An Examination of College Experiences and Mental Health Outcomes for Black College Students in Georgia

Minority students particularly, Black students face multiple different stressors compared to their peers while attending higher learning institutions. Current research has identified Black students’ experiences to be more cumbersome which places them at more risk for negative mental health outcomes. Black college students experience more systemic barriers with racial trauma, cultural mistrust, microaggressions, and belongingness, which all contribute to the experience of trauma faced by this demographic. These factors increase psychological distress and can lead to unhealthy coping mechanisms. However, there are limitations in current research identifying the differences of experiences affecting mental health outcomes between Black students who attended a PWI (Predominantly White Institution) versus ones who attend HBCUs. The purpose of this study is to examine how factors such as microaggression experiences and cultural mistrust affect sense of belongingness and mental health outcomes among black college students attending PWIs and HBCUs. Data will be collected by distribution of self-report surveys through Qualtrics using identified scales of cultural mistrust, microaggressions, belongingness, mental psychological distress, and demographic questions. Recruitment will take place through social media pages used by college students in Georgia. The hypothesized findings of this study are to conclude students with higher experiences of microaggressions will have lower levels of belongingness and higher levels of cultural mistrust with an association of poorer mental health outcomes such as depression, anxiety, etc. Also, there is an expectation to see a difference in microaggressions experiences by students attending PWIs compared to HBCUs in Georgia