Doctor of Philosophy, University of Toledo, 2016, Counselor Education and Supervision

This study assesses the impact of racial microaggressions on African American college students. I examine the relationship between racial microaggressions and college students' retention. This study aimed to answer the research questions: Is there a relationship between African American college students' retention and their experience of racial microaggressions? Previous research indicates that racial microaggressions have a negative impact on undergraduate African American college students (Sue, 2008). The purpose of this study was to further understand the degree, if any, racial microaggressions have on African American college students' retention. This study collected survey data from 53 participants who self-identified as African American. Data collection was conducted through demographic questionnaire, retention questionnaire, and use of the Racial Microaggressions Scale (RMAS) (Torres-Harding et al., 2012). There was a statistically significant relationship between the subscale of Foreigner/Not Belonging and African American's thoughts on dropping out during the ongoing semester [r(51)=.338, p<.05]. The results suggest that although African Americans have strong thoughts towards dropping out due to racial microaggressions, they do in fact frequently experience racial microaggressions while on campus. Implications, limitations, and future research approaches were provided.

Committee: John Laux Ph.D (Committee Chair); Christopher Roseman Ph.D (Committee Member); Caroline O'Hara Ph.D (Committee Member); Shanda Gore Ed.D (Committee Member) Subjects: Counseling Education

Psy. D., Antioch University, 2023, Antioch New England: Clinical Psychology

It is well established that the graduate school experience is significantly different for students of color; on top of a rigorous training program, they face additional distinct challenges including racism, discrimination, and feelings of isolation. Insidious Trauma theory provides the framework for this quantitative exploration assessing the impact of poorly facilitated anti-racist conversations on the physical and emotional wellbeing of clinical psychology graduate students of color. George Floyd's murder, among many other incidents of racial injustice, was a powerful catalyst that propelled academic institutions into action. Anti-racist dialogue became the intentional focus of graduate classes almost overnight. Well-meaning but insufficiently-prepared professors dared to facilitate cross-racial dialogues. This dissertation addresses a knowledge gap, assessing whether anti-racist conversations currently do more harm than good for students of color in predominantly White programs. A survey research design was used to examine how students of color rate their program's overall facilitation of anti-racist conversations in the following domains: 1) emotional safety, 2) identifying and addressing micro-aggressions, 3) cultural competence, 4) cultural sensitivity, 5) and racial representation of facilitators. The survey further examined physical and emotional symptoms of distress, as well as positive and negative emotions experienced during and immediately following anti-racist dialogue. The findings revealed that the average participant was neither satisfied nor unsatisfied with their graduate program's overall facilitation of anti-racist conversations. When asked to reflect on their most memorable negative anti-racist conversation, the average participant recalled feeling quite a bit upset and distressed; levels of negative emotions lessened immediately afterwards. Finally, increases in the frequency of negative conversations was correlated with increases in the emoti (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Martha Straus Ph.D. (Committee Chair); Denzel Jones Ph.D., LMFT, AAMFT (Committee Member); Katherine Evarts Rice Psy.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Clinical Psychology

Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) in Organizational Leadership , Franklin University, 2024, International Institute for Innovative Instruction

Black women face unique challenges based on the intersection of multiple marginalized identities often referred to as the simultaneity of oppression or gendered racism. The purpose of this qualitative study is to expand gendered racial microaggression research by examining the experiences of Black female graduate students at colleges and universities not classified as historically Black. This study utilized a Critical Race Feminism framework that centered the voices and perspectives of the participants and sought to answer the following research questions: RQ 1: How do Black female graduate students experience gendered racial microaggressions at colleges and universities not classified as Historically Black Colleges and Universities (non-HBCUs)? RQ 2 : How do Black female graduate students cope with their experiences of gendered racial microaggressions at non-HBCUs? Individual semi-structured interviews were conducted with 15 Black female participants who have attended non-HBCUs during their entire collegiate journey. A thematic analysis approach was utilized to analyze the data and identify patterns and themes. Three core themes with two subthemes emerged in relation to research question one: Isolated and Silenced (Only Black Person, Lack of Support), Common Stereotypes (Angry Black Woman, Jezebel), Permanence of Racism (A History of Racism, The Decline of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion). Two core themes with two subthemes were identified in relation to research question two: Identity Shifting (Fear of Consequences, Fear of Perpetuating Stereotypes), Community Building (Faculty, Administrators, and Advisors, Student-peers and Co-workers). A robust discussion of these findings is presented along with practical and theoretical implications of the study and recommendations for future gendered racial microaggression research.

Committee: Eric Parker (Committee Chair); Wanda Fernandopulle (Committee Member); Crissie Jameson (Committee Member) Subjects: African American Studies; African Americans; Black Studies; Education; Gender; Higher Education; Womens Studies

Doctor of Education (Educational Leadership), Youngstown State University, 2022, Department of Teacher Education and Leadership Studies

The number of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color, also known as BIPOC, students in public schools has surpassed white student enrollment. This trend is projected to continue to increase as white student enrollment is projected to decrease. Students of color face challenges in the current school systems through their subjection to bias, microaggressions, and systemic racism. These negative experiences stay with the student long after the actual event and can lead to behavioral issues, social emotional issues, as well as mental and physical health implications. Students of color in transracial adoptive families are not immune to negative racial experiences even though their parents are white. This qualitative study focuses on the significant experiences of transracial families as they relate to racism, aiming to tell the stories of the families' experiences with racism within their public schools. Implicit Bias, Microaggressions, Systemic Racism, and Cultural Competency Theory provide the theoretical framework for this study. The families who participated were referred through network sampling in two counties in Northeast Ohio. Data for the study was collected using demographic surveys and virtual interviews. The stories of the participating transracial families are compelling, highly personal, and extremely emotional. The results yielded the following nine significant findings: (1) Racial Identity Awareness, (2) Evidence of Racial Bias, (3) Microaggressions, (4) Significant Race Related Events, (5) Evidence of Strong Emotions, (6) Trauma Related to Racism, (7) Trauma Related to Adoption, (8) Systemic Racism is Still Evident in PK-12 Schools, (9) Cultural Competence Matters, and (10) Increased Parental Awareness. School administrators and teachers would benefit from the findings of this study to help inform and increase awareness of the significance of cultural competence in PK-12 school communities.

Committee: Jane Beese EdD (Committee Chair); Rodney Rock EdD (Committee Member); Patrick Spearman PhD (Committee Member); Charles Vergon JD (Committee Member) Subjects: Educational Leadership

Doctor of Philosophy, University of Akron, 2022, Counseling Psychology

The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between microaggressions, Black male masculinity, and psychological adjustment. Also, the study aimed to assess whether racial socialization is related to how Black male masculinity affects the relationship between microaggressions and psychological adjustment. The study tested the following hypotheses. Hypothesis A stated that the relationship between microaggressions, and psychological adjustment would be negative. Hypothesis B stated that Black male masculinity would mediate the relationship between microaggressions and psychological adjustment. Hypothesis C stated that racial socialization will have a moderating effect on the relationship between microaggressions and Black male masculinity. To test the stated hypotheses, 107 Black men over the age of 18 participated in the study. A bivariate correlation and a moderated mediation were conducted. The results of the moderated mediation model were non-significant. However, there were significant correlational relationships across constructs. The correlational relationship between racial socialization and Black male masculinity was novel and would benefit from further exploration. Post-hoc analysis was conducted employing a mediation model with the five racial socialization subscales used as mediators. Two of the subscales, alertness to discrimination and cultural endorsement of the mainstream were found to be significant. Speculation was made around the interpretation of the significant findings. The implications for research and practice were discussed.

Committee: John Queener (Committee Chair); Suzette Speight (Committee Member); Ingrid Weigold (Committee Member); Delila Owens (Committee Member) Subjects: African American Studies; African Americans; Black Studies; Clinical Psychology; Counseling Psychology; Ethnic Studies; Gender; Minority and Ethnic Groups; Psychology; Quantitative Psychology; Therapy

Doctor of Philosophy in Urban Education, Cleveland State University, 2022, College of Education and Human Services

Internalized racism, also referred to as appropriated racial oppression, refers to the phenomenon of people of color adopting negative racist messages about their worth and abilities. The internalization of racism by members of the targeted group results in an experience of self-degradation and self-alienation and the assumption of one's inferiority, which is directly related to issues of self-esteem, self-confidence, shame, depression, and anxiety. This study used structural regression with moderation and mediation to explore the possibility of internalized racism as a mediating variable and black identity and perceived social support as possible moderators. A sample of 639 participants (MAge = 35.29, SDAge = 10.09) who identified as Black and/or African American were included in the study. The findings indicated that internalized racism partially mediated the relationship between racial microaggressions and depression and anxiety, where approximately 50 percent of the relationships were explained by internalized racism. Additionally, the findings indicated that centrality and private regard aspects of Black identity weakened the relationship between racial microaggressions and depression and anxiety. Finally, the findings indicated that social support weakens the relationship between racial microaggressions and depression and anxiety.

Committee: Julia Phillips Ph.D. (Committee Co-Chair); Adam Voight Ph.D. (Committee Co-Chair); Jeffrey Snyder Ph.D. (Committee Member); Graham Stead Ph.D. (Committee Member); Tawanda Greer-Medley Ph.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Counseling Psychology; Psychology

Doctor of Philosophy, University of Akron, 2020, Counselor Education and Supervision

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between racial microaggressions, social support, and the self-esteem of African American women enrolled at Predominately White Institutions (PWIs). This study, grounded in Critical Race Theory, a theoretical framework used to examine racism as a socially constructed concept, employed a purposeful sample of 121 African American women enrolled at PWIs across the United States. Participants completed a demographic questionnaire and an online survey consisting of three measurements, the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, and the Racial and Ethnic Microaggressions Scale and the Multidimensional Perceived Social Support Scale and their associated subscales. Results of a hierarchical multiple regression analyses controlling for age, which significantly correlates with self-esteem, revealed that there was a statistically significant relationship between perceived racial microaggressions, social support and the self-esteem of African American women enrolled in PWIs. Additionally, when all variables were taken together, the overall model accounted for 34.9% of the variability in self-esteem.

Committee: Delila Owens (Committee Chair); John Queener (Committee Member); Robert Schwartz (Committee Member); Julie Lenyk (Committee Member); Yue Dang (Committee Member) Subjects: African American Studies; African Americans; Behavioral Psychology; Behavioral Sciences; Counseling Education; Counseling Psychology

Master of Arts, University of Akron, 2016, Communication

Microaggressive behaviors have been studied through the lens of psychology and sociology. This research looks at the communication phenomenon of microaggressive communications both verbal and non verbal through the lens of a communication scholar. The research also takes the study a step further in looking at the idea of colorism and with in the same race microaggressive acts. The theories of Critical race and co-cultural guide the researcher in this study.

Committee: Kathlene Clark DR. (Advisor) Subjects: Communication