Seeking Just Us: A Mixed Methods Investigation of Racism-Specific Support Among Black College Students

Christopher K. Marshburn, Belinda Campos

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

17 Scopus citations

Abstract

Social support is theorized to protect health against the negative effects of stress. However, findings are mixed regarding whether social support protects Black people’s psychological well-being against racism. The current mixed methods study examined racism-specific support (RSS)—social support in response to racism—in same- (Black/Black) and cross-race (Black/non-Black) friendships. We investigated whether 31 Black college students (Mage = 19.7, SD = 1.70; 74% women) had (1) racial preferences (same-vs. cross-race) for whom they sought RSS, and (2) whether perceptions of RSS’s helpfulness differed when provided by cross-race friends. Participants completed measures of emotional closeness to same- and cross-race friends and participated in focus group interviews discussing racism and RSS. Results found participants reported more emotional closeness to Black friends and non-Black friends of color relative to White friends. As predicted, 65% of participants preferred RSS from Black (vs. non-Black) friends. Participants’ qualitative responses (n = 21–24) revealed Black (vs. non-Black) friends were perceived to better understand racism. These findings suggest RSS from Black friends, specifically, might benefit Black college students’ psychological well-being.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)67-99
Number of pages33
JournalJournal of Black Psychology
Volume48
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Feb 2022

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© The Author(s) 2021.

Keywords

  • coping
  • interracial interaction
  • intraracial interaction
  • racism
  • social support

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Anthropology
  • Applied Psychology

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