School Competence of African American High School Youth

Project Number: R40 MC 05488-04
Project Date: 09/01/2005
Grantee: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Department/Center: Child Development/Behavioral Science

Final Report

Pending

Principal Investigator

Margaret Burchinal Ph.D.,
Senior Scientist, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Child Development/Behavioral Science,
Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute, Sheryl Mar, CB #8185, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC 27599-8185
burchina@mail.fpg.unc.edu

Abstract

This study examines how selected youth, peer, family, and school factors serve as risk and protective factors for African American youth's school competence during the transition to high school. Understanding the sociocultural factors that affect the school competence of African Americans during the high school years is critical for addressing the academic achievement gaps and differential opportunities as adults between African Americans and their non-minority peers in American society. The study objectives are to: a) identify mediators of the anticipated negative effects of exposure to multiple risks for the academic achievement and adjustment of African American youth during the transition to high school; b) determine the multiple youth (e.g., greater engagement in school, stronger racial identity), peer (e.g., higher quality friendships and less loneliness), family, (e.g., greater parental monitoring of activities and responsive and supportive parenting), and school (e.g., supportive teacher-student relationships and fewer low-income youth) characteristics that serve as protective factors for the school competence of African American youth during the transition to high school; and c) examine whether developmental trajectories across academic achievement, adjustment, and peer relationships during the transition to high school are linked for African American youth. Study participants are 140 13 to 16 year old African American youth from low- and middle-income families, 70 of whom have been studied since infancy and their 70 friends who have been studied since 6th grade. The Maternal and Child Health Bureau has provided the funding since the youth began the study. Study youth's school engagement, racial beliefs and practices, peer relationships, adjustment, and academic achievement, and selected family, parenting, and school characteristics will be assessed in the summers after 9th and 10th grades. Standardized assessments will be used to measure the youth's academic achievement in reading, writing, and math. Questionnaires completed by the study youth and their teachers and families will examine the study youth's social and school adjustment, engagement in school, peer relationships, and racial beliefs/behavior. Characteristics of the school will be collected. Growth curve analyses will determine whether hypothesized youth, peer, family, and school factors serve as mediating or promotive/protective factors in the school competence of African American youth during the transition to and during the high school years. Study findings should have important implications for understanding the sociocultural factors that affect the school success of African American youth in their transition to high school and guide interventions to promote their school competence. Understanding the sociocultural factors that affect the school competence of African Americans in high school is critical, given the demographic and ecological gaps between African American and White children in American society. Study findings should have important implications for the school success of African American youth in their transition to high school and guide interventions to promote school competence.

Publications

Listed is descending order by year published.

Burchinal, M., Roberts, J.E., Zeisel, S.A., Hennon, E.A., & Hooper, S. (2006). Social risk and protective child, parenting, and child care factors in early elementary school years. Parenting: Science and Practice, 6(1), 79-113.

Gravel, J.S., Roberts, J.E., Roush, J., Grose, J., Besing, J., Burchinal, M., Neebe, E., Wallace, I., & Zeisel, S. (2006). Early otitis media with effusion, hearing loss, and auditory processes at school age. Ear and Hearing, 27(4), 353-368.

Hooper, S.R., Ashley, T.A., Roberts, J.E., Zeisel, S.A., & Poe, M. (2006). The relationship of otitis media in early childhood to attention dimensions during the elementary school years. Journal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, 27(4) 281-289.

Jung, T.T.K., Alper, C.M., Roberts, J.E., Casselbrant, M.L., Eriksson, P.O., Gravel, J.S., Hellstrom, S.O., Hunter, L.L., Paradise, J.L., Park, S.K., Spratley, J., Tos, M., & Wallace, I. (2005). Complications and sequelae. Recent Advances in Otitis Media: Report of the Eighth Research Conference. Annals of Otology, Rhinology, and Laryngology, 114(1) pt. 2 (supplement 194), 140-160.

Gravel, J., Roberts, J., Grose, J., Roush, J., Besing, J., Zeisel, S., Burchinal, M., Neebe, E., & Wallace, I. (2005). Otitis media with effusion, early hearing loss, and later auditory processes. In D.J. Lim, C.D. Bluestone, & M. Casselbrant (Eds.) Recent Advances in Otitis Media, Proceedings of the Eighth International Symposium, BC Decker, Inc., Hamilton, Ontario, 303-305.

Roberts, J.E., Gravel, J., Wallace, I., Jackson, S.C., Burchinal, M., Neebe, E., Misenheimer, J., Taylor, A.O., Henderson, S.K., & Zeisel, S.A. (2005). Otitis media and children’s language and academic achievement during early elementary school years in two prospective samples. In D.J. Lim, C.D. Bluestone, & M. Casselbrant (Eds.). Recent Advances in Otitis Media, Proceedings of the Eighth International Symposium, BC Decker, Inc., Hamilton, Ontario, 306-308.