Date of Graduation

2015

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Type

PhD

College

College of Education and Human Services

Department

Counseling, Rehabilitation Counseling & Counseling Psychology

Committee Chair

Jeffrey Daniels

Committee Co-Chair

John Blake

Committee Member

Ed Jacobs

Committee Member

George Mamboleo

Committee Member

Jennifer Taylor

Abstract

Social scientists have challenged professionals and educators alike to develop a better understanding of the influences a predominantly White environment has on the academic and interpersonal experiences of African American college students. This study explored the psychosocial impact of several factors, both dispositional (e.g., ethnic identity, self-esteem, and academic self-concept) and contextual (e.g., racial composition of the institution), for 91 African American college students enrolled at a predominantly White institution in the mid-Atlantic region of the United States. Pearson correlations indicated the other group orientation sub-factor of ethnic identity is positively correlated with self-esteem and academic self-concept. Multiple regression analyses indicated that grade point average is best predicted by academic self-concept. Limitations of the present study, implications, and suggestions for future research are presented.

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