Examining racial identity statuses as predictors of psychological defenses in African American college students.

The authors examined the relationship between racial identity statuses and the use of psychological defenses in 80 African American college students who completed the Black Racial Identity Attitude Scale (J. E. Helms & T. A. Parham, 1996), Defense Mechanism Inventory (G. C. Gleser & D. Ihilevich, 1969), and the Defense Style Questionnaire—40 (G. Andrews, M. Singh, & M. Bond, 1993). The canonical analysis indicated that pre-encounter and encounter ego statuses were positively related to neurotic psychological defenses as well as defenses of principalization and reversal. The immersion ego status was positively related to immature psychological defenses as well as turning against object and projection. The emersion ego status was positively related to mature psychological defenses as well as turning against object and projection. The authors believe these results provide additional support for J. E. Helms's (1995) racial identity model, because racial identity ego statuses predicted how African Americans managed painful affect. The discussion also focuses on implications of these results for counseling and future research. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Changes in racial identity among African American college students following the election of Barack Obama.

The current study considered the influence of the 2008 presidential election on the racial identity of African American college students (Mage = 19.3 years; 26.3% male). The design of the study consisted of 2 components: longitudinal and daily. The longitudinal component assessed 3 dimensions of racial identity (centrality, private regard, and public regard) 2 weeks before and 5 months after the election, and the daily diary component assessed racial identity and identity exploration on the days immediately before and after the election. Daily items measuring identity exploration focused on how much individuals thought about issues relating to their race. Analyses considered the immediate effects of the election on identity exploration and the extent to which changes in exploration were shaped by racial identity measured prior to the election. We also considered immediate and longer term changes in racial identity following the election and the extent to which longer term changes were conditioned by identity exploration. Findings suggest that the election served as an “encounter” experience (Cross, 1991, 1995, pp. 60–61), which led to increases in identity exploration. Moreover, analyses confirmed that changes in identity exploration were most pronounced among those with higher levels of racial centrality. Results also suggest that the election had both an immediate and a longer term influence on racial identity, which in some instances was conditioned by identity exploration. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Gender matters, too: The influences of school racial discrimination and racial identity on academic engagement outcomes among African American adolescents.

The authors examined relationships among racial identity, school-based racial discrimination experiences, and academic engagement outcomes for adolescent boys and girls in Grades 8 and 11 (n = 204 boys and n = 206 girls). The authors found gender differences in peer and classroom discrimination and in the impact of earlier and later discrimination experiences on academic outcomes. Racial centrality related positively to school performance and school importance attitudes for boys. Also, centrality moderated the relationship between discrimination and academic outcomes in ways that differed across gender. For boys, higher racial centrality related to diminished risk for lower school importance attitudes and grades from experiencing classroom discrimination relative to boys lower in centrality, and girls with higher centrality were protected against the negative impact of peer discrimination on school importance and academic self-concept. However, among lower race-central girls, peer discrimination related positively to academic self-concept. Finally, socioeconomic background moderated the relationship of discrimination with academic outcomes differently for girls and boys. The authors discuss the need to consider interactions of individual- and contextual-level factors in better understanding African American youths' academic and social development. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The relationship between social connectedness and anxiety, self-esteem, and social identity.

Social connectedness and its relationship with anxiety, self-esteem, and social identity was explored in the lives of women. Social connectedness was negatively related to trait anxiety and made a larger unique contribution to trait anxiety than social support or collective self-esteem. Women with high connectedness also reported greater social identification in high, as compared with low, cohesion conditions. Women with low connectedness exhibited no difference in either condition. Social connectedness was also positively related to state self-esteem across both conditions but did not have an effect on state anxiety. Future research in gender and cultural differences, self-evaluation process, and intervention strategies are discussed in light of the findings. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Minority status stress and coping processes among African American college students.

The current study tested coping efforts as moderators of the effects of minority status stress on general levels of perceived stress and academic performance for African American students at a predominantly White college and university (PWCU) and a historically Black college and university (HBCU). Multivariate analyses revealed that African American students at the PWCU experienced significantly higher levels of minority status stress than their counterparts at the HBCU. Students did not differ in overall levels of perceived stress and in most coping efforts assessed. HBCU students reported higher mean use of problem-oriented strategies and spiritual efforts than students at the PWCU. Moderated regression analyses revealed an increase in the effects of minority status stress on perceived stress at high levels of problem-oriented efforts. The effects of minority status stress on perceived stress decreased at higher levels of disengagement. In predicting academic performance, type of institution was the strongest predictor. Implications of the findings are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Personal identity and perceived racial dissimilarity among college athletes.

The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of personal identity on the relationship between individual dissimilarity and subsequent outcomes. Data were collected from 271 student-athletes participating in a variety of National Collegiate Athletic Association sports. Results from structural equation modeling indicated that the relationship between actual racial dissimilarity and perceived racial dissimilarity was stronger for persons with a strong racial personal identity than for other athletes. Further analyses indicated that person-team fit mediated the relationship between perceived racial dissimilarity and satisfaction with the team. Results are discussed in terms of theoretical contributions and practical implications. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Social cognitive expectations and racial identity attitudes in predicting the math choice intentions of Black college students.

This study extended social cognitive career theory (R. W. Lent, S. D. Brown, & G. Hackett, 1994) and racial identity theory (J. E. Helms, 1990) to the math-related interests and academic choice intentions of Black college students. Participants were 164 Black 1st-year undergraduates who completed measures of racial identity attitudes and math-related indexes of self-efficacy, outcome expectations, perceived sources of efficacy information, interests, and academic choice intentions. A social cognitive path model of students' math-related interests and choice intentions offered good overall fit to the data. Racial identity attitudes generally yielded small relations to the social cognitive variables and the outcome criteria. Self-efficacy and outcome expectations predicted interests, and interests predicted choice intentions, across racial identity attitude levels. Implications for practice and for further research on Black students' academic and career development patterns are considered. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Help-seeking behavior of Native American Indian high school students.

A sample of 139 Zuni adolescents were surveyed to explore the relationships among their help-seeking behavior, psychological problems, and personal characteristics. No significant differences were found between the help-seeking behaviors of girls and boys. Students were most likely to seek help from a friend, parent, or relative for personal problems and to use professional help sources primarily for academic and career problems. Correlational analysis indicated that adolescents who experienced thoughts of suicide and global distress were more likely to seek help from a greater number of resources for their most serious problems. The implications of these findings for work with Native American Indian adolescents are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The decision of African American students to complete high school: An application of the theory of planned behavior.

A longitudinal study explored high school completion among African Americans. Male and female high school students aged 14 to 17 (N=166) completed a theory of planned behavior (I. Ajzen, 1991) questionnaire early in their 2nd year. Intentions to complete the year were accurately predicted from attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control (R=.71; pR=.50; p     

A socially contextualized model of African American identity: Possible selves and school persistence.

Schooling, critical to the transition to adulthood, is particularly problematic for urban and minority youths. To explore predictors of school persistence the authors propose a socially contextualized model of the self. Strategies to attain achievement-related possible selves were differentially predicted for White and Black university students (Study 1, n?=?105). For Whites, individualism, the Protestant work ethic, and "balance" in possible selves predicted generation of more achievement-related strategies. For Blacks, collectivism, ethnic identity, and low endorsement of individualism tended to predict strategy generation. In middle school, performance was predicted by "gendered African American identity schema," particularly for females (Study 2, n?=?146), and the effects of social context appeared gendered (Study 3, n?=?55). Balance in achievement-related possible selves predicted school achievement, especially for African American males (Study 4, n?=?55). (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The role of racial identity in perceived racial discrimination.

This study examined the role that dimensions of racial identity play regarding the antecedents and consequences of perceived racial discrimination among African Americans. A total of 267 African American college students completed measures of racial identity, perceived racial discrimination, and psychological distress at 2 time points. After controlling for previous perceptions of discrimination, racial centrality was positively associated with subsequent perceived racial discrimination. Additionally, perceived discrimination was positively associated with subsequent event-specific and global psychological distress after accounting for previous perceptions of discrimination and distress. Finally, racial ideology and public regard beliefs moderated the positive relationship between perceived discrimination and subsequent distress. The results illustrate the complex role racial identity plays in the lives of African Americans. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Factor structure of the Anxiety Sensitivity Index among African American college students.

This study examined the factor structure of the Anxiety Sensitivity Index (ASI) among African American college students. Confirmatory factor analysis indicated the 3-factor solution commonly found among other populations did not fit the data for African Americans. Although an exploratory factor analysis indicated the presence of a Mental Incapacitation factor, the Physical Concerns factor was divided into unsteady and cardiovascular concerns. Items typically comprising the Social factor were reflective of emotional controllability among African Americans. The ASI was also moderately correlated with measures of anxiety and depression providing only weak evidence of convergent and discriminate validity of the ASI for African Americans. Although support for the multidimensional nature of AS was found, the factor composition differs for African Americans. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Cultural validity of the Almost Perfect Scale--Revised for African American college students.

This study investigated the cross-cultural construct validity of perfectionism using the Almost Perfect Scale-Revised (APS-R; R. B. Slaney, M. Mobley, J. Trippi, J. S. Ashby, & D. G. Johnson, 1996) with 251 African American college students. A LISREL confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) offered support for the 3 subscales of the APS-R: High Standards, Order, and Discrepancy. Multigroup CFA results for a sample of 314 White college students supported factorial equivalence across the 2 cultural groups. Correlations between the subscales of the APS-R and measures of self-esteem, self-reported grade point average (GPA), satisfaction with GPA, trait anxiety, and depression were consistent with the results of previous research. A cluster analysis was performed on the APS-R; the cluster results were similar to those found in previous studies. Finally, the limitations of the present study and the implications for future research with African Americans are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A relationship between self-esteem and persuasibility.

It was found that Ss high in self-esteem were influenced more by optimistic communications than by threatening communications, while Ss low in self-esteem showed the opposite pattern. These results occurred only among Ss who received communications from sources dissimilar to Ss with respect to personality characteristics. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Perceived awareness and caring influences alcohol use by high school and college students.

Perceived awareness and caring, or beliefs about how much parents and peers know and care about students' behavior, was assessed in relation to students' drinking patterns. Prior to and at the end of the first semester at college, participants completed Web-based surveys assessing alcohol use, family and social motives, and perceived awareness and caring from parents and peers. Family motives moderated the effect of perceived parental awareness and caring on the quantity of high school alcohol use, whereas social motives moderated the effect of perceived peer awareness and caring on frequency and quantity of college drinking. Longitudinally, college alcohol use was predicted by perceived awareness and caring from parents. Perceived awareness and caring may affect alcohol use whereby parents exert influence during high school but peers are more influential in college. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Use of the Self-Directed Search with Native American high school students.

Examined the appropriateness of using the Self-Directed Search (SDS) with 104 Native American Indian high school students. Inventory scores from 2 Indian tribes were compared, and then comparisons were made with national normative data. Ss differed among themselves on 4 of the 12 scale comparisons, and there were 6 differences on the 24 scale comparisons with the normative groups. It is concluded that the SDS may be an inappropriate instrument for use with Native American high school students unless local norms are also considered. (18 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Examining the relationship between multiple internalized oppressions and African American lesbian, gay, bisexual, and questioning persons' self-esteem and psychological distress.

[Correction Notice: An erratum for this article was reported in Vol 56(2) of Journal of Counseling Psychology (see record 2009-04542-008). The DOI was incorrect. The correct DOI is 10.1037/a0013317.] Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and questioning (LGBQ) persons come from diverse cultural groups with diverse racial and ethnic identities. However, most research on LGBQ persons has used primarily White samples, and most research on African Americans has used largely heterosexual samples. Thus, research has largely failed to attend to and investigate the complexity of African American LGBQ persons' experiences. This study examined the relations between multiple internalized oppressions and African American sexual minority persons' self-esteem and psychological distress. Results indicated that when examined together, internalized racism and internalized heterosexism (also known as internalized homophobia) were both significant negative predictors of self-esteem, but only internalized heterosexism was a unique positive predictor of psychological distress. The interaction of internalized racism and internalized heterosexism was not a significant predictor of self-esteem or psychological distress. Finally, the authors' findings indicate that self-esteem partially mediates the relationship between internalized heterosexism and psychological distress. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The relationship between sports participation and self-esteem during early adolescence.

The main purpose of the present study was to examine the links between sports participation and self-esteem, with particular interest in the possible mediating role of physical self-esteem. The participants in this study were 382 students (167 boys; 215 girls) in Grades 5-8. Participants completed a series of paper and pencil measures, detailing their sports participation, as well as their self-perceptions concerning physical and general self-esteem. Sports participation was related to all indices of self-esteem and this was equally true for boys and girls. Two distinct but related factors were identified as components of physical self-esteem (Physical appearance and Physical competence), differentially associated with self-esteem for boys and girls. Results supported a mediational model, with physical self-esteem mediating the relationship between sports participation and general self-esteem. Significant sex differences were noted with regard to specific indices of physical self-esteem. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

An examination of the relationship between achievement values and perceptions of barriers among low-SES African American and Latino students.

Peer nomination procedures were used to explore the development of academic achievement values and their relation to perceptions of barriers to opportunity. A total of 615 boys and girls across 3 grade levels (2nd, 4th, 7th) and 2 ethnic groups (African American, Latino) nominated peers who they admired, respected, and wanted to be like. Nominations were summed to create a value index. Girls in both ethnic groups and across grade levels were more likely to nominate high- or average-achieving same-gender classmates as those who they admired, respected, and wanted to be like. Second- and 4th-grade boys in both ethnic groups reported a nomination pattern similar to that of girls. However, 7th-grade boys in both ethnic groups showed a relative preference for low-achieving same-gender classmates as valued. Perceptions of barriers were related to increasing valuing of low achievers among African American 7th-grade boys. Implications of the findings for understanding the motivational challenges of ethnic minority male adolescents are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)