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Academic affect shapes the relationship between racial discrimination and longitudinal college attitudes

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Abstract

Underrepresented racial minority college students attending predominantly White institutions disproportionately experience school-based racial/ethnic microaggressions, which can impede college satisfaction and college graduation rates. This study examines the longitudinal implications of school-based racial/ethnic microaggressions on college attitudes (e.g., college satisfaction and graduation expectations). The study also compares the mediating roles of academic achievement (GPA) and academic affect (feelings toward academic experiences). Among a sample of 437 Black and Latinx college students attending five universities in the Midwestern United States, results indicated that academic affect, but not academic achievement, mediated the relationship between school-based microaggressions and graduation expectations. Additionally, school-based discrimination indirectly predicted lower college satisfaction through a negative impact on academic affect. Overall, more frequent exposure to school-based discrimination in college led to lower academic affect, which in turn, predicted lower graduation expectations and lower college satisfaction. These findings highlight the powerful role of academic affect in explaining how racial discrimination impairs graduation expectations and college satisfaction over time. Implications and policy recommendations regarding the impact of racial discrimination on underrepresented minority college students are further discussed.

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Fig. 1

Note: Standardized coefficients are depicted in the figure along with the 95% confidence interval in brackets; c = total effect; c’ = direct effect; *p < .05; **p < .01; ***p < .001

Fig. 2

Note: Standardized coefficients are depicted in the figure along with the 95% confidence interval in brackets; c = total effect; c’ = direct effect; *p < .05; **p < .01; ***p < .001

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Acknowledgements

The research described in this article was supported by the William T. Grant Foundation (Grant #180804) through an award granted to Micere Keels, Ph.D. (University of Chicago).

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  1. Myles I. Durkee and Tiani R. Perkins have contributed equally to this manuscript

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA

    Myles I. Durkee & Tiani R. Perkins

  2. Department of Psychology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA

    Elan C. Hope

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  1. Myles I. Durkee
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Durkee, M.I., Perkins, T.R. & Hope, E.C. Academic affect shapes the relationship between racial discrimination and longitudinal college attitudes. Soc Psychol Educ 24, 59–74 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11218-020-09602-x

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