Examination of the influence of social emotional learning techniques on coping, academic self-efficacy, belongingness, microaggressions, and affect of Black students

Objective: To better understand the current perspectives of Black college and university students in the U.S., it is important to consider the system of injustice they navigate throughout their lifespan characterized by oppression and discrimination. This dissertation examined the impact of racism and discrimination on coping ability, sense of belonging, academic self-efficacy, experiences with microaggressions, and affect among Black undergraduate and graduate students. Method: Participants completed a pre- and post-survey consisting of the: Brief Coping with Problems Experienced Inventory (Brief COPE; Carver, 1997), College Academic Self-Efficacy Scale (CASES; Owen & Froman, 1988), Racial and Ethnic Microaggressions Scale (REMS; Nadal, 2011), General Belongingness Scale (Malone, 2012), and Multigroup Ethnic Identity Measure (MEIM; Roberts et. al., 1999). The participants engaged in four virtual support group sessions. Participants completed the short form Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS – SF; Watson et al., 1988) at the beginning and end of each support group session. Results: Data for coping ability, sense of belonging, academic self-efficacy, and experiences with microaggressions were analyzed using paired samples t-tests. Data for affect were analyzed using a linear mixed model. Participants reported a significant increase in academic self-efficacy (p = .02) and significant decrease in positive affect (p = .004). They did not demonstrate a significant change in coping ability, belongingness, or microaggressions. Conclusion:
Participation in a peer support group utilizing a social emotional learning curriculum shows promise in promoting positive psychological outcomes of Black students in higher education.