Stress and Satisfaction in College Years of Black Students

Minority-Related Stressors and Coping Processes Among African American College Students

“…A number of researchers have suggested that the college experiences of African American students vary by the primary racial composition of universities (e.g., Allen, 1992;Fleming, 1981Fleming, , 1984Smith, 1981). According to this research, African American students at PWCUs experience a variety of race-related difficulties compared to their counterparts at HBCUs.…”

“…According to this research, African American students at PWCUs experience a variety of race-related difficulties compared to their counterparts at HBCUs. In addition, research in which academic outcomes have been examined generally reveal that African American students at PWCUs have poorer academic outcomes compared to their counterparts at HBCUs (e.g., Fleming, 1981Fleming, , 1984. Such differences are further seen in graduation rates of African American students attending HBCUs and PWCUs.…”

“…Between the years of 1997 and 2002, the number of African Americans graduating from degree-granting institutions with bachelor degrees averaged 87% at HBCUs, compared to an average of 9% among their counterparts at degreegranting PWCUs (National Center for Education Statistics, 2003). Among the many factors that have been linked to academic outcomes among African American college students (e.g., race consciousness, achievement motivation), high stress levels have also been implicated (Fleming, 1981;Prillerman, Myers, & Smedley, 1989). Of the various traditional models of stress, Lazarus and Folkman's (1984) transactional model appears most relevant to African American college students, because in this model stress is seen as an interaction between the person and the environment.…”

“…Some research evidence suggests that African American students' use of specific coping strategies varies by type of college attended. For instance, Fleming (1981) compared stress and coping behaviors of African American students attending HBCUs and PWCUs. Via interviews, Fleming (1981) determined that African American students attending PWCUs used more mental distraction or avoidance styles of coping compared to their counterparts at HBCUs.…”

“…For instance, Fleming (1981) compared stress and coping behaviors of African American students attending HBCUs and PWCUs. Via interviews, Fleming (1981) determined that African American students attending PWCUs used more mental distraction or avoidance styles of coping compared to their counterparts at HBCUs. African American students at the HBCUs were also more likely than their counterparts at PWCUs to solve, endure, or alleviate their problems by talking or communicating with other people on campus (Fleming, 1981).…”