Doctoral Dissertations

Date of Award

12-1983

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy

Major

Psychology

Major Professor

William H. Calhoun

Committee Members

Trudy Banta, Richard Saudargas, Alvin Burstein

Abstract

The present study investigated and compared differences among black college students enrolled in two different academic settings, a predominantly black college and a predominantly white college. The subjects were 238 fresh man students. All the subjects from the predominantly black college (77) were black. In the predominantly white college sample, 59 were black and 102 were white.

Data were collected on the subjects' family and educational backgrounds and on specific personality variables. These variables included depression, control of reinforcement, alienation, academic adjustment, and coping styles. Several scales and inventories were used in measuring the previously mentioned personality variables, including the Coping Styles Inventory developed by the author.

There were differences with regard to one's college for such factors as region of residence and the distance the students traveled to attend college. The black and white students at the predominantly white college were similar to each other on a number of factors. They both came from families that were roughly the same size, they both grew up in families where both parents were present to a much higher degree than for students at the predominantly black college. The black students differed from the white students on factors such as family size, pa rents' level of educational attainment, family income and religious preference.

The two groups of black students in general were similar with respect to the personality factors measured. Both groups scored significantly in the internal range of locus of control, while the white students scored towards the external end of the scale. Reported depression and alienation were higher in the black sample than in the white student group. All three groups had similar academic adjustment scores and the coping styles. They were all different, however, on the coping choices.

The results suggest that the black students at the predominantly white college were more similar to their white counterparts than to the black students at the pre-dominantly black college on a number of demographic variables. The two groups of black students were similar with respect to personality variables.

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