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Full-Text Articles in Social Work
Got Hair That Flows In The Wind: The Complexity Of Hair And Identity Among African American Female Adolescents In Foster Care, Lakindra Michelle Mitchell Dove
Got Hair That Flows In The Wind: The Complexity Of Hair And Identity Among African American Female Adolescents In Foster Care, Lakindra Michelle Mitchell Dove
Dissertations and Theses
African American children are disproportionately over-represented in the child welfare system. Many of these children linger in the system and experience disconnection from their biological families, communities, cultural beliefs, values, and practices. Familial socialization and cultural exposure are essential to developing a positive ethnic identity and self-concept. For African American female adolescents, hair and hair care are critical areas for such socialization and support. This qualitative study explored the hair and hair care perceptions and experiences of African American female adolescents in foster care. The goal was to examine hair and hair's connection to, and influence on, sense of self …