Transforming Discriminatory Discipline through Addressing Racial Stress: A Mixed-Methods Investigation

该奖项是NSF的社会，行为和经济科学（SBE）博士后研究奖学金（SPRF）计划和SBE的社会心理学计划的一部分。SPRF计划的目标是为学术界，工业或私营部门和政府的科学事业准备有前途的早期职业博士级科学家。SPRF的奖励包括在知名科学家的赞助下进行两年的培训，并鼓励博士后研究员进行独立研究。NSF致力于促进来自科学界各部门的科学家，包括来自代表性不足的群体的科学家参与其研究计划和活动;博士后期间被认为是实现这一目标的专业发展的重要水平。每个博士后研究员必须解决推进各自学科领域的重要科学问题。在霍华德C.宾夕法尼亚大学的史蒂文森，这个博士后奖学金支持一个早期的职业科学家调查种族压力和应对过程与歧视性的学校纪律。自1975年以来，研究表明，学校纪律中的种族差异对黑人青年的影响不成比例（儿童保护基金，1975年）。黑人学生收到更多的纪律转介，更严厉的后果，和更多的惩罚性干预相比，他们的同龄人，即使在引用相同或类似的违规行为（布朗Tillio，2013;斯基巴，Arrendondo，Rausch，2014）。黑人青年不仅意识到纪律上的种族差异，而且还将差别待遇与更大的不平等和歧视感联系在一起（Bottiani等人，2016; Hope，Skoog，Jagers，2015; Fisher，Wallace，芬顿，2000）。研究表明，种族不成比例的纪律和黑人学生的负面学术，社会和经济成果之间存在明显的关联，以及种族歧视的学术和心理成本。然而，歧视性的学校纪律对黑人青年的调整和种族压力的关系的具体影响并不为人所知。种族压力是反复、长期暴露于歧视性环境和互动的结果，对黑人青年的心理、身体和情感健康产生了负面影响（Carter Helms，2009年; Harrell，2000年; Smith，Yosso，索洛尔扎诺，2007年; Sue，Capodilupo，保持器，2008年）。当学生经常经历歧视性的学校政策、做法和与教育工作者的互动时，学校就成为种族压力的场所。越来越多的研究探讨了家庭在支持黑人青年应对种族压力方面的作用，以应对歧视性事件（安德森史蒂文森，2018;安德森，琼斯，麦肯尼，Anyiwo，盖洛德哈丁，2018）。然而，对学校种族压力和与歧视性纪律有关的应对措施以及教育工作者在减少歧视性纪律互动中的种族压力方面可以发挥的作用进行的研究有限。混合方法调查，是检查两个关键的，及时的，相关的主题-种族不成比例的纪律和种族压力/创伤。本研究采用混合方法，分两个阶段进行，目的是（1）定性探讨教师和学生对种族压力和纪律的理解和经验，（2）为教育工作者制定一种文化上胜任的变革性纪律干预措施，以解决学校的种族压力，减少歧视性纪律互动。第一阶段涉及教育工作者的信念和做法，关于纪律和种族压力的定性探索，以及混合方法调查黑人学生的经验和应对过程中的歧视性纪律和种族压力。第2阶段涉及试点干预，由第1阶段收集的数据提供信息，通过测试种族遭遇应对评估和社会化理论（RECAST）模型（安德森史蒂文森，2018年）的各个方面来解决种族压力纪律互动，并为教育工作者提供机会，以获得即时的创伤知情纪律技术。这项拟议的研究旨在推进黑人青年种族压力，应对和调整的科学知识，改善教育者与学生的关系，减少学校纪律中的种族差异，并提高黑人青年及其教育工作者的教育和专业经验，该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并被认为是值得通过使用基金会的智力价值和更广泛的影响审查标准。

This award was provided as part of NSF's Social, Behavioral and Economic Sciences (SBE) Postdoctoral Research Fellowships (SPRF) program and SBE's Social Psychology program. The goal of the SPRF program is to prepare promising, early career doctoral-level scientists for scientific careers in academia, industry or private sector, and government. SPRF awards involve two years of training under the sponsorship of established scientists and encourage Postdoctoral Fellows to perform independent research. NSF seeks to promote the participation of scientists from all segments of the scientific community, including those from underrepresented groups, in its research programs and activities; the postdoctoral period is considered to be an important level of professional development in attaining this goal. Each Postdoctoral Fellow must address important scientific questions that advance their respective disciplinary fields. Under the sponsorship of Dr. Howard C. Stevenson at the University of Pennsylvania this postdoctoral fellowship award supports an early career scientist investigating the racial stress and coping processes associated with discriminatory school discipline. Since 1975, research has demonstrated racial disparities in school discipline disproportionately impacting Black youth (Child Defense Fund, 1975). Black students receive more disciplinary referrals, harsher consequences, and more punitive interventions compared to their peers, even when cited for the same or similar infractions (Brown & Tillio, 2013; Skiba, Arrendondo, & Rausch, 2014). Black youth are not only aware of these racial disparities in discipline, but also associate differential treatment with greater perceptions of inequity and discrimination (Bottiani et al., 2016; Hope, Skoog, & Jagers, 2015; Fisher, Wallace, Fenton, 2000). Research demonstrates clear associations between racially disproportionate discipline and negative academic, social, and economic outcomes for Black students, as well as the academic and psychological costs of racial discrimination. However, the specific effects of discriminatory school discipline on Black youth adjustment and relations with racial stress are not well-known. Racial stress is the result of repeated, prolonged exposure to discriminatory environments and interactions, negatively impacting Black youth’s mental, physical, and emotional health (Carter & Helms, 2009; Harrell, 2000; Smith, Yosso, & Solorzano, 2007; Sue, Capodilupo, & Holder, 2008). Schools become sites of racial stress when students routinely experience discriminatory school policies, practices, and interactions with educators. A growing body of research explores the role of families in supporting racial stress coping among Black youth in response to discriminatory events (Anderson & Stevenson, 2018; Anderson, Jones, McKenny, Anyiwo, Gaylord-Harding, 2018). However, there is limited research examining school-based racial stress and coping in relation to discriminatory discipline, and the role educators can play in reducing racial stress within discriminatory discipline interactions.The overall goal of the project entitled, Transforming Discriminatory Discipline through Addressing Racial Stress: A Mixed-Methods Investigation, is to examine two critical, timely, and relevant topics- racially disproportionate discipline and racial stress/trauma. The research project employs a mixed-method approach across two phases intending (1) to qualitatively explore teachers’ and students’ understanding and experiences regarding racial stress and discipline, and (2) to develop a culturally competent transformative discipline intervention for educators to address school-based racial stress and reduce discriminatory discipline interactions. Phase 1 involves a qualitative exploration of educators’ beliefs and practices regarding discipline and racial stress, as well as mixed-method inquiry of Black students’ experiences and coping processes regarding discriminatory discipline and racial stress. Phase 2 involves a pilot intervention, informed by data collected in Phase 1, that addresses racially stressful disciplinary interactions by testing aspects of the Racial Encounter Coping Appraisal and Socialization Theory (RECAST) model (Anderson & Stevenson, 2018) and provides educators with opportunities to gain in-the-moment trauma-informed discipline techniques. The proposed study intends to advance scientific knowledge of Black youth racial stress, coping, and adjustment, to improve educator-student relationships, reduce racial disparities in school discipline, and to enhance the educational and professional experiences of both Black youth and their educators, respectively.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.