African American Children: A Self-Empowerment Approach to Modifying Behavior Problems and Preventing Academic Failure. - book reviews

Adolescence, Summer, 1999

TUCKER, Carolyn M. Boston: Allyn and Bacon, 1999. 372pp. (h).

This book offers a culturally sensitive, socioeconomic-sensitive, research-based, practical approach to challenges faced by African American children and their teachers and caregivers. This approach is anchored in self-empowerment theory, which suggests that African American children must receive encouragement in self-motivation, self-praise, and adaptive skills that will spur academic and social success. The book features: a chapter on practical answers to common questions and concerns about children's behaviors; a description of an after-school program in which the self-empowerment approach is implemented; suggestions for making the traditional therapy approach to behavioral problems more culturally sensitive; resource materials in each chapter, such as suggested handouts for teaching children the steps for constructively expressing anger; and practical strategies that can be used by psychologists, counselors, teachers, and parents - each strategy is explained using an example or an actual script depicting what a child might say or do and how a parent or teacher might effectively respond.