Traditional Family Essay

Significance

The unit of a family is the most prominent essential for all of us. As social human beings, we seek social support in order to thrive, and that is where family comes into play. A family is where you receive love, support, encouragement, and many other social benefits. The total number of households in the United States increased from 63 million in 1970 to 113 million in 2008 (Weeks, 2012). The family has influenced multitudes of people in many ways. The traditional family in the United States consists two-married individuals providing care and stability for their biological offspring also know as the nuclear family. However, the term of a true family has ultimately changed over the last 50 years especially for African Americans.

Prior to the period of slavery, the majority African family structure was in the realm of 2-parent households and was the main importance for everyone. However, during the period of slavery and beyond, the 2-parent household has been transformed and its looming effects are still in place today. The effects include the phenomenal increase in female-headed households and also the increase in households with individual living by himself or herself. African-American family structure has been inconsistent, and it has a tremendous impact on the children. Statistics have shown that African American males growing up without a father are more likely to end up in prison (Krampe & Newton, 2012). It is important, as the children are dependent on the family in terms of obtaining success in the future. In addition, the single-parent mother ends up taking new roles as mother and father for the child. This topic has many aspects, which showcase the prominent influence in

Al, 2000). The researchers used a National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health. The sample consists of 7th to 12th graders, who participated in in-home interviews as well as the parents for 85.6% of adolescent subjects. A diverse sample as it includes 10,803 white, blacks and Hispanic 7th to 12th graders. The research shown that white adolescents were more likely to smoke cigarettes, drink alcohols and attempt suicide in the youth than black and Hispanic youths. Black youths were more probable in engaging in sexual intercourse and violence than white teens. The researchers conclude that the different components especially family structure plays minimal roles and also provide only limited understanding of adolescent risk