Racial socialization and academic resiliency among at-risk minority high school students

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of racial socialization on the academic success of at-risk minority high school student population. This study differed from traditional studies of academic achievement among at-risk minority children because it examined a protective culturally based parenting practice known as racial socialization, and the predictive ability in determining academic success, instead of academic failure.; This study tested the following primary questions: (1) whether racial socialization would have a positive relationship with academic achievement among at-risk AfricanAmerican high school students independent of risk factors; (2) whether racial socialization would interact with risk factors in relationship to academic achievement. The secondary aim of this study was to apply the concept of racial socialization to other at-risk ethnic minority students (i.e. Latino/a), because of the gap in the literature.; One hundred and one at-risk minority high school students participated in this study. Along with a general demographic form, the Scale of Racial Socialization, the Racism Related to Stress scale, and the Multi-Ethnic Identity Measure were administered to the students at their respective Bound Program sites. The first hypothesis was tested with a Pearson correlation. The second hypothesis was tested with a multiple regression analysis. The secondary aim of the study was presented in descriptive statistics.; The findings revealed that (1) there was not a positive relationship between racial socialization and academic achievement among at-risk African-American high school students. However, specific risk factors such as family income, single-parent household status, and the level of racism related stress were found to be predictive of academic resiliency; (2) racial socialization did not significantly interact with risk factors in relationship to academic achievement. But combined, the same risk factors were found to interact significantly with academic achievement. Lastly, the secondary aim was presented descriptively because of the insufficient sample size of Latinos/as in this study.; Overall, these specific findings would be important for educators, clinician, and policy makers because effective interventions can be implemented on behalf of minority students who do not fare well in our nation's schools as well as minority students who are excelling academically.