Sources of socialization for interpersonal trust: an exploration of low-income Black adolescents’ experiences

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2018-07-02
Authors
McElroy-Heltzel, Stacey
Hurt, Tera
Futris, Ted
Barton, Allen
Landor, Antoinette
Sheats, Kameron
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Jordan (Hurt), Tera
Assistant Provost for Faculty Success
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Human Development and Family Studies

The Department of Human Development and Family Studies focuses on the interactions among individuals, families, and their resources and environments throughout their lifespans. It consists of three majors: Child, Adult, and Family Services (preparing students to work for agencies serving children, youth, adults, and families); Family Finance, Housing, and Policy (preparing students for work as financial counselors, insurance agents, loan-officers, lobbyists, policy experts, etc); and Early Childhood Education (preparing students to teach and work with young children and their families).

History


The Department of Human Development and Family Studies was formed in 1991 from the merger of the Department of Family Environment and the Department of Child Development.

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1991-present

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  • College of Human Sciences (parent college)
  • Department of Child Development (predecessor)
  • Department of Family Environment (predecessor)

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Human Development and Family Studies
Abstract

Much of the literature on interpersonal trust is quantitative in nature, using scales developed primarily with White middle-class and upper-class adults. To understand how another racial group of a different socioeconomic background and age views interpersonal trust, we considered the experiences of 22 low-income Black adolescents. The adolescents participated in a relationship education program and were interviewed about their interpersonal trust experiences. Results of a qualitative data analysis revealed that most adolescents defined interpersonal trust based on honesty and fidelity, with a particular emphasis on monogamy in romantic relationships. Adolescents identified direct messages from family members and personal relationship experiences as sources of socialization for interpersonal trust. Although some adolescents reported that the relationship education program enhanced their understanding of and willingness to trust, others maintained that trust can only be learned through personal experiences. Though the adolescents generally trusted family members, they experienced challenges trusting friends and romantic partners. Despite this, adolescents considered interpersonal trust a vital and a necessary part of romantic relationships. We discuss implications of the findings for relationship stability and satisfaction.

Comments

This accepted article is published as McElroy-Heltzel, S. E.g, Jordan, T. R., Futris, T. G., Barton, A. W., Landor, A. K., & Sheats, K. J. (2018). Sources of socialization for interpersonal trust: An exploration of low-income Black adolescents’ experiences. Journal of Youth Studies. doi: 10.1080/13676261.2018.1492099. Posted with permission.

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Mon Jan 01 00:00:00 UTC 2018
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