Date of Award
Spring 2026
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)
Department
Psychology
Committee Chairperson
Lauren Brumley, Ph.D.
Committee Member
Vanessa Kahen, Ph.D.
Committee Member
Veronica Parris, Psy.D.
Abstract
Black and African American students face persistent equity gaps in higher education, including lagging behind in bachelor’s degree completion rates. Students impacted by equity gaps are at risk for interpreting such gaps as a reflection of their personal effort rather than structural barriers to college persistence. The current study applied the Racial Encounter Coping Appraisal and Socialization Theory to understand how Black and African American undergraduates appraise what could interfere with their college persistence. Participants (n = 92) completed questionnaires assessing university belongingness, college self-efficacy, and centrality of Black identity, including an open-ended question asking what they perceived might interfere with graduating from college. Thematic analysis was conducted on qualitative responses, and correlations and t-tests on quantitative data. The most frequent codes for perceptions of what could interfere with college persistence were challenges with time management and motivation, financial stressors, and mental health and stress. Financial stress was associated with lower college self-efficacy and first-generation status. Saying “nothing” could interfere was associated with higher college self-efficacy and non-first-generation status. Perceiving “only myself” could interfere was associated with higher centrality of Black identity. Non-first-generation status was associated with perceiving that social pressures could interfere. Some undergraduates may appraise barriers to college persistence that exemplify internalization of self-blame and minimalization of structural inequities, which ultimately serves the status quo. These findings could inform an intervention delivered by campus supports to help Black and African American undergraduates use healthy racial stress reappraisal and coping strategies, which we refer to as the HandUP approach.
Recommended Citation
Tettey, Edith A., "A HandUP Approach: Applying an Oppression Lens to Perceptions of Factors Interfering with Black and African American Undergraduate Persistence at a Predominantly White Institution" (2026). West Chester University Doctoral Projects. 337.
https://digitalcommons.wcupa.edu/all_doctoral/337