“…Cultural values and beliefs such as communalism, spirituality, importance of kinship relations, collectivism, unity, cooperation, and awareness of racial disparities in mainstream culture are central themes in the socialization of African American children (Constantine, Gainor, Ahluwalia, & Berkel, 2003;Utsey, Adams, & Bolden, 2000). Communalism, defined as a belief in the importance of group over the individual and cooperation rather than competition (Belgrave, Townsend, Cherry, & Cunningham, 1997), indicates that the self is seen as a part of the collective whole. The emphasis on collectiveness and group harmony is reflected in the African philosophy ''I am because we are and since we are, therefore I am'' (Mbiti, 1969, p.152).…”