There are many varying theories of human development. But, essentially, these theories agree that childrenÆs development can often be predicted according to the relative health of their family and environmental influences. Moreover, a strong family system can often help overcome negative environmental influences. In addition, family and environmental influences will often impact a childÆs performance in school, including academic performance as well as class behavior and peer relationships. This paper applies several theories of child and adolescent development to the particular experiences of an African American male who grew up in a two-parent household in a single family home in an inner-city neighborhood.
In this case, the childÆs caregivers were his birth parents and his grandmother, all of whom lived in the home along with his 7 brothers and 1 sister. Both parents worked, but their economic circumstances were limited. Nonetheless, the parents worked to buy a five-bedroom single-family home in a neighborhood of similar homes. The neighborhood was predominantly African-American and was located within a larger inner-city area that was characterized by a high crime rate. Thus, the family system within the home would play a large part in the childÆs development, particularly the extent to which the child felt secure from the criminal elements that plagued the larger neighborhood.
The attachment theory of human development focuses on the protective nature of the parent-child relationship to evaluate and predict the likelihood of a childÆs successful personal and social development. In particular, attachment theory maintains that good interactive behaviors between children and their caregivers are characterized by physically close relationships that promote the safety and well-being of children, particularly when the caregiver perceives the child to be threatened (Lynch, 2002, p. 519). It is during such times of dis...