Ethnic-Racial Identity, Social Transactions in the Classroom and Academic-Related Outcomes: Gender Matters

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.

Keywords:

• Public regard
• relationship quality
• academic engagement

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.

Additional information

Funding

The research described in this paper was supported by the Kenneth B. and Mamie P. Clark Grant to the corresponding author from the American Psychological Foundation. In addition, the research reported here was also supported by the Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education, through Grant R305B170002 to the University of Virginia.

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.