Author ORCID Identifier

0000-0001-5030-4959

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2017

Abstract

The critically acclaimed movie Precious [1] highlights the multiple stressors and crises experienced by an abused Black teen female living in poverty. Given its introduction to the screen, scholars have yet to make critical connections between the family dynamics portrayed in this movie and a particular family theory. The purpose of this paper is to help scholars who teach family stress courses apply the experiences of this young woman and her family to McCubbin and Patterson’s [2] Double ABCX Model. Furthermore, this paper will examine the risk factors, the protective factors, and the resilience demonstrated by the movie’s protagonist, Claireece Precious Jones. By using several definitions related to Family Stress Theory (FST) provided by Pauline Boss [3] [4] and accompanying examples and quotes from the movie, I use this movie as a lens to bridge scholarship and practical demonstrations of risk, protection and resilience. The following five questions were foundational to this study: (1) How can the Double ABCX Model be applied to the experiences of Claireece Precious Jones and her family? (2) How can Family Stress Theory be applied to the experiences of Claireece Precious Jones and her family? (3) What were the risk factors in the life of Claireece Precious Jones? (4) What were the protective factors in the life of Claireece Precious Jones? (5) How did Claireece Precious Jones demonstrate resilience? Recommendations regarding identifying risk and resilience among low-income, high-risk Black children and families in poverty are also discussed.

Publication Source (Journal or Book title)

International Journal of Pediatrics and Child Health

First Page

8

Last Page

22

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