Alecia Evans-hayes

Attachment and African American Foster Parents Alecia Evans-hayes

"Attachment and African American Foster Parents" is the doctoral dissertation of Dr. Alecia Evans-Hayes. In order to discover attachment patterns in the lives of African American foster parents, she begins with a biblical exploration of Ephesians 4-6, which supports African Americans as they heal the fractured relationships that historically resulted from slavery, Jim Crow laws, and systematic injustice. Theologically, she focuses on the perichoretic relationship of the Trinity, as well as the doctrine of theosis. She sets her work in the historical context of slavery, including the Christian Slave Community and Hush Harbors, with their environments of safety, love, acceptance, significance and belonging. In her review of the contemporary literature, Evans-Hayes researches the developmental concept of attachments within family systems. Her dissertation project concludes with a survey of African American foster parents to determine their understanding and experience of attachments within their own family relationships.