Grant aids study on parenting practices among successful black students

Cirecie West-Olatunji, assistant professor of counselor education at the UF College of Education, has received the Tutt-Jones Memorial Research Grant from the African American Success Foundation to investigate effective parenting practices among African-American parents of “at -risk” students.

Aided by the $2,000 grant, West-Olatunji will survey approximately 400 parents of children who have demonstrated academic success. She will examine the strategies these parents use to provide emotional and psychological support to their children in ways that result in academic engagement, self-motivation and knowledge achievement in schools. Following the survey portion, focus groups and interviews will be conducted.

West-Olatunji hopes the research generates greater awareness of culture-centered parenting skills available as a resource within the African-American community.  Participants in the survey will be randomly selected from a database made available from the School Board of Alachua County.

The African American Success Foundation, based in Fort Lauderdale, works to promote a positive image of African-Americans, combat negative stereotypes of the community, and distribute information about African-American achievements to aid in the replication of those successes.

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Writer

Chan Tran, ctran@ufl.edu, 352-392-0726, ext. 246