Answer to Question 1
Contexts refer to areas of individual and family development that play a role in the relationship between people and their environments. These multiple environments surround individuals from birth and play a significant role in development because a person is in constant interaction with these different contexts. In order to truly understand individual behavior and the development of family life, we must first understand the interactive relationships between and among the different variables within the various contexts of development. For example, if we want to study the effects of divorce on a child's development, we can study the child separately; but we can also introduce or take away various factors within a certain context to better determine which has the greatest impact on the child's development.
Answer to Question 2
African American families have strong kinship bonds, an ability to adapt family roles to outsidepressures, a strong work ethic despite recessions and unemployment, determination to succeed ineducation, and an unwavering spirituality that helps them cope with adversity. Numerous self-helpinstitutions such as churches and extended family networks enhance the resilience of black families.Despite economic adversity, parents love their children, provide them with a strong religious foundationand teach them to be proud of their heritage and to contribute to their communities. Cooperation in thefamily is also stressed.
