Consistency is key: Understanding academic socialization among high-achieving Black boys

Abstract

Despite the racial achievement gap, many Black adolescent boys excel in school. Academic socialization is one way that parents can contribute to these youths' success. However, only a few studies have examined the specific ways that Black parents support their sons' high achievement. To address this gap, we used a multi-wave, multi-informant, mixed-method design to examine the conversations, rules, and after school routines of 12 Black boys and their primary caregivers. First, using latent class growth curve analyses, boys were grouped into a high-achieving or low-achieving group according to their average grade in Math and English across 5 assessments from 6th to 11th grade. Then, using content analysis, we analyzed semi-structured interviews from these families for evidence of academic socialization. Drawing on the Stage Setting Framework, we found that parents of high-achieving Black boys engaged in four types of academic socialization practices that facilitated their children's academic success.