Racial Identity Attitudes, Self-Concept, and Perceived Family Cohesion in Black College Students

Abstract

In recent decades, the concept of racial identity development has received some attention in the literature with regard to Black college students (e.g., Brookins, 1994; Carter, DeSole, Sicalides, Glass, & Tyler, 1997; Goodstein & Ponterotto, 1997; Neville, Heppner, & Wang, 1997; Parham & Helms, 1985). Racial identity formation represents a critical task for these students, and this developmental process may be influenced by several factors. More specifically, for Black students matriculating in predominantly White colleges or universities, the experience of being a member of a numerical minority group may present challenges to the development of a positive Black racial identity. Examples of these challenges may include racial discrimination, lack of academic support, and social isolation (Spaights, Kenner, & Dixon, 1986). Familial relationships may serve as important support systems to some Black college students on predominantly White campuses, particularly in the development of a positive Black racial identity. In fact, some theorists (e.g., Parham, 1993; Spencer, 1982) have asserted that racial identity attitudes of adolescents are actually expressions of parental racial identity attitudes. Thus, for many