Overcoming Adversity: African-American Males' Use of Psychological and Ecological Resilience to Combat Negative Societal Expectations and Achieve Collegiate Success

Background/Purpose: African-American males represent five percent of the total four-year college population. Reduced access to college enrollment for African-American males is not only due to systemic racism in K-12 education, but is also a direct result of internalizing negative, racially charged societal expectations regarding their ability and motivation for academic success. Consequently, many African-American males experience stereotype threat, self-devaluation, and ultimately create “oppositional identities,” by focusing on alternative routes to success outside of education. 

However, the experiences of African-American males who have circumnavigated internalized racism and successfully enrolled in college remain under-investigated. Understanding participants’ perceptions of societal expectations projected onto them, the strategies they utilized to enhance their psychological resilience in the face of negative racial stigmatization, and how their social ecologies promoted these strategies is particularly salient for social work professionals working to increase academic opportunities for African-American males in K-12 educational institutions.

Methods: A qualitative, grounded theory investigation was completed to uncover participants’ (n=22) perceptions of societal expectations for African-American men, as well as the strategies used to challenge these expectations and enroll in college. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with African-American males, aged 18-26, enrolled in four-year, post-secondary educational institutions. All participants are from single-mother families of origin and most received college scholarships (n=19). Purposive snowball sampling was utilized. Interviews were analyzed using the qualitative analysis program Dedoose to procure data and generate a substantive theory explaining the process of challenging negative narratives and successfully enrolling in college. A central phenomenon was generated by utilizing crucial components of grounded theory methodology.

Results: Participants reported that society consistently maintains poor expectations for African-American males. Specifically, participants identified three overarching societal assumptions: 1.) they cannot be high academic achievers; 2.) they will continuously exhibit negative or maladaptive behaviors; and 3.) they are destined for unsuccessful futures and involvement in illicit occupations. Strategies that participants utilized to enhance psychological resilience and challenge negative racial stigmatization included focusing on capabilities and strengths, “de-institutionalizing their minds,” (e.g., mentally “blocking” negative assumptions, selectively internalizing positive accolades), and developing critical consciousness about social and racial injustice.

Protective factors within participants’ social ecologies promoted these strategies. The core category that emerged from the data was the non-negotiable family expectation that participants attend college. Early family expectations helped participants internalize alternative beliefs about their academic abilities, character, and futures. Moreover, these expectations promoted positive community involvement and helped participants seek out peers with similar educational goals.

Conclusions/Implications: Participants utilized their families and peers to develop psychological hardiness and counteract exposure to negative societal expectations. To increase college enrollment of African-American males, social workers must advocate for a shift from deficit-based thinking patterns that destructively pigeonhole African-American students, and instead educate school/community stakeholders about the socio-political systems prohibiting advancement. Developing cultural sensitivity and awareness of the effects of harsh stereotypes on African-Americans will equip social workers to utilize practice strategies that promote positive identity development of African-American males. Programs that promote peer and family support among African-American students to reduce internalization of racially oppressive assumptions are also needed.