White American College Students Research Articles

Storytelling for Asian–White multiracial American college students’ racial identity.

Storytelling for Asian–White multiracial American college students’ racial identity.

“I’ve been cheated, been mistreated, when will I be loved”: Two decades of infidelity research through an intersectional lens

Infidelity is a common experience within romantic relationships and is closely linked with relationship dissolution and well-being. Using an intersectionality theoretical framework, we undertook a systematic review of the infidelity literature in flagship journals associated with the disciplines of the International Association for Relationship Research. Our review includes findings from 162 published empirical articles. We identified several themes within the infidelity literature, including: individual, interpersonal, and contextual predictors; outcomes and reactions; beliefs and attitudes; prevalence; and conceptualization. We also found that the infidelity literature primarily utilizes participants who are White, heterosexual, cisgender individuals who reside in the United States or Canada. Moreover, researchers were limited in information they provided about participants’ identities so in most articles it was difficult to assess many dimensions of identity. Ultimately, these findings limit our ability to apply an intersectional framework. We argue that researchers should extend the research they cite, collect richer demographic data, expand their samples (especially beyond White heterosexual cisgender American college students), and consider the sociohistorical context of their participants (e.g., the particular social circumstances and historical forces which shape individuals’ lived experiences). For example, scholars using an intersectional framework would explain their participants’ relationship experiences through a lens which includes systems of sexism, racism, heterosexism, cissexism, classism, etc., in conjunction with individual and interpersonal factors.

Duchenne Smiles of White American College Students in Same-Race and Interracial Interactions

Duchenne Smiles of White American College Students in Same-Race and Interracial Interactions

Effects of Church Attendance Vs. Private Religious Activities on Suicidal Ideation: A Study of Rural US College Students.

To examine how religiosity and depression directly/indirectly affect suicidal ideation in White and African American rural college students. The data from 272 rural college students were used to test the moderated mediation model using PROCESS macro. Students with higher church attendance and/or private religious activities had lower depressive symptoms, which in turn significantly alleviated their suicidal ideation. There was no significant racial group difference in the direct/indirect effects. The college students who did not engage in religious meetings and private religious activities were inclined to have depressive symptoms and a higher risk of suicidal ideation.

The association between Food and Alcohol Disturbance (FAD), race, and ethnic identity belonging.

A growing body of literature has established that food and alcohol disturbance (FAD: decreasing one's caloric intake in preparation for alcohol consumption) is a specific health risk that endangers health and wellbeing. Recent research on trends in FAD has revealed ethno-racial disparities. A sociological analysis is helpful to center race and examine the role of ethnic identity in reproducing health disparities. The current study is guided by theories of socialization into ideal body types by race. Study uses data from a cross-sectional survey conducted among college students. The sample includes White and Black American college students, ages 18-25, and uses ordinal logistic regression to test for the impact of race and ethnic identity on engagement in FAD using the Compensatory Eating and Behaviors in Response to Alcohol Consumption Scale (CEBRACS). FAD prevalence was lower among Black Americans than among White Americans in the sample. Results from ordered logistic regression models indicate that stronger ethnic ties reduce likelihood of FAD among Black Americans but have the opposite effect among White Americans. This modification effect provides evidence that ethnic identity belonging protects against FAD for Black Americans but acts as a risk factor for FAD among White Americans. Findings shed light on the documented racial disparities in FAD and weight control behavior more broadly. Ethnic identity modifies the relationship between race and FAD in our sample. Level V, cross-sectional descriptive study.

Mental Health Help-Seeking Experience and Attitudes in Latina/o American, Asian American, Black American, and White American College Students

The present study examined the direct and indirect experience of mental health help-seeking, mental health help-seeking attitudes, and psychological health in Latina/o American, Asian American, Black American and White American college students. Participants (mean age = 20.48 years) were 74 Latina/o American (81% women), 307 Black American (91% women), 174 Asian American (72% women), and 180 White American (72% women) college students. They were recruited from a southeastern public university in the U.S. and completed self-report measures online examining help-seeking behavior, help-seeking attitudes, and psychological health. Results revealed that Asian American college students were less likely to have previous experience seeking professional psychological services, less likely to know someone close who had sought psychological services or someone close who was diagnosed with a psychological disorder, than Black American, Latina/o American, and White American college students. Significant group differences were found between the Black American group and the White American group in these help-seeking experiences as well. Other findings, implications, and limitations of the study are discussed.

Mindfulness as a Moderator of the Association Between Eating Disorder Cognition and Eating Disorder Behavior Among a Non-clinical Sample of Female College Students: A Role of Ethnicity.

The present cross-sectional study examined whether mindfulness moderated the association between eating disorder cognition and eating disorder behaviors among Asian American, Black American, and White American female college students in the United States. Participants (N = 463, age range = 18–25 years) completed self-report measures online. Results revealed that mindfulness moderated the association between eating disorder cognition and eating disorder behavior in the White American group, but not in Asian American or Black American samples. Future research should replicate these differential findings across ethnic groups and investigate the factors that may contribute to this group difference.

The indirect effect of self-concealment on distress through psychological inflexibility in Asian American, Black American, and White American college students

The present cross-sectional study examined whether self-concealment was associated with general psychological distress, somatization, depression, and anxiety among Asian American, Black American, and White American college students in the U.S., and whether psychological inflexibility partially explains these associations. Participants (N = 991, 77% female, age range = 16–60 years) completed self-report measures of interest online. Results revealed the relations between self-concealment and the four distress variables in each ethnic group and suggested that these relations were explained partially through psychological inflexibility. Future research should examine this model among subpopulations of these ethnic groups, as well as the influence of various cultural variables.

Age of Drinking Initiation as a Risk Factor for Alcohol Use Disorder Symptoms is Moderated by ALDH2*2 and Ethnicity.

An early age of drinking initiation (ADI) has been associated with increased risk for alcohol use disorders (AUDs), but the consistency of this risk across diverse samples has not been well studied. The purpose of this study was to examine whether the pathway from ADI to AUD symptoms by early adulthood is moderated by ethnicity and possessing an alcohol-metabolizing gene ALDH2*2 variant allele. We used multigroup structural equationmodeling, including 5 groups split by ethnicity and ALDH2*2, to examine the consistency of the path from ADI to AUD symptoms in 604 Chinese-, Korean-, and White-American college students. We further examined the effects of ALDH2*2, ethnicity, and their interaction in Asians to better understand their unique contributions to the moderation. The association between ADI and AUD symptoms was moderated, with ADI negatively associated with AUD symptoms among Koreans without ALDH2*2 and Whites, but not among Koreans with ALDH2*2 or Chinese regardless of ALDH2*2. Both ALDH2*2 and ethnicity within Asians contributed unique variability in the effect. Ethnicity and ALDH2*2 altered the relationship of ADI as a risk factor for AUD symptoms. Being Chinese and possessing an ALDH2*2 allele within Koreans both buffered against the risk for AUD symptoms associated with earlier ADI, indicating that this relationship can be attenuated by protective factors.

Whither the diversity bargain?

ABSTRACTIn Natasha Warikoo’s account, the “diversity bargain” is widespread among white elite American college students. This bargain is tentative support for preferences for underrepresented minorities in college admissions, conditioned on the admitted minority students providing white students with multicultural experiences that signal elite cosmopolitanism. This essay reviews three possible explanations for the pervasiveness of the diversity bargain: campus experiences with the benefits of diversity; socialization into expectations that elites give lip service to the benefits of diversity; and Warikoo’s methodological and analytical choices.

Racial Attitudes of University Faculty Members: Does Interracial Contact Matter?

Using primary data from a Midwestern university, this study examines racial attitudes of white faculty members. Contact theory is used to understand the variation in the number of racial minority students that white faculty members advise, independent of individual characteristics and social organizational factors. Findings indicate that white faculty members rate Asian/Asian American college students most favorably overall. In general, faculty then ranked white, African American, Latino, and Native American college students in descending order with respect to a host of characteristics. Finally, supporting contact theory, white faculty members who went to high schools with more racial minorities and who work with more colleagues who are racial minorities are significantly more likely to advise racial minority students. One implication of these outcomes is that greater interracial contact between white faculty members and racial minority colleagues and students is likely to have a positive impact on campus climate race relations.

Straight white American college students’ attitudes toward a self-identified straight, not gay or gay man who has sex with men: incongruent sexual orientation identity diminishes perceived psychological health

This study examines how participants view men who have sex with men (MSM) based on their sexual orientation identity (SOI) and sexual position identity (SPI). White heterosexual male (n = 93) and female (n = 210) American college students read one of six scenarios about an ordinary man named John who has sex with men. In the scenarios, John’s SOI and SPI were manipulated, in that he considers himself gay, straight or not gay, and thinks of himself as either a top or a bottom. Participants rated their attitudes towards John’s psychology, social character, HIV vulnerability and status as gay. Men were less interested in being friends with John and found him less interesting than women did, and agreed more that, if they were John, they would think of themselves as gay. Participants agreed for all SOIs that, if they were John, they would think of themselves as gay, though they agreed more strongly when John’s SOI was gay than otherwise. Compared to their ratings for gay John, participants rated straight and not gay John as more conflicted about his sexuality, in need of counselling, irresponsible and unpredictable. John’s SPI had almost no influence on any attitudes towards John. Findings suggest that, if MSM identify themselves as straight or not gay, people not only think that they are gay, but also experience them as more psychologically unhealthy than if they identify themselves as gay. These attitudes suggest that, because people commonly use SOIs to make predictions about sexual orientation, incongruence between a man’s SOIs and his sexual orientation implicates psychological difficulties.

Gambling problems and comorbidity with alcohol use disorders in Chinese-, Korean-, and White-American college students.

This study examined gambling behaviors and the relationship between gambling problems and alcohol use disorders (AUDs) among Chinese-, Korean-, and White-American college students. Participants were 678 (179 Chinese, 194 Korean, and 305 White; 50% female) 21-26 year-old (M = 22.0 ± 1.36) students attending one university in California. The South Oaks Gambling Screen was administered to assess gambling behavior and the Semi-Structured Assessment for the Genetics of Alcoholism was administered to diagnose lifetime AUDs. Chi-squares and multinomial logistic regressions were conducted to test our hypotheses. Rates of lifetime ever gambling and weekly gambling were similar across the three ethnic groups, but participation in five types of gambling behavior differed. Chinese had the highest rates of gambling problems followed by Koreans and then Whites. Univariate odds ratios determined being Chinese or Korean, being male, and having an AUD were risk factors for gambling problems. When stratified by gender and ethnicity, having an AUD was not related to gambling problems in women, but was strongly associated with gambling problems in Chinese and White men and modestly associated in Korean men. This was true despite low rates of AUDs in Chinese men. Gambling problems were strongly comorbid with AUDs in Chinese- and White-American men, and moderately comorbid in Korean-American men. No relationship of AUD with gambling problems was found in women. The results highlight the importance of assessing disaggregated Asian-American subgroups with respect to addictive behaviors and their comorbidity.

Media, Racial Identity, and Mainstream American Values

A survey of 499 Black, Asian, and White American college students assessed their endorsement of “mainstream” American values, uncovering a 6-factor values structure, with some notable significant differences between the races. As expected, White respondents' own personal value orientations most closely matched their assessments of mainstream American values, and stronger racial identity (from a social identity perspective) corresponded to an even closer match. A variety of media consumption measures correlated with personal/mainstream American values congruence, with greater media exposure predicting greater endorsement of mainstream values, but most relationships were eclipsed when controlling for demographics, race, and racial identity. Predictors that maintained under controls included music TV and sports programming exposure, pointing to the potential importance of such particular media forms in the process of value-based cultural assimilation and reinforcement.

Testing for measurement invariance in the Conformity to Masculine Norms-46 across White and Asian American college men: Development and validity of the CMNI-29.

The Conformity to Masculine Norms Inventory (CMNI; Mahalik et al., 2003) and revised CMNI-46 (Parent & Moradi, 2009) have received a great deal of empirical attention and support for their strong psychometric properties and evidence of construct validity. However, one important area that remains unexplored is how adherence to these masculine norms may vary across race and ethnicity. The current investigation examines the possible racial measurement noninvariance in the CMNI-46 among Asian American and White American college students (N = 893). The results revealed significant measurement differences across groups; specifically, the CMNI-46 was more theoretically consistent for the White American men than the Asian American men. Through exploratory and multigroup confirmatory factor analysis, an 8-factor, 29-item version of the CMNI emerged, displaying an excellent overall model fit for both racial groups. This study provides strong evidence for the use of a streamlined 29-item version of the CMNI, validated with Asian American and White American men. The findings also lend further empirical and psychometric evidence regarding the variance of masculine norms among ethnic groups as well as the variance of the multidimensional construct of masculinity.

A Mediation Model of Professional Psychological Help Seeking for Suicide Ideation among Asian American and White American College Students

This study examined professional psychological help seeking among 1,045 White American and Asian American students from 70 U.S. colleges and universities who had seriously considered attempting suicide. The authors found that Asian American college students had lower rates of professional psychological help seeking for their suicide ideation than White American college students. Guided by social network perspectives on professional psychological help seeking, the authors also tested mediators of this racial disparity. Relative to White Americans, Asian Americans were advised by fewer people (especially fewer family members) to seek professional help, which was, in turn, associated with lower rates of professional psychological help seeking for suicide ideation. These findings underscore the importance of gatekeeping as a suicide prevention strategy for Asian American college students.

Measure of Men’s Perceived Inexpressiveness Norms (M2PIN): Scale development and psychometric properties.

The purpose of this study was to develop and test the psychometric properties of the Measure of Men’s Perceived Inexpressiveness Norms (M2PIN), a brief measure of men’s perceptions of social norms concerning emotional inexpressiveness. Participants were 410 men, the majority of whom were White American college students. An exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) provided support for a 2-factor structure corresponding to 2 subscales—M2PIN-Descriptive (assessing perceived descriptive norms) and M2PIN-Injunctive (assessing perceived injunctive norms). Using the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS), the Intention to Seek Counseling Inventory (ISCI; Psychological and Interpersonal Concerns subscale), the UCLA Loneliness Scale (UCLALS), the Conformity to Masculine Norms Inventory-46 (CMNI-46; Emotional Control subscale), the Male Role Norms Inventory-Revised (MRNI; Restrictive Emotionality subscale), and the Short Social Desirability Scale (SSDS), the authors provided evidence for the convergent, discriminant, criterion, and incremental validity of the M2PIN, as well as its reliability. Additionally, 3 significant interaction effects involving the M2PIN subscales and measures of restrictive emotionality and emotional control provide support for the notion that an incongruence between external norms (i.e., descriptive and injunctive norms) and personal norms concerning emotional inexpressiveness was associated with greater loneliness, whereas congruence was associated with greater life satisfaction.

Parentification, Ethnic Identity, and Psychological Health in Black and White American College Students: Implications of Family-of-Origin and Cultural Factors

The authors examined the predictive ability of parentification (i.e., when parental roles and responsibilities are abdicated by parents and carried out by children and adolescents) and ethnic identity on various psychological health factors in college students. Scores from five measures were used to test a conceptual two-factor model in which parentification and ethnic identity predict psychological health; participants were 157 Black Americans and 157 White Americans attending a large public southern university. The measures included the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (Babor, Higgins-Biddle, Saunders, and Monteiro, 2001), the Beck Depression Inventory (Beck, Steer, and Brown, 1996), the Eating Attitudes Test (Gamer, Olmsted, Bohr, and Garfinkel, 1982), the Multigroup Ethnic Identity Measure (Phinney, 1992), and the Parentification Inventory (Hooper, 2009). No evidence of a significant difference in mean parentification scores between Black American and White American college student participants was found. However, results from differential item function analyses on individual Parentification Inventory items uncovered some significant differences between the two groups. Results from bivariate correlations uncovered slight differences in the significant associations between predictor variables and outcome variables. In addition, multivariate regression analyses revealed slight differences in study variables’ ability to predict psychological health. Parentification and ethnic identity explained some of the variability in depressive symptoms in both samples. Additionally, parentification and ethnic identity explained some of the variability in disordered eating symptoms in the Black American sample but not in the White American sample. Implications for culturally tailored practice and directions for future culturally focused research are discussed.

Self-determination, perceived approval, and drinking: Differences between Asian Americans and Whites

The present research assessed racial differences in the associations among controlled orientation, injunctive norms, and increased drinking by White and Asian American college students. Previous research has noted racial differences in drinking, but reasons have not been considered in the context of individual differences in self-determination or responses to social influences. The authors evaluated perceived parental and peer injunctive norms as mediators of the relationship between controlled orientation and number of drinks consumed per week. The association between controlled orientation and drinking was further expected to be moderated by race. This study consisted of 534 White and 198 Asian American participants who had at least one heavy drinking episode in the month prior to assessment. Participants completed self-report measures assessing self-determination, perceived parental/peer injunctive norms, and drinking. Results indicated that peer injunctive norms served as a mediator between controlled orientation and greater number of drinks consumed per week for Whites only. Although Asian Americans were significantly higher in controlled orientation than Whites, they drank less and perceived their peers to be less approving of drinking. In contrast, Whites who were high in controlled orientation viewed their friends as being significantly more approving of alcohol and consumed significantly more drinks per week. Results provide unique considerations for understanding cultural differences in drinking among White and Asian American young adults.

Campus Racial Climate and Student Academic Outcomes: A Critique of Prior Research and Recommendations for Future Study

What explains the persistent gap in college retention between white American college students and those who are members of ethnic minority groups? Some argue that a large part of the answer is campus racial climate: a negative climate disproportionately harms minority students and leads to worse outcomes. Existing theory provides some basis for this expectation. However, we find that empirical support for this claim is weak. Many studies fail to compare findings across racial groups, and the few that do offer at best inconsistent support for the thesis that racial climate helps to explain the retention gap. Furthermore, many studies are plagued with severe methodological problems such as lack of attention to level of analysis and failure to offer rigorous tests of differences across groups. We discuss the implications and offer recommendations for future research.