Child rearing beliefs in the African-American community: implications for culturally competent pediatric care

Cultural competence is increasingly acknowledged as an essential component of nursing care within the heterogeneous society our nation has become. A necessary antecedent to competence is an understanding of, and respect for, the beliefs and priorities of the families being served. Literature from a variety of disciplines in the areas of attachment, socialization agendas, discipline, and parental teaching is reviewed to provide a description of the cultural context for child rearing in African-American families. Implications for clinical practice are discussed.