The Black Mother-Daughter Developmental Model: A Life Course Framework for Understanding Matrescence, Identity, and Attachment in Black Family Systems
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View abstract on PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.The Black Mother-Daughter Developmental Model (BMDDM) offers a life course framework for understanding Black mother-daughter relationships. It details five stages, highlighting how race, trauma, and societal factors influence connection and healing across generations.
Area Of Science
- Psychology
- Sociology
- Developmental Science
Background
- Black mother-daughter relationships are complex, influenced by unique socio-cultural and historical contexts.
- Existing developmental models often fail to capture the specific experiences of Black families.
- Understanding these dynamics is crucial for effective mental health and family support.
Purpose Of The Study
- To introduce the Black Mother-Daughter Developmental Model (BMDDM), a novel life course framework.
- To theorize the evolving relational, psychological, and cultural dynamics across generations.
- To provide a culturally grounded approach for clinical practice and policy.
Main Methods
- Constructivist grounded theory approach.
- In-depth qualitative interviews with 18 Black women (ages 18-65).
- Analysis of attachment, identity development, rupture, and repair patterns over time.
Main Results
- A five-stage developmental model: Black Matrescence and Prenatal Conditions, Initial Attachment, Separation and Detachment, Negotiation and Reattachment, and Matrescence Redux and Grandmatrescence.
- Gendered racial socialization, maternal trauma, and structural stressors significantly shape relationships.
- Key transitions (adolescence, early adulthood, motherhood) are critical periods for relational dynamics.
Conclusions
- The BMDDM frames Black matrescence as a distinct, racialized developmental process.
- Matrescence redux and grandmatrescence are vital for intergenerational healing and boundary negotiation.
- The model informs culturally grounded clinical practice, perinatal mental health, and anti-racist family policy.
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