About this srcd poster session

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Panel information
Panel 17. Race, Ethnicity, Culture, Context

Abstract

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Black college students at predominantly White institutions face significant stressors that can negatively impact their self-concept and psychological health (Griffith et al., 2019; Neville et al., 2004). Self-efficacy plays a crucial role in stress appraisal and emotion regulation, influencing students' coping strategies (Bandura, 1997; Devonport & Lane, 2006; Thomas et al., 2009; Robinson & Snipes, 2009). Positive faculty-student interactions can enhance academic self-efficacy among Black students (Ajayi et al., 2021; Fleming et al., 2013; Reid, 2013), while peer relationships can serve as protective factors against racial stress (Golden et al., 2018; Juang et al., 2016; Mushonga & Henneberger, 2020). While the role of family support in coping strategies is well-studied (Eisenberg et al., 1996; Yang et al., 2023), the associations between faculty and peer support in promoting adaptive coping among Black college students remain underexplored. This study hypothesizes that self-efficacy and peer support will moderate the relationships between faculty support and adaptive (active and emotional) coping.

Method
African American undergraduate students (N = 295, 83.05% female, Mage = 20.29, SD = 4.84) were recruited from a large public predominantly White university in the northeastern United States. The median parental income for the sample was $70,000 - $80,000.

Faculty support. Faculty support was measured using a subscale from the Social Support Among Undergraduate Students Measure (Blizzard, 2020).

Peer support. Peer support was measured using a subscale from the Social Support Among Undergraduate Students Measure (Blizzard, 2020).

Self-efficacy. Self-efficacy was measured using the General Self-Efficacy (GSE) Scale (Schwarzer and Jerusalem, 1995).

Coping. Active and emotional support coping were measured using subscales from the Coping Orientations to Problems Experienced (COPE) Inventory (Carver, 1997)

Results
Findings of a serial mediation tested using Model 6 in SPSS PROCESS Macro revealed significant indirect associations through peer support and self-efficacy in the relationships between faculty support with active coping, b = .140, SE = .039, CI [.066, .216], and emotional support coping, b = .140, SE = .039, CI [.066, .216]. Faculty support was positively associated with self-efficacy (b = .175, p < .01) and peer support (b = .343, p < .001). Consistent with prior literature, self-efficacy was linked to increases in peer support (b = .256, p < .001) and active coping (b = .388, p < .001). Peer support was also positively associated with active coping (b = .163, p < .01). A non-significant direct association between faculty support and active coping indicated full mediation, (b = .084, SE = .054, p = .119). Regarding emotional support coping, faculty support was linked to increased self-efficacy (b = .175, p < .01), which in turn was positively related to peer support (b = .256, p < .001). Self-efficacy (b = .173, p < .01) and peer support (b = .394, p < .001) were positively linked to emotional support coping, a non-significant direct effect suggesting full mediation (b = .022, SE = .056, p = .700). These results underscore the importance of social supports in developing vital coping skills for Black college students, highlighting the need for strategies that leverage peer and faculty support to enhance resilience against psychological stress in challenging campus environments.

Author information

Author	Role
Jay Bradford, Temple University	Presenting author
Brittney Campbell, Temple University	Non-presenting author
Crishnaa Joshi, Temple University	Non-presenting author
Abisha Ebenezer, Seaton Hall	Non-presenting author
Allison Swartz, The Chicago School	Non-presenting author
Fatema Zavery, National Health Services	Non-presenting author
Maura Fee, Temple University	Non-presenting author
Tina Zhang, Temple University	Non-presenting author
Jatnna Cabrera, Temple University	Non-presenting author
Kaylah Morris, Temple University	Non-presenting author
Dr. Ronald Taylor, Temple University	Non-presenting author

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