The Black Mother‐Daughter Developmental Model
A Life Course Framework for Understanding Matrescence, Identity, and Attachment in Black Family Systems
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 17190879 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Brianna A Baker (0000-0002-8286-7200, Center for Innovation in Mental Health CUNY School of Public Health and Health Policy New York New York USA, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Volume | 65 |
| Issue | 1 |
| Pages | e70108-e70108 |
| Publication date | 2026-01-05 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Family Process (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0014-7370 • E-ISSN: 1545-5300 |
| Publisher | Wiley (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1111/famp.70108 |
| PMID | 41490716 |
| OpenAlex | W7118755085 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 1 |
| References cited | 46 |
This study introduces the Black Mother-Daughter Developmental Model (BMDDM), a life course framework that theorizes the evolving relational, psychological, and cultural dynamics of Black mother-daughter relationships across generations. Using a constructivist grounded theory approach, in-depth qualitative interviews were conducted with 18 Black women aged 18 to 65 and analyzed to examine patterns of attachment, identity development, rupture, and relational repair over time. Findings yielded a five-stage developmental model: (1) Black Matrescence and Prenatal Conditions, (2) Initial Attachment, (3) Separation and Detachment, (4) Negotiation and Reattachment, and (5) Matrescence Redux and Grandmatrescence. Across stages, participants described how gendered racial socialization, maternal trauma histories, and structural stressors shaped relational closeness, conflict, and reconciliation, particularly during key transitions such as adolescence, early adulthood, and the transition into motherhood. The model highlights Black matrescence as a distinct, racialized developmental process and identifies matrescence redux and grandmatrescence as critical periods for intergenerational reflection, boundary renegotiation, and relational healing. The BMDDM offers concrete implications for clinical practice by providing a culturally grounded framework for family therapy, perinatal mental health interventions, and mother-daughter dyadic work with Black families. Additionally, the model has implications for maternal health and family policy by underscoring the need for developmentally informed, anti-racist approaches that support intergenerational wellness and reduce disparities in engagement with mental health services
Constructivist grounded theory · Family systems theory · Grounded theory · Identity (music) · Life course approach · Mental health · Negotiation · Qualitative research · Stressor · Attachment and Relationship Dynamics · Maternal Mental Health During Pregnancy and Postpartum · Racial and Ethnic Identity Research
The Reproduction of Mothering
Future Directions in Research on Racism-Related Stress and Racial-Ethnic Protective Factors for Black Youth
Development of Parent–Adolescent Relationships
Between Black mothers and daughters
The Emergence and Development of Life Course Theory
Black Families
The Predicament of Blackness
Reality matters
A review of race socialization within Black families
“Free Black Children…That Means Everything”
A critical need for the concept of matrescence in perinatal psychiatry
Developments in Research on Black Families
A study of time use and academic achievement among secondary-school students in the state of Kelantan, Malaysia
Rethinking Resilience Theory in African American Families
She Has a Village”
The Trauma Lens of Police Violence against Racial and Ethnic Minorities
Recasting racial stress and trauma
The Political Life of Black Motherhood
Dynamic Dimensions of Family Structure in-Low-Income African American Families
Changes in Black Family Structure
Constructing Ethnicity
| Unique citing works | 1 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 1 |
| Citation span | 2026 - 2026 (1) |
| Citation velocity | current |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 1 |