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

该奖项是美国国家科学基金会社会、行为和经济科学（SBE）博士后研究奖学金（SPRF）项目和SBE社会心理学项目的一部分。SPRF计划的目标是为学术界、工业界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奖励包括在知名科学家的赞助下进行为期两年的培训，并鼓励博士后进行独立研究。美国国家科学基金会寻求促进科学界各阶层的科学家，包括那些未被充分代表的群体的科学家，参与其研究项目和活动；博士后阶段被认为是实现这一目标的一个重要的专业发展阶段。每个博士后必须解决各自学科领域的重要科学问题。在宾夕法尼亚大学霍华德·史蒂文森博士的赞助下，这项博士后奖学金支持一位早期职业科学家研究种族压力和与歧视性学校纪律有关的应对过程。自1975年以来，研究表明学校纪律方面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）。与同龄人相比，黑人学生受到更多的纪律处分，更严厉的后果，以及更多的惩罚性干预，即使是因相同或类似的违规行为而被引用（Brown & Tillio, 2013; Skiba, Arrendondo, & Rausch, 2014）。黑人青年不仅意识到这些学科上的种族差异，而且还将差别待遇与更大的不平等和歧视观念联系起来（Bottiani等人，2016;Hope, Skoog, & Jagers, 2015; Fisher, Wallace, Fenton, 2000）。研究表明，种族不成比例的纪律与黑人学生的负面学术、社会和经济结果以及种族歧视的学术和心理成本之间存在明确的联系。然而，歧视性学校纪律对黑人青年适应的具体影响及其与种族压力的关系尚不清楚。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负面影响（Carter & Helms, 2009; Harrell, 2000; Smith, Yosso, & Solorzano, 2007; Sue, Capodilupo, & Holder, 2008）。当学生经常经历歧视性的学校政策、做法以及与教育工作者的互动时，学校就会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，以应对歧视事件（Anderson & Stevenson, 2018; Anderson, Jones, McKenny, Anyiwo, Gaylord-Harding, 2018）。然而，关于学校种族压力和应对与歧视性纪律有关的研究有限，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。该项目的总体目标是“通过解决种族压力来改变歧视性纪律：一项混合方法调查”，旨在研究两个关键、及时和相关的主题——种族不成比例的纪律和种族压力/创伤。该研究项目采用混合方法，分为两个阶段，旨在(1)定性地探索教师和学生对种族压力和纪律的理解和经验；(2)为教育工作者开发一种具有文化能力的转型纪律干预，以解决基于学校的种族压力，减少歧视性的纪律互动。第一阶段包括对教育者关于纪律和种族压力的信念和实践的定性探索，以及对黑人学生关于歧视性纪律和种族压力的经历和应对过程的混合方法调查。第二阶段涉及一项试点干预，根据第一阶段收集的数据进行干预，通过测试种族遭遇、应对评估和社会化理论（RECAST）模型（Anderson & Stevenson, 2018）的各个方面来解决种族压力的学科互动问题，并为教育工作者提供获得即时创伤知情学科技术的机会。本研究旨在促进对黑人青年种族压力、应对和适应的科学认识，改善教育者与学生的关系，减少学校纪律方面的种族差异，并分别提高黑人青年及其教育者的教育和专业经验。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

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.