Black Male College Students Research Articles

Chronic Kidney Disease Risk Awareness, Dietary Intake, and Food Security Among Black Male College Students

ObjectivesNutrition, lifestyle factors, and awareness of chronic kidney disease (CKD) risk are vital tools for preventing or delaying its development and progression in Black American (BA) males. Few published studies assess awareness of CKD risk in BA male college students despite being at high risk. This study aimed to 1) assess the awareness of CKD risk among BA male college students and 2) identify dietary and lifestyle habits related to CKD risk. MethodsThis was a cross-sectional online survey utilizing a network sampling technique. Inclusion criteria were self-identification as a Black American male and current enrollment in a university. Participants were recruited through publicly available social media sites and emails. The online questionnaire contained demographic, health status, and food security items. Pearson’s correlations explored associations between continuous variables; independent samples t-tests compared mean scores of responses between perceived risk of disease groups. ResultsSixty-seven participants completed the survey. Only 22.4% perceived they were at increased risk for kidney disease, while 49.3% felt at increased risk for developing hypertension (HTN). More respondents (32.8%) also felt at increased risk for developing diabetes than kidney disease. Dietary sodium restriction was reported by 34.3%, while only 14.9% had been advised to do so by a healthcare provider. Half of the respondents were deemed food insecure, and 17.86% were categorized as experiencing very low food security. ConclusionAwareness of CKD risk is low for BA male college students and lags behind awareness of HTN and diabetes risk. There may be a lack of knowledge regarding CKD as a long-term complication of HTN and diabetes. Dietary sodium restriction is marginal, and food security is a significant challenge in this high-risk group. Educational initiatives are needed to increase awareness of CKD risk among BA male college students.

“Take a Mental Break”: Examining the Coping Efforts of Black College Students Exposed to Police Killings

Given the repeated police killings of unarmed Black people and their increasing visibility because of recent technological advances, Black people are especially vulnerable to adverse mental health effects. However, little is known about how they attempt to cope with these incidents or how their efforts may affect their mental health. Informed by trauma theory and stress, appraisal, and coping theory, this study used semi-structured in-depth interviews with 30 Black male and female undergraduate college students (aged 18–28) exposed to police killings of other unarmed Black people to examine their coping efforts and the impact on their mental health. Students were recruited from four historically Black colleges and universities in South Carolina. Grounded theory analysis identified several emotion-focused coping and problem-focused coping employed by Black college students to cope with repeated police killings. Furthermore, findings suggest that proactive planning for police killings, at both individual and personal network levels, buffers students against the negative mental impacts of these events. Research and practice implications suggest the need for future studies to identify and develop culturally specific interventions that support effective coping skills to mitigate adverse health outcomes for Black people in the aftermath of police killings.

For the Bruhs: The Need for the Racialized and Gendered Support of Black Male College Students

Abstract: Due to institutionalized discrimination, preexisting lower enrollment, and disproportionate disenrollment during the COVID-19 pandemic, Black male college students’ success has a disparately beleaguered trajectory. Disparities in access to academic programs, resources, and support may be due, in part, to those poorer trajectories but also are affected by university policies (or the lack thereof). These students have lower rates of successful recruitment, retention, and graduation. Because institutions that receive federal funding must operate in ways that are free of race-based and sex-based bias, these institutions are obligated to address Black male college students’ lagging numbers as well as any resulting, potentially hostile atmospheres that these students perceive. Failure to address these issues is a form of discrimination and may be tantamount to violations of Titles VI and IX. Racialized and gendered problems require racialized and gendered solutions. Proactive policy shifts and implications are discussed.

An Exploration of Black College Students’ Conformity to Gender-Role Norms on Gender-Role Stress and Depression

Gender-role norms have caused men and women to be limited to many of the expectations that distinguish masculinity and femininity. Thus, the societally derived idea of what “makes a man a man” or a “woman a woman” has become the topic of gender-role conflict. Previous studies have investigated gender-role conflict between masculinity and femininity and gender-role norms, but there is a gap in understanding how conforming to gender-role norms affect mental health, particularly among Black cisgender college students. The present study examined the adherence to gender-role norms and its impact on gender-role stress and depression that results from conforming to traditional ideology in a sample of Black cisgender college students (n = 120). An Independent Samples T-Test revealed statistically significant differences between Black men’s and women’s conformity to gender-role norms and their reported experiences of gender-role stress, but not depression. Results suggest there are psychological consequences of conforming to traditional role norms for both Black male and female college students and could potentially impact how these students perceive their gender-roles in society.

Speaking Back to the Neoliberal Community College

This article explores the complexities and contradictions of neoliberal policy reforms on fifteen Black and Latino male community college students who participated in a qualitative, longitudinal study at Urban Community College. Though the conventional wisdom on community colleges assumes that more and better neoliberal policies will lead to improved outcomes and greater equity for educationally disenfranchised students, this study illustrates how the policies that are at the heart of the college completion agenda, such as continuous full-time enrollment, on-time graduation, and guided curricular pathways, were implicated in the study participants’ academic challenges.

"Could Be Even Worse in College": Social Factors, Anxiety, and Depressive Symptoms Among Black Men on a College Campus.

Understanding mental health risks among Black men is a step forward in reducing health and educational disparities that are persistent in today's society. Semi-structured focus groups were conducted with 20 Black male undergraduate students from a college campus in the Southeast. The aim wasto identify andunderstand the social and contextual factors impacting their risk of experiencing anxiety and depressive symptoms. A thematic analysis, theoretically grounded in the social-ecological model (SEM),was conducted, revealing three overarching themes: 1)what is known or felt about mental health 2)causes of stressors and 3)signs as symptoms. Discussions with men offered insight into their perspectives and personal experiences related to mental health issues and perceived risk factors. Themes suggest that the college transition, academic workload, perceived financial distress, and their desire and need to conform to ideals of masculinity were significant risk factors and stressors. Men offered descriptions of specific symptoms and health behaviors associated with such stress, including social isolation, anger, irritability, and changes in their own personal behaviors. Key findings paint a picture of college mental health experiences for some Black male college students. Moving forward, more research is needed to expand on this study's findings and improve mental health risk among this underserved population. Future directions are discussed alongside the results presented in this paper.

‘The heaviest thing for me is being seen as aggressive’: the adverse impact of racial microaggressions on Black male undergraduates’ mental health

ABSTRACT This phenomenological study explores Black male students’ lived experiences with racial microaggressions and the subsequent perceptions of their mental health while attending a predominately white institution (PWI). Data is collected through a focus group and semi-structured in-depth interviews with 15 Black male participants from a northeastern public university. The mendacity of systemic racism in juxtaposition to the intersectional identities of Black male students is analyzed from a Critical Race Theory framework. With the findings, I bring attention to Black masculinity and argue that daily encounters with microaggressions impact the mental health of Black male college students. Due to the construct of gendered racism, I argue for culturally responsive mental health care to support the emotional health and well-being of Black male scholars at PWIs. The objective of this article is to recognize the resilience and vulnerabilities of Black men while honoring their voices as they persist to pursue academic excellence.

Campus Racial Climate, Boundary Work and the Fear and Sexualization of Black Masculinities on a Predominantly White University

This article presents data from a study of Black men and masculinities at a predominantly White university. I argue that the campus racial climate on predominantly White universities are important sites of boundary work where fear and sexualization of Black masculinities are normalized in ways that shape Black men’s social relations on college campuses. In doing so, I will share narrative data of how Black male college students perceive the campus racial climate, with a focus on how they are feared and sexualized in predominantly White spaces. I also analyze the ways in which they managed race, gender, and sexuality within school spaces, and situate their gendered performances within the context of the boundary work of the university. Attention will be given to their agency in how they respond to White fears and sexualization of Black men.

Academic Resilience Among Black Male College Students Formerly in Foster Care: Implications for School Counselors

Drawing on qualitative data collected through in-depth interviews with 11 academically successful Black male college students formerly in foster care, the purpose of this study was to explore and identify protective factors that have contributed to their academic resilience. More specifically, this study sought to identify the environmental resources and supports that have helped mitigate against school failure and enabled educational success. The two major findings relate to the role and importance of having an extensive support network and the significance of participating in independent living programs, which served as protective factors for participants in this study. This article presents implications for school counseling practice.

Parent Involvement Factors During High School From the Perspectives of Academically Successful Black Male College Students: Implications for School Counselors

This study used a strengths-based approach to examine the distribution of perceived parent involvement factors during high school from the perspective of academically successful Black male college students. Black males enrolled in an undergraduate degree program at a university in the southern region of the United States completed Yan and Lin’s Parent Involvement During High School survey, adapted from the National Education Longitudinal Study of 1988. Results revealed that among the distribution of the three factors (family obligation, parent information network, and family norms), Family norms was perceived as the most prevalent parent involvement subscale factor during high school for this particular population. The family norms factor subscale’s parent–teenager relationship emerged as the most dominant variable followed by educational expectations. We delineate implications for school counselors and research.

USING A COLLABORATIVE APPROACH FOR EVALUATING PARENT INVOLVEMENT PROGRAMS TO SUPPORT BLACK MALES ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT

This collaborative evaluation explored the distribution of perceived parent involvement factors during high school, from the perspective of academically successful Black male college students. One hundred and forty-six(146)Blackmales enrolled in an undergraduate degree seeking-program at a university in the southern region of the United States completed Yan and Lins (2005) parent involvement during high school survey, adapted from NELS: 88 (National Education Longitudinal Study of 1988). A collaborative evaluation approach using the Model for Collaborative Evaluations MCE was used in this formative evaluation. Results revealed that among the distribution of the three factors (Family Obligation, Parent Information Network and Family Norms), Family Norms was perceived as the most prevalent parent involvement subscale factor during high school forthis particular population. Under the Family Norms factor subscale Parent-teenager relationship emerged as the most dominant variable, followed by Educational expectations. Implications for using the MCE in evaluating school parent involvement programs and research are delineated.

Examining the Multiple Sites of Meaning in a Participant Photography Project With Black Male College Students

Participant photography is a visual method that has been widely used in research to elevate the voices of historically marginalized populations. Although much has been written about the nature of the visual method, including its benefits and challenges, less is known about how meaning is made of the visual images as they move throughout the research process. To this end, this article draws upon data and the methodological notes from a research study examining Black masculinities and employs a critical visual methodology to examine the different sites of meaning-making in a participant photography research project with Black college men. First, the participant reflections on the visual methodology will be used to examine the image production process, which includes the men’s decisions regarding photographic tools and their image-making strategies. Then, select images from the project and the corresponding narratives will be shared and situated within the social context in which they were produced. Finally, this article will discuss practical and ethical considerations regarding the circulation and audiencing of the project images and conclude with a discussion of the lessons learned in using a critical visual methodology to explore how meaning is made in a participant photography project with Black men.

Meeting the Psychological Health & Growth Needs of Black College Students: Culture, Resonance and Resilience

ABSTRACT Under-utilization of mental health resources by Black students stands in sharp contrast to exploding demand for clinical services on campus. Review of existing literature indicates that African-Americans experience unique patterns of stress exposure throughout childhood and on predominantly White college campuses. Cultural preferences, underrepresentation of providers of color and lack of culturally relevant intervention models contribute to perpetuating college mental health disparities. Changing Minds, Changing Lives, a strength-based resilience training model, promotes healthy adaptation to college life among Black male college students in the absence of a shared socio-cultural identity between facilitators and participants. Participants report both positive psychosocial skill development and personal transformation following the 5-week, ten session CMCL academic course. Qualitative data indicate that model design factors promoting group norms of authenticity, mutuality, reciprocity and deliberate de-centering of professional authority contribute more to transformational change than facilitator identity. Group-as-a-whole mirroring and resulting cultural resonance appear to enable the model to serve as an effective psychological wellness opportunity structure for students of color during the transition to college. Implications for improving college mental health systems and better meeting the needs of students of color are discussed.

Unpacking the Theory of African American Offending: A Qualitative Exploration of Racial Socialization Processes and Their Effects on African American Male College Students

In 2011, Dr. James Unnever and Dr. Shaun Gabbidon introduced a Theory of African American Offending, which posits that African American offending is motivated in part by common experiences of racism. They argue that these experiences contribute to a shared worldview that includes both an accumulation of bad feelings toward pro-social institutions and legal cynicism toward the justice system, leading to decreased social bonds and a greater predilection toward delinquency. They also suggest that racial socialization can help to mitigate these effects of racism. Previous studies have found support for this idea, but few have examined the mechanisms by which racial socialization takes place. The current study uses qualitative interviews to explore the racial socialization process among a sample of Black male college students in a Midwestern public university. The findings reveal that racial socialization processes vary widely among male college students in terms of content (police contact, dating, safety), sources (parents, grandparents, peers, and other adult role models), timing, and the effect on social bonds to White-dominated institutions. Implications of the findings for the research on race, racial socialization, social problems, and criminological theory are presented and discussed.

Not in This Alone: Black Men’s Bonding, Learning, and Sense of Belonging in Black Male Initiative Programs

This multisite qualitative study explored the narratives of Black male college students’ engagement experiences in a Black Male Initiative (BMI) program across three different campuses. To better understand the students’ narratives and experiences, sense of belonging was employed as a theoretical frame to investigate how the participants made meaning from their engagement. The findings suggest that the BMI program provided students with a unique cultural community that enhanced how they felt valued and their persistence in college. In particular, students identified bonding with their Black male peers and learning from Black men connected to the program as central components of the BMI community. That deepened their sense of self and deepened their sense of mattering.

Understanding the Experiences of Provisionally Admitted Black Male College Students in the State of Georgia

Understanding the Experiences of Provisionally Admitted Black Male College Students in the State of Georgia

Attitudes toward HIV testing, awareness of HIV campaigns, and using social networking sites to deliver HIV testing messages in the age of social media: a qualitative study of young black men.

This study assessed attitudes toward HIV and awareness of previous HIV prevention campaigns among young black men in the United States of America (USA). The study also ascertained the appropriateness of HIV testing messages for young black men and explored the use of social networking sites to deliver HIV testing messages for social media marketing campaigns. Nineteen (n = 19) black male college students attending a public university in Atlanta, GA, USA from September 2016 to October 2016 participated in three focus groups. The focus groups consisted of a group interview querying experiences with HIV and STI testing, awareness of HIV campaigns, solicited feedback on campaign messages and the use of social networking sites to deliver messages. Data analysis involved the grounded theory approach to identify emergent themes. Fear, stigma and low risk perception were discussed as barriers to HIV testing. HIV prevention, social support and new sexual partners were discussed as reasons for testing. There was a general lack of awareness of existing HIV testing campaigns. Messaging with a universal appeal and disseminated through Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat may counter narratives of fear, stigma and low risk perception to increase HIV testing among young black men.

Smooth Transition

This article is the result of research conducted provisionally admitted Black make students enrolled at four different public universities in the Southeast. The researcher sought to answer the following research question: What are the lived experiences of provisionally accepted first-time, full-time Black male students within their first year at a state college and state university?
 Participants were selected based on having the highest and lowest Expected Family Contribution scores of the eligible population. The researcher utilized a phenomenological approach and multiple methods of data collection. This resulted in rich data that has been categorized into themes. The article concludes with implications for college and university faculty and administrators, as well as for future research on provisionally admitted Black male college students.

‘It’s more than just mentoring’: critical mentoring Black and Latino males from college to the community

ABSTRACT This qualitative study investigated the engagement and leadership experiences of 12 Black and Latino male college students at a Hispanic-serving institution. Specifically, we explore how these students understood and made meaning of their experiences as mentors for local middle school and high school males of color. The students articulated three significant components of their youth mentoring experiences that shaped their leadership: (a) commitment to community; (b) serving as a role model to youth – and among their peers – and (c) using a person-first approach to enrich students holistically, enhance their schooling experiences, and support their academic efforts. The student narratives provide a frame for promoting and supporting engagement for college men of color, reveal the importance of community cultural wealth, and speak to ways to build leadership capital, as these experiences can create and enhance their leadership skills and position them to be community change agents.

(In)visible men on campus: campus racial climate and subversive black masculinities at a predominantly white liberal arts university

ABSTRACT There is an emerging body of literature examining the academic success of Black men attending predominantly White colleges and universities, though less is known about Black college men’s experiences at liberal arts institutions. In this paper, I draw upon semi-structured and photovoice interview data from a study on Black male college students attending a predominantly White liberal arts institution in the USA. Specifically, I will present narrative and visual data of how Black college men perceive the campus racial climate and make sense of their (in)visibility at the university. Drawing upon poststructuralist theories of gender and critical race theory, I analyze the ways in which they managed race, gender and sexuality within university spaces, giving attention to their agency in performing a range of masculinities in response to and in anticipation of campus-based racism and racialized discourses. By situating their gendered performances within the context of the campus racial climate, I argue that universities are sites of racial and gender socialization where dominant ideologies of Black masculinities are imposed, and where ontological installments of gender play out in ways that can impact Black males’ inclusion on campus. Suggestions for the improvement of Black male higher education success will be discussed.