Racial Code-Switching in Higher Education and the Impact on Stereotype Threat & Mental Health: A Qualitative Analysis
Disciplines
Multicultural Psychology | Psychology | Social and Behavioral Sciences
Abstract (300 words maximum)
The concept of code-switching has been studied across academic disciplines, including linguistics, sociology, psychology, communication, and education. This study redefines code-switching in the context of racial concerns and navigates the benefits and issues that arise when this defense mechanism is used by PoC college students. Through focus groups, this study explores the intersection between racial code-switching and education, focusing on cultural adaptation, identity negotiation, mental health, and academic performance. The relationship between racial code-switching and racial impostor syndrome is explored to see how it affects behaviors, feelings of fraudulence, and student success for current students. Through this study, it was found that most PoC students had developed racial code-switching through generational teachings from their parents and perceived racial code-switching as a necessity for survival. Participants experienced significant mental strain fearing that as they are, they could never compare to the majority group and as a result, masked themselves as to not be seen as fraudulent in their attempts to conform. Findings supported that through self-authenticity, the negative impact that accompanied racial impostor syndrome and stereotype threat could be mitigated. Essentially, the more immersed a PoC is with their own ethnic and cultural background, the higher their self-esteem. Participants who had acquired a knowledgeable sense of self were not as affected by stereotype threat and did not feel the pressure to conceal themselves to be accepted. Regarding the impact on mental health and student success, participants found the limits they were implementing on themselves to fit in to be exhausting and in their worry of being outclassed, most participants developed an obsession to succeed to prove themselves worthy in the academic environment. For future studies, there is an increased risk of academic burnout in their later years of education if this trend continues.
Academic department under which the project should be listed
RCHSS - Psychological Science
Primary Investigator (PI) Name
Mackenzie Cato
Racial Code-Switching in Higher Education and the Impact on Stereotype Threat & Mental Health: A Qualitative Analysis
The concept of code-switching has been studied across academic disciplines, including linguistics, sociology, psychology, communication, and education. This study redefines code-switching in the context of racial concerns and navigates the benefits and issues that arise when this defense mechanism is used by PoC college students. Through focus groups, this study explores the intersection between racial code-switching and education, focusing on cultural adaptation, identity negotiation, mental health, and academic performance. The relationship between racial code-switching and racial impostor syndrome is explored to see how it affects behaviors, feelings of fraudulence, and student success for current students. Through this study, it was found that most PoC students had developed racial code-switching through generational teachings from their parents and perceived racial code-switching as a necessity for survival. Participants experienced significant mental strain fearing that as they are, they could never compare to the majority group and as a result, masked themselves as to not be seen as fraudulent in their attempts to conform. Findings supported that through self-authenticity, the negative impact that accompanied racial impostor syndrome and stereotype threat could be mitigated. Essentially, the more immersed a PoC is with their own ethnic and cultural background, the higher their self-esteem. Participants who had acquired a knowledgeable sense of self were not as affected by stereotype threat and did not feel the pressure to conceal themselves to be accepted. Regarding the impact on mental health and student success, participants found the limits they were implementing on themselves to fit in to be exhausting and in their worry of being outclassed, most participants developed an obsession to succeed to prove themselves worthy in the academic environment. For future studies, there is an increased risk of academic burnout in their later years of education if this trend continues.