Black Students Research Articles

The Balancing Act of Family and College: Reciprocity and Its Consequences for Black Students

Abstract Literature indicates the ways that young adults –especially those from advantaged backgrounds—rely on parents during college and the transition to adulthood. Little research focuses on how the Black family reaches into college and Black college students’ provision of support to parents and other kin. The nexus of family and higher education is a rich site for investigating inequalities in educational attainment and outcomes. Based on interviews with Black undergraduates, this paper analyzes variation in familial involvement during college. It shows the ways in which Black students maintain a balancing act to meet academic responsibilities and family obligations. These practices help sustain the families they value but also reproduce class inequalities. The social organization of colleges and families imposes greater costs on disadvantaged students and offers greater benefits for advantaged students. The structure of education and constructions of family diminish obligations to family, narrow family ties, and mystify aspects of dependence, especially for disadvantaged students. Student narratives highlight the broad character of family values that often compete with academic obligations and detract from college immersion. Different forms and patterns of assistance and connection by class and gender are tied to structural resources and cultural differences, such as the place of family, the meaning of self, assessments of who counts as family, and reliance on a norm of one-way giving.

Individual and regional differences in the effects of school racial segregation on Black students’ health

BackgroundSchool racial segregation in the US has risen steadily since the 1990s, propelled by Supreme Court decisions rolling back the legacy of Brown v. Board. Quasi-experimental research has shown this resegregation harms Black students' health. However, whether individual or family characteristics (e.g., higher family incomes) are protective against segregation's health harms—or whether segregation is more damaging in regions of the US with fewer public sector investments—remains unclear. We leverage the quasi-random timing of school districts being released from Brown-era integration plans to examine heterogeneity in the association between resegregation and Black students' health. Methods & findingsWe took an instrumental variables approach, using the timing of integration order releases as an instrument for school segregation and analyzing a pre-specified list of theoretically-motivated modifiers in the Panel Study of Income Dynamics. In sensitivity analyses, we fit OLS models that directly adjusted for relevant covariates. Results suggest resegregation may have been particularly harmful in the South, where districts resegregated more quickly after order releases. We find little evidence that the effects of school segregation differed across family income, gender, or age. ConclusionThe end of court-ordered integration threatens the health of Black communities—especially in the US South. Modestly higher incomes do not appear protective against school segregation's harms. Research using larger samples and alternative measures of school segregation—e.g., between districts, instead of within districts—may further our understanding of segregation's health effects, especially in Northern states.

The relationship between perceived family support and subclinical positive symptoms of psychosis among Black college students.

Black individuals in the Unites States endure compounded and unique experiences of discrimination and structural racism that may not be as overtly evident in other countries. These distinctive forms of discrimination and racism can impact the mental health of Black individuals in the Unites States, in this case, their risk for psychosis. Adolescence and early adulthood are vulnerable periods in life where mental illness typically begins to manifest. Understanding the factors contributing to an increased likelihood of specific mental illnesses, such as psychosis, among youth in these vulnerable periods can inform intervention development. This is particularly important for those from minoritized backgrounds Unites States; this group is especially important to study given that Black American youth tend to experience higher psychosis rates and different symptom presentations than non-Black groups. This study examined the associations between perceived family support, a critical environmental factor known to be associated with full-psychosis, and attenuated positive symptoms and distress levels in a sample of 155 Black students from a Historically Black College and University (HBCU). Participants completed the Prodromal Questionnaire-Brief that assessed psychosis risk and the Family Environment Scale that assessed three dimensions of family support (family cohesion, expressiveness, and conflict). Positive symptom intensity (r = .30, p < .001) and distress (r = .34, p < .001) were significantly associated with higher family conflict for Black individuals in the Unites States. The findings inform novel intervention targets for psychoeducation and family therapy that have potential to reduce psychosis risk.

“Isn’t It Terrible That All These Students Are Voting?”: Student Suffrage in College Towns

Abstract The 1971 passage of the Twenty-Sixth Amendment to the US Constitution was a significant step in advancing voting rights that offered a new route for young people to participate in public life. While met with enthusiasm in many quarters, the question of where a substantial segment of the youth vote—college students—would cast their ballots was a concern even before the amendment’s ratification. After ratification, it became a serious point of conflict, with opponents to college-town voting arguing that students should be forced to vote where their parents lived. In numerous towns these arguments turned to efforts to deny or complicate registration and voting, intimidate students, or gerrymander to reduce students’ influence. At times, these efforts were explicitly aimed at Black students. This article examines these efforts to prevent students from voting in their college towns in the 1970s, demonstrating that they could serve the strategy of disenfranchising the newly franchised.

Associations between weight bias internalization, weight status, and health among a diverse cohort of freshman college students

Mental health concerns are common among college students, especially students with higher body mass index (BMI). Weight bias internalization (WBI) is thought to contribute to these mental health disparities. However, little is known about how WBI differs among more diverse students, and to what extent WBI may explain associations between BMI and health in college populations. This study compared rates of WBI in Freshman college students (N = 1289) across gender, race/ethnicity, and sexual orientation, and assessed whether WBI mediated associations between BMI and mental health (depression, self-esteem, stress, loneliness) and behavioral health (disordered eating, physical activity, gym use). Black students and men demonstrated reduced WBI while bisexual women showed increased WBI. Further, WBI mediated the association of BMI with mental health and disordered eating, but not physical activity. These findings suggest that stigma may account for mental health disparities among higher-BMI students, and that minoritized groups are disproportionately impacted.

Absence &amp; presence: The six racism-in-education-processes (‘the 6 REP’)

This article aims to explore the ways in which racial inequity in England education affects resilient minority (ReM) – that is, racially minoritised – students. Scholars argue racism simultaneously produces and normalises the lack of opportunities given to ReM students, shown within six key processes: (i) pre-university educational attainment, (ii) university application choices, (iii) university admissions process, (iv) degree completion and achievement, (v) graduate career prospects, and (vi) the racialised student experience. Each of these processes afford opportunity but are vulnerable to external factors (e.g. race and gender), thus students’ futures are ultimately constrained to uncontrollable aspects of their being. This is because racism manifests in both overt and covert ways leading administrators to believe a colour-blind and meritocratic system is beneficial for students, in turn creating deficit narratives. Thus, the author has called these stages the six Racism-in-Education-Processes (6 REP). Research has highlighted the impact of these processes, but few have amalgamated them altogether. Therefore, this paper deploys existing literature and the author’s theses using a Critical Race Theory analysis to critically examine the 6 REPs impact on Black African England students, to illustrate the absence of racial equity leads to the presence of racism.

Increasing disparities in obesity and severe obesity prevalence among public elementary and middle school students in New York City, school years 2011-12 through 2019-20.

Recent national trends in the United States indicate a significant increase in childhood obesity, a major public health concern with documented physical and mental comorbidities and sociodemographic disparities. We aimed to estimate the prevalence of obesity and severe obesity among youth in New York City (NYC) before the COVID-19 pandemic and examine time trends overall and by key characteristics. We included all valid height and weight measurements of kindergarten through 8th grade public school students aged 5 to 15 from school years 2011-12 through 2019-20 (N = 1,370,890 unique students; 5,254,058 observations). Obesity and severe obesity were determined using age- and sex-specific body mass index percentiles based on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention growth charts. Analyses were performed using multivariate logistic regression models with repeated cross-sectional observations weighted to represent the student population for each year and clustered by student and school. Among youth attending public elementary and middle schools in NYC, we estimate that 20.9% and 6.4% had obesity and severe obesity, respectively, in 2019-20. While consistent declines in prevalence were observed overall from 2011-12 to 2019-20 (2.8% relative decrease in obesity and 0.2% in severe obesity, p<0.001), increasing trends were observed among Black, Hispanic, and foreign-born students, suggesting widening disparities. Extending previous work reporting prevalence estimates in this population, nearly all groups experienced significant increases in obesity and severe obesity from 2016-17 to 2019-20 (relative change = 3.5% and 6.7%, respectively, overall; p<0.001). Yet, some of the largest increases in obesity were observed among those already bearing the greatest burden, such as Black and Hispanic students and youth living in poverty. These findings highlight the need for greater implementation of equity-centered obesity prevention efforts. Future research should consider the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic and changes in clinical guidance on childhood obesity and severe obesity in NYC.

Perceived Racial Discrimination, Psychological Distress, and Suicidal Behavior in Adolescence: Secondary Analysis of Cross-Sectional Data from a Statewide Youth Survey.

Developmental, clinical, and epidemiological research have demonstrated the salience of perceived racial discrimination (PRD) as a contributor to negative mental health outcomes in adolescence. This article summarizes secondary analyses of cross-sectional data from a large-scale youth survey within a predominantly rural state, to estimate the prevalence and strength of the association between PRD and serious psychological distress (SPD), suicidal ideation, and prior suicidal attempts. Data from 93,812 students enrolled in 6th, 8th, 10th, or 12th grade within 129 school districts across Kentucky were examined, to determine prevalence rates for subgroups within the cohort. Logistic regression analyses assessed the differences and established comparative strength of the association among these variables for racial/ethnic subgroups. PRD was self-reported at high rates across several demographic subgroups and was most evident among Black (24.5%) and Asian (22.1%) students. Multiracial students experienced the highest rates of both SPD and suicidality (ideation and prior attempt). Both for the entire cohort and for each racial/ethnic subgroup, PRD was significantly associated with an increased likelihood of negative mental health outcomes, although the strength of these associations varied across the subgroups and developmental levels. The implications for early intervention and prevention are discussed.

Ethno-racial disparities in psychosis-like experiences among students in higher education: Findings from the Healthy Minds Study 2020–2021

BackgroundEthno-racial variations of psychosis-like experiences exist in the general population; however, it is unknown whether this variation exists among emerging adults in higher education, and whether there are differences across ethnic groups within racial categories. MethodsUsing the Health Minds Study data from 2020 to 2021, we used multivariable logistic regression models to examine race/ethnicity and psychosis-like experiences, adjusting for socio-demographic characteristics (age, gender, international student status). We then adjusted for food insecurity, parental education, and social belonging. ResultsBlack, Hispanic/Latinx, multiracial, and American Indian/Alaska Native students had greater odds of 12-month psychosis-like experiences when compared with White students. These associations attenuated and were no longer statistically significant for Black and Hispanic/Latinx students after adjusting for food insecurity and parental education. Multiracial and American Indian/Alaska Native students still had greater odds of psychosis-like experiences after further adjusting for sense of belonging. When looking at ethnic subgroups, Filipinx and multi-ethnic Asian students had significantly greater odds than East Asian students, and multi-ethnic Black students had greater odds than African Americans. ConclusionOdds of psychosis-like experiences vary across and within ethno-racial categories among emerging adults in higher education. Future research may explore psychosis as a disparity impacting Native American/Alaska Native and multiracial/multi-ethnic populations.

How Whiteness Fuels Anti-Blackness: Black Leaders’ Experiences in an Urban High School

This article explores whiteness and how it manifests itself in an urban, Midwestern high school. This examination is done through counter-storytelling to unpack how Black women leaders navigate whiteness while simultaneously experiencing anti-Blackness within and outside a research-practice partnership. These counter-stories came from a larger research project on how school practitioners work towards anti-racism using an anti-racist policy decision-making protocol. Much research centers on the experiences of Black students in PK-12 education settings; however, there is an underwhelming amount of research that analyzes how anti-Black racism or anti-Blackness exists in educational leadership. Our findings reveal that Black women leaders negotiate whiteness through various strategies, encounter moments of anti-Blackness and witness it occurring among Black students within the school. Implications of this study illuminate the importance of counter-narratives in uncovering details otherwise unseen, as well as describe the ways counter-narratives moved the work within the research-practice partnerships forward.

Trends in research grant applications and outcomes among medical students in the United Kingdom: a national self-reported cross-sectional survey.

Background: Research funding disparities contribute to clinical-academic workforce inequalities1-3. Hence, our study explores the association between student demographics and research grant application rates and outcomes among UK medical students. Methods: This is a national multicentre cross-sectional survey of UK medical students in the 2020-21 academic year. Multiple zero-inflated negative binomial regression and generalized linear model (binomial distribution; logit link) were utilized to investigate the association between student demographics, number of grant applications submitted, and successful grant applications (yes or no). P-values less than a Bonferroni-corrected significance level of 0.05/36 = 0.0014 were statistically significant. Results: 1528 students participated from 36 medical schools. 151 respondents (9.9%) had applied for research grants. Black students submitted applications 2.90 times more often than white students [Incident rate ratio (IRR): 2.90, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.37-6.16], with no ethnic disparity in the odds of successful applications. Gender did not influence application rates significantly (P = .248), but women were 4.61 times more likely to secure a grant than men [odds ratio: 4.61, 95% CI: 2.04-10.4]. Being a PubMed-indexed author was associated with increased grant application submission rates [IRR: 3.61, 95% CI: 2.20- 5.92] while conducting more research was associated with greater odds of securing a grant [odds ratio: 1.42, 95% CI: 1.17- 1.73]. Conclusion: Although black students submitted more applications, ethnicity did not influence success rates. Gender did not influence application rates, but women were more successful. These findings underscore the need for strategies supporting women and underrepresented students for continued academic achievement after graduation. This abstract has been published as a paper4

Student and staff expectations of university life - a pilot study.

Student expectations of university lack clarity, yet unmet expectations may negatively impact upon satisfaction, attainment and progression. This questionnaire-based pilot study explored student and staff expectations, in a large English widening participation university. In all, 65 students and 27 staff participated. Most notable was the similarity of student responses regardless of demographic characteristics. However, students already in paid work were significantly more likely to agree that they liked the university and found it easy to make friends. Students who might consider taking on paid work expressed significantly more concern that they may struggle with their academic work whilst those not in paid work had significantly more concerns about exams and self-directed learning. In terms of transferable academic skills, Black students were significantly less likely than white students to expect to make detailed class notes for themselves, albeit within this small sample size, while those first-in-family identified more academic skills needs than other student groups. Significantly more staff than students considered classroom attendance necessary. This pilot study suggests future research directions, including the impact of paid work and ethnicity on specific academic skills and underlines the importance of student support.

Mitigating Neighborhood Stigma: Examining Strategies of Relating and Reframing

In line with social construction scholarship, the stigmatization of neighborhoods has been used to justify or advocate for gentrification and development efforts that often displace marginalized populations. Challenging stigma in public discourse can help level the playing field in support of community interests. This study examines two strategies to mitigate neighborhood stigma: create opportunities for people to personally relate to a place and engage them in the positive reframing of extant narratives. It is based on a preregistered between-groups survey experiment in which 498 local college students rated the appeal of two Black, historically disadvantaged neighborhoods in Miami: Overtown and Liberty City. It finds that ratings of Overtown are significantly lower when its name is disclosed, indicating the presence of stigma. “Relating” improves ratings of Liberty City, however, only among Black students, not white or Hispanic students. “Reframing” improves ratings but only if students buy into the more positive frame.

Social Determinants of Health and College Food Insecurity.

In recent years, many students have faced economic hardship and experienced food insecurity, even as universities strive to create more equitable pathways to college. There is a need for a more holistic perspective that addresses the complexity of food insecurity amongst college students. To this end, we examined the relationship between the social determinants of health, including college food insecurity (CoFI) and childhood food insecurity (ChFI), and their relationship with well-being measures. The study sample was a convenience sample that included 372 students at a public university who responded to an online survey in fall 2021. Students were asked to report their food security status in the previous 30 days. We used the following analytical strategies: chi-square tests to determine differences between food secure (FS) and food insecure (FI) students; binary logistic regression of CoFI on student demographics and ChFI; and ordinal or binary logistic regression for well-being measures. Black students, off-campus students, first-generation students, in-state students, and humanities/behavioral/social/health sciences majors were more likely to report CoFI. FI students were more likely to have experienced ChFI and to have lower scores on all well-being measures. ChFI was associated with four well-being measures and its effects were mediated by CoFI. College student health initiatives would benefit from accounting for SDOH, including ChFI experiences and its subsequent cumulative disadvantages experienced during college.

Black college students navigating digital environments: A qualitative analysis of peer racial socialization.

Black college students navigating digital environments: A qualitative analysis of peer racial socialization.

Pentecostalism and the (de)construction of ‘Otherness’: Experiences of black African students at a South African University

AbstractDrawing on fieldwork conducted at a South African University, this qualitative study examines the lived experiences of black foreign students studying and living in South Africa. The study sought to understand the role that Pentecostalism plays in mediating the everyday experiences of black foreign students within and beyond the university campus spaces. A total of 30 student patrons from two Pentecostal churches were purposively sampled for the study. Data were collected using qualitative methods, including in‐depth interviews, participant observation, and informal conversations. Data were recorded, transcribed, and thematically analysed. The study findings revealed that for many African foreign students in South Africa, Pentecostalism mediated their sense of being on campus and allowed them to deal with the real and perceived social disarticulation fashioned by xenophobic terrains and attendant socio‐material anxieties. I assert that Pentecostal communities helped African foreign students to embed themselves and adjust to life on campus. These communities allowed them to forge convivial relationships and mutuality with fellow students and other Church members. Building on extant scholarly arguments and debates on Pentecostalism and student mobilities, I argue that Pentecostalism play(ed) a central role in the (de)construction of a sense of ‘Otherness’ through socio‐spiritual rituals including, sermons (the word), proselytisation and other social practices, albeit with varying degrees of success. Although Pentecostal networks strongly mediated black African foreign students' everyday navigation in precarious social spaces, the anxiety and the feeling of otherness are not completely removed.

Neighborhood Context as a Barrier to Sport Participation for Girls: Evidence From a Sport Diversity Index.

Evidence suggests neighborhood contexts play a vital role in shaping the availability and diversity of youth sport and participation rates, especially for African American or Black girls. Currently, no index captures interscholastic sport opportunities (eg, sport diversity) within and across school districts and specifically applied to African American or Black girls. To visualize the inequalities present in interscholastic sport opportunities for girls across school districts using a novel index in a selected study area of St Louis City and County, Missouri, and discuss the implications for African American or Black girls. Cross-sectional study. Database secondary analysis. Data for 47 public high schools in the 23 St Louis City and County school districts. We gathered data from the 2014-2018 American Community Survey and Missouri State High School Activities Association. We assessed sport diversity for girls by constructing a sport diversity index (SDI) that uses an entropy index as its foundation. Census-tract data were used to examine the association with neighborhood demographics and contributors to school district income and sport diversity. Descriptive spatial statistics were calculated to evaluate distributions in St Louis City and County, with the bivariate local indicator of spatial autocorrelation used to determine any correlations between variables of interest. The St Louis City school district, which has areas with high rates of renter-occupied housing and poverty and high percentages of non-Hispanic African American or Black students, had the lowest SDI for girls, contrasted with the school districts in St Louis County, which showed an inverse pattern on average. The SDI for girls was correlated with the percentages of renter-occupied housing and poverty. The SDI for girls was also correlated with race: an increasing presence of the non-Hispanic African American or Black population was associated with decreased sport diversity for girls. The SDI for girls demonstrated a spatial association with neighborhood-level determinants of sport-opportunity availability for non-Hispanic African American or Black girls in St Louis. The role of social and political determinants of health in shaping community context and resultant health in athletic training research, policy, and practice should be considered.

Contributions and Legacies of Selected Black Pioneers in Ophthalmology and Institutional Milestones

PurposeEstablishing a record of key contributions of early Black ophthalmologists can help illuminate future generations. We aimed to identify major physician pioneers in Ophthalmology, delineate their contributions, and place their ascendance in an historical context to understand the institutional and cultural barriers they overcame to achieve success. MethodsPubmed and other databases were searched, along with death notices and archeological records, using "Black," "African American," "eye surgeon," "Negro," "Journal of the National Medical Association" and other search terms. Librarians from the Library of Congress, National Institutes of Health, and key ophthalmology-training institutions were consulted, as were the American Academy of Ophthalmology and American Board of Ophthalmology. Family members and colleagues of selected deceased pioneers were interviewed. ResultsMany early pioneers emerged from historically black institutions, as Black students and practitioners were then typically excluded elsewhere. Mentorship is a key theme that emerged in the careers of many pioneers and the Black ophthalmologists they trained. ConclusionsBlack ophthalmologists have contributed tremendously to eye-care practice, education, and innovation. Efforts to recruit and train Black ophthalmologists should include highlighting the roles of Black pioneers, increasing educational and training access for underrepresented in medicine at the institutional level, and expanding pathway and mentorship programs.

Getting Students to Show Up: Generational Differences in the Effect of Teachers on Black and White Student Absences

We provide the first evidence on the effect of teacher generation on student absences. Using administrative matched student-teacher data, we find that Millennial teachers are more effective at reducing absences compared to teachers from earlier generations. This effect is heterogeneous across Black and White students, with Black students deriving a larger benefit from assignment to a Millennial teacher. Although both Black and White Millennial teachers are more effective at reducing student absences than Baby Boomer teachers, the race-specific improvement of Millennial teachers is driven by White teachers.

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.