Choosing an appropriate conceptual framework, theoretical perspective, and methodology to conduct psychosocial research on families with sickle cell anemic children is a major step in understanding the realities of their family functioning and coping. However, research approaches used to study black families, regardless of the presence of a sick child, have historically used frameworks and perspectives that have focused on pathologies rather than the range of family conditions. As a result, very few data exist on black families that describe and explain the variety and levels of family functioning. Thus, little is known about resilient and organized black families versus those that are dysfunctional and disorganized
