Examination of the Associations Among Depression, Academic-Self-Concept, and Racial Stress in African American Middle Scholars. Implications for School Social Work

Background: Research has shown that depression is prevalent among youth as they transition into secondary school. For African American youth, depression is detrimental and can significantly contribute to their educational and social impairment. Additionally, depression can lead to increased substance misuse, risky sexual behaviors, and suicidal ideation and contributes to health disparities among African Americans. Thus it is critical that social workers understand predicting and mitigating factors to depression among African American youth. Drawing on emerging research that suggests an inverse relationship between depression and academic self-concept, the current study investigated the contributions of academic self-concept (perception of learning and academic subjects) and racial stress in predicting depression among African American middle scholars. In addition, we investigated whether academic self-concept interacts with racial stress to predict depression.

Method: African American youth sample (n=572, mean age =12, SD .53, 50 percent males) from the Maryland and Adolescent Development in Context Study (MADICS) was used for the current study. We employed hierarchical regression models to test the following variable associations. Namely, we examined the association between academic self-concept and racial stressors on depression over time, controlling for demographics (gender, age, parent education, and family income) and previous grade point average. The academic self-concept, previous grade, and demographics variables were measured at wave one when youth were in sixth grade, while racial stressors and depression were measured at wave three when participants were in eighth grade.

Result: Our findings indicated that higher academic self-concept in sixth grade was negatively associated with depressive symptoms at eighth grade (β = -.31, p<.001) [1^st model]. Higher grade point average at sixth grade’ (β =. -.17, p=.015) was also negatively associated with depressive symptoms (2^nd model). Furthermore, racial stressor (β = .26, p<.001) was significantly associated with depressive symptoms (3^rd model). There was no significant interaction between academic self-concept and racial stressor (β =.07, p>.05). Demographics (i.e., gender, age, family income) were controlled in the models. The overall model explained 21% of the variance in depressive symptoms.

Conclusions and Implications: Depression may be high among African American eighth graders. Despite the high prevalence of depression among African American middle scholars, those who develop higher academic self-concept in sixth grade may be less likely to be depressed compared with those who tend to have a lower academic self-concept. Furthermore, racial stressors that these youth encounter as they progress in schools can contribute to depression. We will discuss the implications of these findings for school social workers, including ways to help cultivate the development of higher academic self-concept and culturally appropriate ways to address racial stressors to help mitigate depression among African American youth.