Linked fate among underrepresented groups: Investigating the relationships between Black college students’ perceptions of institutional diversity climate and mental health

Microaggressions, perceptions of campus climate, mental health, and alcohol use among first‐year college students of color

“…Following our theoretical expectations and past research (e.g., Abdullah et al, 2021; Leath et al, 2021; O'Keefe et al, 2015; Torres‐Harding et al, 2020), greater experiences of microaggressions as well as greater perceptions of poor campus climate were associated with greater internalizing (depressive, anxiety, and somatic) symptoms. Further, perceptions of poor campus climate were also significantly associated with greater AUD symptoms.…”

“…This refers to the extent to which the college campus is viewed as a welcoming versus hostile climate (see Timmerman & Volpe, 2023), similar to the concept of school bonding for child and younger adolescent samples (see Maddox & Prinz, 2003). Given poor campus climate has been directly linked to BIPOC college students' health and well‐being, in addition to academic achievement (e.g., Cabrera et al, 1999; Leath et al, 2021) and that experiences of microaggressions have been linked to perceptions of poor campus climate (e.g., Solorzano et al, 2000), we elected to evaluate for the potential impact of both the experiences of microaggressions and perceptions of campus climate as hypothetical predictors of mental health symptoms (depressive, anxiety, and somatic) and potentially co‐occurring alcohol use disorder (AUD) symptoms. Following the mundane extreme minority stress theory, we also evaluated the extent to which perceived stress and other stress‐related factors (poor sleep, problematic digital media use, using alcohol to cope with stress, academic burnout, and negative affect) may indirectly link each hypothetical predictors to each outcome (internalizing and AUD symptoms).…”

“…Like studies demonstrating the protective effect of school belongingness to adolescent adjustment (e.g., Whiteside‐Mansell et al, 2015; Yang & Anyon, 2016), students' perceptions of campus climate are also relevant to their development. Studies have shown that perceiving campus climate as negative or hostile is associated with several problematic outcomes, including academic, social, and mental health (e.g., Cabrera et al, 1999; Leath et al, 2021; Mills, 2021; Pascarella & Terenzini, 2005; Timmerman & Volpe, 2023). There is evidence that students of color (as well as women) report poorer campus climate in comparison to their white peers and that this is directly linked to psychological well‐being (Koo, 2021).…”

“I Can be Unapologetically Who I Am”: A Study of Friendship Among Black Undergraduate Women at PWIs

“…The educational status of Black women in higher education has received more empirical attention over the last few decades (Patton & Croom, 2017; Porter et al, 2020; Winkle-Wagner et al, 2019). Researchers have examined topics such as Black undergraduate women’s experiences with gendered racism on campus (Leath & Chavous, 2018; Szymanski & Lewis, 2016), identity development and exploration (Jones et al, 2021; McGuire et al, 2016), campus engagement (Corbin et al, 2018; Leath & Chavous, 2017; Leath et al, 2021; Porter & Dean, 2015), and how they solicit academic and social support while in college (Hannon et al, 2016; Winkle-Wagner et al, 2019). Yet, within this growing body of literature, there is very little work that considers how Black undergraduate women’s friendships with one another factor into their sense of belonging and overall sense of connection to the college environment.…”

Implementing DEI in Aviation Education: Coping and Addressing Mental Health Concerns

“…While some people might consider these two topics distinct with no bearing on each other, research shows they are closely connected. For example, studies show that students' perceptions and experiences of campus climate directly impact their mental health (Hardeman et al, 2016;Leath et al, 2022;Leath et al, 2021). Notably, Hardeman et al (2016) found that medical students showed that greater exposure to a negative diversity climate resulted in greater self-reported symptoms of depression.…”