A National Randomized Controlled Trial of the Direct Effects of Self-Affirmation on Students’ Social-Psychological Outcomes

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Abstract

Across a national sample of 29 schools, we analyzed results from a randomized controlled trial to test the impacts of receiving four brief self-affirming writing exercises designed to buffer students of color from negative stereotypes about the academic performance of their racial/ethnic group. Prominently, this work aims to measure social-psychological constructs affected by self-affirmation. We find treatment students, in general, report broader and more complex self-concepts relative to control students. Instrumental variables (IV) models suggest Black and Latinx students who consistently engage in self-affirming writing report greater belonging in school contexts more likely to induce stereotype threat. Finally, IV models suggest that, in general, consistent self-affirming writing yields reports of broader self-concepts and more resilient feelings of belonging in school.

Authors

• Geoffrey D. Borman, Arizona State University

• Trisha Borman, Measured Decisions, Inc.

• Cong Ye, American Institutes for Research

• Lauren Stargel, Curriculum Associates