Influence of Race and Racial Identity in Psychotherapy\" by Robert T. Carter.