Racial Identity, African Self-Consciousness, and Career Decision Making in African American College Women

✍ Scribed by Carla J. McCowan; Reginald J. Alston

• Publisher: American Counseling Association
• Year: 1998
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 699 KB
• Volume: 26
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0883-8534
• DOI: 10.1002/j.2161-1912.1998.tb00181.x

✦ Synopsis

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships among rack identity, African self-consciousness. and career decidedness in 212 Africa American women classitled as first year or senior at an historically Blac university and a predominantly White university. It was hypothesized th: senior women at both institutions would have higher levels of racial identit and African self-consciousness and would be more career decided than fir$ year women. The flndings provided partial support for the hypothesis.

Investigators have asserted that the academic success, adjustmer and retention of African American students is influenced by facta such as precollege preparation. individual responses to psycholo1 cal stressors. and type of college environment (Fleming, 1984; Hught 1987). Regarding environment, research investigations designed identify the optimal academic settings for African American colle students have explored distinctions among African American st dents attending historically Black colleges and universities (HBCC and those who attend predominantly White colleges and univerz ties (PWCUs). Many researchers have suggested that the HBCU e vironment is more facilitative in the overall adjustment of Africi