Black adolescents' disclosure and advice‐seeking: Making choices between parents and adult relatives

Abstract

AbstractObjectiveThis study examined Black adolescents' decision‐making processes around disclosure and advice‐seeking with their primary caregivers and nonparental adult relatives.BackgroundFew studies have examined youths' decision‐making in the support process or how multiple dyadic youth–adult familial relationships concurrently function to support youths' needs. Consideration of multiple dyadic relationships facilitates a more comprehensive understanding of how Black adolescents use familial resources to meet their support needs.MethodInterview data from 24 youth, their primary caregivers, and one nonparental adult relative with whom youth reported having a strong relational bond (n = 72 individuals) were analyzed to investigate who youth were deciding to confide in and what information youth were choosing to share with these adults.ResultsBlack adolescents often disclosed and sought advice from their primary caregivers either exclusively or in conjunction with nonparental adult relatives across most domains of disclosure and advice‐seeking. Family issues was one topic that youth would almost exclusively discuss with their nonparental adult relatives.ConclusionFindings suggest that youths' decision to confide may be topic dependent rather than based on a general disposition among youth for whom they share most of their concerns.ImplicationsUnderstanding youths' disclosure and advice‐seeking across multiple close family relationships may inform interventions aimed to promote Black adolescents' support seeking.