Abstract
Using a transactional framework, this study explored social relationships in the classroom as mediators of the association between ethnic-racial identity and academic-related outcomes. Participants were 101 fifth graders of diverse backgrounds who completed computer-based questionnaires about their friendships, ethnic-racial identity, and academic engagement. Teachers reported on closeness in their student-teacher relationships. Relationships in the expected direction were evident; positive associations were observed among public regard dimensions of ethnic-racial identity and cognitive engagement in the classroom. Correlational analyses demonstrated higher friendship quality was associated with cognitive engagement, indicating more self-regulated and strategic approaches to learning for both boys and girls. Further, path analyses revealed that the relationship between public regard and cognitive engagement was mediated by student-teacher closeness for the whole sample. Gender differences were evident; for boys, public regard was related indirectly to language arts and math grades through cognitive engagement whereas for girls this indirect effect was not present. Findings highlight the varied contribution of ethnic-racial identity and classroom relationships on achievement-related outcomes, particularly for boys.
Acknowledgment
Special thanks to the American Psychological Foundation.
Disclosure statement
The opinions expressed are those of the authors and do not represent the views of the U.S. Department of Education.
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Notes on contributors
Krystal Thomas
Krystal Thomas is an education researcher at SRI International. Her research interests focus on teacher quality and practices, students’ academic and social identities, and patterns of contextual inequality in the classroom.
Zewelanji Serpell
Zewelanji Serpell is an associate professor of Psychology at Virginia Commonwealth University. She is interested in understanding and optimizing the learning experiences of African American students by considering sociocultural factors and, developing interventions informed by developmental science.