African American College Students Research Articles

The African American Student Network: Creating Sanctuaries and Counterspaces for Coping With Racial Microaggressions in Higher Education Settings

African American college students face a number of race‐related stressors on predominantly White campuses. The African American Student Network is described as a potential humanistic counterspace to provide a sanctuary for these students when coping with racial microaggressions. The development and study of future humanistic interventions in this area is recommended.

(Re)Examining Racial Identity Attitude Differences Across Gender, Community Type, and Socioeconomic Status Among African American College Students

The purpose of this study was to examine the relation between (a) racial identity attitudes and (b) individual and contextual variables. The authors used the Cross Racial Identity Scale, which is based on the expanded nigrescence model, to assess racial identity attitudes in a sample of African American college students attending a predominantly White university in the northeastern region of the United States. One-way multivariate analyses of variance revealed statistically significant differences in racial identity attitudes across gender and community type (i.e., suburban vs. urban), but not across socioeconomic status. Male students had higher internalization Afrocentric scores than did female students, whereas female students had higher internalization multicultural-inclusive scores than did male students. Students from suburban communities had higher pre-encounter assimilation and miseducation scores than did students from urban communities.

Quality of Effort and Career Preparation Differences Between African American and White Community College Students

This study examined data from a random sample of 500 White students and 500 African American students who have taken the Community College Student Experiences Questionnaire to determine which factors in the environment impact their career preparation. The results showed that interaction with faculty had the strongest impact on career preparation for all students. Counseling services were significant for African American students. The African American students indicated they put more effort into student-faculty interactions and peer interactions than White students, and they reported greater gains in career preparation.

Intergroup friendships on campus: Predicting close and casual friendships between White and African American first-year college students

Intergroup friendships have been linked to important outcomes such as reduced prejudice, increased empathy for outgroups, and lower intergroup anxiety. However, little is known about the factors facilitating such friendships. This longitudinal study therefore examined factors associated with the development of friendships between White and African American freshmen at a predominantly White university. African American (vs. White) and male (vs. female) students had more intergroup friendships at the end of freshman year. Friendships between African American and White freshmen were also associated with more direct and indirect intergroup contact during high school, less prejudice upon entering college, having an outgroup roommate (White or African American), having any roommate, and having more contact with outgroup members during the academic year.

The Influence of Diversity on Learning Outcomes among African American College Students: Measuring Sex Differences

National survey data from 594 African American college students were analyzed using descriptive and multivariate statistical techniques to measure the impact of diversity on educational outcomes. Two research questions guided the present study: (a) How do interactional diversity experiences affect learning and development outcomes for African American undergraduates attending 4-year institutions? (b) Does this relationship vary between Black men and women? Results suggest that interactional diversity experiences are positively associated with perceived student learning across all six domains; interactional diversity is one of the strongest, consistent predictors of perceived learning included in the statistical models. Models explain different proportions of the variance in dependent variables, ranging from 16% to 23%. Implications for future policy, practice, and research are discussed.

Childhood perceptions of family, social support, parental alcoholism, and later alcohol use among African American college students

This study investigated differences in alcohol use, family of origin, and social support between a sample of adult children of alcoholics (ACOAs, 25 males and 25 females), and a sample of adult children of non-alcoholics (non-ACOAs, 25 males and 25 females). Participants completed a battery of tests: a demographic questionnaire, the Children of Alcoholics Screening Test, the Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test, the Family of Origin Scale, and the Dimension of Social Support Scale. Analysis of variance revealed that the two groups differed on alcohol consumption and family of origin, with ACOAs reporting significantly less alcohol use, and non-ACOAs reporting healthier families of origin. The findings indicate that not all ACOAs abuse alcohol or struggle with social or behavioural problems.

First‐Generation African American Male College Students: Implications for Career Counselors

The path to upward mobility or economic success for African American men is often filled with obstacles and roadblocks. Many first‐generation African American men entering colleges and universities face limited resources and opportunities to aid in their career development and efforts to meet their career objectives. This article explores the career development needs of African American men attending colleges and universities. The article provides suggestions, techniques, and strategies that career counselors and student affairs personnel can use to assist these African American men in their career development. Implications for career counselors are also addressed.

The Impact of Moderate Physical Activity on Body Composition in African American Female College Students

The Impact of Moderate Physical Activity on Body Composition in African American Female College Students

Gender Disparity and HIV Risk Among Young Black Women in College: A Literature Review

This review article explores the issue of the gender-ratio imbalance among African American college students and its effect on the HIV risk behavior of young Black women in college. The theory of gender and power is used as a conceptual framework. The authors strive to show that there is a significant need for practitioners and researchers to develop and provide holistic gender-specific and culturally competent HIV prevention services for this unique population that reduce power differentials and challenge social norms. The terms African American and Black are used interchangeably to be inclusive of all individuals of African descent.

Super’s Work Values Inventory-Revised Scale Validation for African Americans

The psychometric properties of Super’s Work Values Inventory—Revised (SWVI-R) were examined in a sample of 213 African American college students. Results indicated that the 12-values scales were as reliable and as valid in a sample of African Americans as has been demonstrated within a predominantly White college student sample. Values of coefficient α were similar to those found in White and normative samples, with a median α of .82 herein and medians of .82 and .84 in the normative and White college student samples. A three-factor higher order structure of the SWVI-R was found herein; the three factors were named secure work environment, motivation, and style of engagement. African Americans reported higher mean values scores than did White students but their rank ordering of values was very similar—lifestyle, work environment, and supervision were most highly valued, and creativity was the least valued. Values scores were significantly and consistently correlated with ethnic identity achievement.

Influence of Family Perceptions of Acting White on Acculturative Stress in African American College Students

This study examined family-oriented stressors on acculturative stress in 83 African American college students attending a predominately White university. Results showed that family pressure for participants not to acculturate, pressure to maintain ethnic group language, perception of Acting White, and acculturation level were related to higher acculturative stress for participants. After controlling for acculturation and general stress, family pressure to maintain the ethnic group’s language and perception of Acting White accounted for a statistically significant proportion of the variance in acculturation stress. The findings emphasize the need to recognize culture-specific stressors of college students. Implications for mental health providers are discussed.

Group-Value Ambiguity

The authors applied insights from the group-value theory of procedural justice to investigate minority students' disengagement of self-esteem from academic outcomes. African American college students completed the race-based rejection sensitivity (RS-race) questionnaire. The students were asked to write a position essay on a current topic. They were randomly assigned to complete a demographic form in which they disclosed or did not disclose their race and to receive negative or positive feedback. When race was undisclosed, performance self-esteem was greater after positive feedback relative to negative feedback, regardless of RS-race. When race was disclosed, feedback valence affected self-esteem only among those lower in RS-race. Following positive feedback, these participants showed the greatest gains in self-esteem. Consistent with group-value theory, changes in self-esteem were explained by participants' concerns and emotions around fairness, respect, and acceptance. The authors discuss implications for minority student achievement.

A Sense of Home: The Impact of Church Participation on African American College Students

This articles looks at religion to ascertain the social and individual benefits that postsecondary students gain from their involvement. Focusing on public university students, this study examines the influence church participation has on the academic performance, retention, and engagement of African American college students.

Academic Performance in African American Undergraduates: Effects of Cultural Mistrust, Educational Value, and Achievement Motivation

The current study examined achievement motivation, the value of education, cultural mistrust, and academic performance in 202 African American college students attending both Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and a Predominately White Institution (PWI). Results using hierarchical multiple regression established that the three predictor model accounts for 42.1% of the variance in academic performance. Additionally, the results indicated that a student’s value of education moderates the relationship between achievement motivation and academic performance. Implications for educators, administrators, and career counselors are presented.

Racial Group Identification and Its Relations to Individualism/ Interdependence and Race-Related Stress in African Americans

This study examined individualistic and interdependent notions of self and race-related stress across racial group identification profiles extracted from cluster analyses. African American college students were recruited from an introductory psychology course and were asked to complete several self-report measures. Using k-means cluster analysis, four group identification profiles emerged. The results suggest that cluster profiles marked by an in-group focus on race (Internalization profile) were more likely to endorse individualistic and interdependent values than cluster profiles that emphasize commonality among in-group and out-group members (Universalist profile) or an Undifferentiated profile. The fourth cluster (Multicultural profile), marked by strong endorsement of oppressed ideologies as an essential feature of group identification, endorsed collectivistic values, but no individualistic values. In terms of race-related stress, participants in the Internalization profile were more likely to report cultural race-related stress than participants in the Universalist profile. The results suggest that cultural values related to interdependence and independence differ across African Americans’ racial group identifications. Implications for future research are discussed.

African American College Students’ Experience of Racial Discrimination and the Role of College Hassles

The current study examines the relationship between racial discrimination and depressive symptoms. In particular, it investigated whether college hassles moderated or mediated the relationship. Participants included 194 African American students from a large, Midwestern, state university. Participants provided self-report of their experience of daily hassles related to racial discrimination and college life in addition to depressive symptoms and demographic information. Results indicated that the relationship between racial discrimination and depressive symptoms was mediated by college hassles. The results suggest that by decreasing the experience of generic college hassles, the indirect relationship between discrimination and depressive symptoms might be minimized.

The role of color-blind racial attitudes in reactions to racial discrimination on social network sites.

This study examines associations between responses to online racial discrimination, more specifically, racial theme party images on social network sites and color-blind racial attitudes. We showed 217 African American and European American college students images and prompted them to respond as if they were writing on a friend’s “wall” on Facebook or MySpace. Reactions to racial theme party images were not bothered, not bothered-ambivalent, bothered-ambivalent, and bothered. A multinomial logistic regression revealed that participants differed in their reactions to the images based on their racial group and color-blind racial ideology. European Americans and participants high in racial color blindness were more likely to be in the not bothered reaction group. Further, these students were more likely to condone and even encourage the racial theme party practice by laughing at the photos and affirming the party goers. Conversely, those low in color blindness were vocal in their opposition to the images with some reporting that they would “defriend” a person who engaged in the practice.

Prevalence of overweight and obesity, and dieting attitudes among Caucasian and African American college students in Eastern North carolina: A cross-sectional survey.

A cross-sectional survey was used to investigate the rates of overweight and obesity (BMI ≥ 25), and eating attitudes among college students. Data were collected at a large southeastern university. Adolescents (ages 18-25) self-reported weight and height (to calculate BMI), and, in addition to demographic information, completed the eating attitudes (EAT 26) scale to assess dieting tendencies. Significance of the mean BMI differences between gender and ethnic background were assessed by one-way analysis of variance (one-way ANOVA). Chi-square was used to determine whether the rate of those with BMI≥25 between gender and ethnic background was statistically significant. While 52.7% of the students' BMI were within the normal weight category, 15.2% were underweight, 21.3% were overweight, and 10.8% were obese. The rate of BMI≥25 differed by gender and ethnicity, with males and African Americans having higher rates. About 12 % of the participants reported disturbed eating behavior, which is lower than previously reported. Even so, results support the generally held belief that disturbed eating attitudes and unhealthy dieting are common among college students, especially among females. At the same time, disturbed eating attitudes are not just the domain of young female students; about 10% of college males reported disturbed eating attitudes. Findings of this study call for obesity prevention/intervention and lifestyle modification outreach programs among college students. Weight status and unhealthy eating behaviors of college students should be a concern to health care professionals. While obese young adults will likely remain obese throughout their adult life, excessive dieting among students, which is linked to eating disorders and other health hazards, does not provide healthy and adequate alternatives for maintaining a normal BMI. Implications for obesity prevention programs are discussed.

Integrating Process with Content in Understanding African American Racial Identity Development

Historically, racial identity research has focused on either the process by which identity develops or the content of the identities that individuals hold. This paper investigates the nexus of these approaches. Specifically, cluster analysis was used to locate 204 African American college students in one of four statuses of development outlined by Phinney (1989) and examine movement across clusters over time. Mean differences in the content of individuals' racial Centrality, racial Regard, and racial Ideology beliefs across clusters at both time points were then assessed. Results indicate some relationship between process and content such that higher levels of development are associated with higher levels of identification with and more positive attitudes toward one's racial group.

An Ecological Approach to Examining Body Satisfaction in Caucasian and African American Female College Students

Body satisfaction is a multifaceted concept that depends upon inner biological, psychological, social, and cultural components. Although research has demonstrated the influence of culture and family on the etiology of eating disorders, few studies have examined how these variables are associated with body satisfaction in a nonclinical, racially diverse college population. This study explores the mediating role of race in the assessment of family environment, associated with body satisfaction in college females. More specifically, body mass index (BMI), self‐worth, eating behavior, parental attachment, parental control, and media influence are examined in relation to perceived body satisfaction. Females in a southeastern university (231 Caucasians, 80 African Americans) aged 18–24, completed two subscales of Harter’s Self‐Perception Scale for College Students assessing self‐worth and body satisfaction. Participants reported height and weight to calculate BMI and completed an eating behavior (EAT‐26) scale. Attachment to both parents was measured by the Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment. Perception of media was assessed by the Media Influence Scale, developed specifically for this study. For both groups, BMI was a predictor of body satisfaction. Self‐worth, parental attitudes, media influence, and eating behaviors demonstrated unique interplay with regard to perceived body satisfaction for each race. Findings indicate that body satisfaction, an essential part of self‐worth, is constructed differently by each race, and associated with familial variables in distinctive ways.