African American Families & Children Together (AAFACT)

What is AAFACT?
Why is AAFACT Important?
What is ECHO?
Participation in AAFACT
AAFACT Research Team
Community Outreach

What is AAFACT?

AAFACT is a study that aims to understand the processes by which African American single mothers raise strong and healthy children. Participating families will take part in two interviews, and all information collected will remain private and confidential. We are interested in learning about your family, including such things as parenting practices, relationships, communication styles, and the sorts of healthy and risky behaviors your child engages in. In addition to being compensated, interested and eligible families will be contributing to community development and future prevention efforts.

Why is AAFACT Important?

A growing number of African American children are being raised by single mothers. Although single-mother status has been associated with increased risks, we also know that many children from single-mother homes grow up to be well-adjusted and lead very successful lives. AAFACT is interested in understanding the processes by which single mothers raise strong and healthy children.

What is ECHO?

AAFACT is funded by the UNC Program on Ethnicity, Culture, and Health Outcomes (ECHO). The mission of ECHO is to eliminate the increased rates of health problems among minorities through translatable, evidence-based research, multi-disciplinary training and education, and culturally sensitive service to North Carolina communities. ECHO envisions a world in which health differences are a result of human variation, not racial, ethnic, or socioeconomic disparities. Due to its focus on facilitating community-based research, ECHO and the AAFACT project are also strongly supported by many agencies in your community.

Participation in AAFACT

• Are you an African American single mother?
• Do you have a child between the ages of 12 - 15 years old?
• Are you interested in participating in a project that aims to understand the processes by which single mothers raise strong and healthy children?

If so, please complete this short form and someone will contact you:

Participation Form

Or please contact:

Deborah Jones, PhD
Tel: 1-888-434-6077
Or
Brandolyn White, MPH
Tel: 336-832-8045

AAFACT Research Team

Dr. Deborah Jones, the AAFACT Principal Investigator, is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Dr. Jones’ research and clinical interests focus broadly on the transmission of mental and physical health and well-being, as well as the mechanisms by which families may transmit risk and resilience. She is pictured below with the entire AAFACT team.

Research Team (from left to right, top to bottom): Charlene Chester, Brandolyn White, Deborah Jones, Emma Sterrett, Alecia Zalot, Sarah Foster

Community Outreach

AAFACT is a proud sponsor of the Durham Shared Christmas Program and other community services.