Poster #175 - Promoting Friendship and Belonging with Positive Public Regard During the College Transition

• In Event: 3-159 - Poster Session 12
  In Poster Session: PS 12 Section - Race, Ethnicity, Culture, Context

Integrative Statement

Particularly with more non-White persons attending college (Hurtado et al., 2015), attitudes regarding ethnicity may play an important role in adaptive functioning (Locks et al., 2008; Sellers et al., 1998). In particular, persons who enter college believing others regard their ethnic group in a positive manner (i.e., public regard; Sellers et al., 1998), may more effectively overcome adjustment and discrimination difficulties to form friendships with both same- and cross-ethnic peers (Rivas-Drake et al., 2017). In turn, friendships may be associated with feelings of belonging in college, where same-ethnic friendships may satisfy a need to feel attachment to one’s own ethnic group (Bellmore et al., 2007), and cross-ethnic friendships may indicate integration into the broader university environment (Hall et al., 2011). The present study will examine: 1) the association between students’ public regard prior to entering college and both cross- and same-ethnic friendship during their first college year and 2) whether cross- or same-ethnic friendship then predict students’ later feelings of belongingness entering their second year, controlling for adjustment and discrimination experiences.
Method. Participants were 622 college students (2016-17 cohort) at a public university (Mage = 19.72; 74% Women; 41% Asian/PI, 26% White, 20% Latinx, 2% Black, and 11% Multiethnic). Students completed three online surveys assessing gender, ethnicity, public regard, cross-and same-ethnic friendship, school belonging, depressive and social anxiety symptoms, self-esteem, and peer discrimination (see Table 1 for sample items and alphas).
Results. Separate hierarchical linear regressions assessed cross- and same-ethnic friendship as a function of gender and ethnicity (Step 1), depressive symptoms, social anxiety, self-esteem, and discrimination (as controls in Step 2), and public regard (Step 3). Public regard was positively associated with both cross- (B=.10, p<.05) and same-ethnic (B=.11, p<.05) friendship, for both White and non-White students. An additional hierarchical linear regression (Steps 1-3 same as above) assessed school belonging as a function of public regard (Step 3), where public regard was still positively associated with school belonging (B=.16, p<.001) for both White and non-White students. When adding cross- and same-ethnic friendship (Step 4) to the model, neither cross- or same-ethnic friendship were significant mediators, but public regard maintained a significant positive association with school belonging (B=.15, p<.01) for White and non-White students (Figure 1). Additionally, models were run separately for White and non-White students, but the results remained similar regardless of ethnic identification.
Discussion. The manner in which White and non-White persons feel that their ethnic group is viewed by others may be important to consider throughout the transition to college. Individuals may be exposed to differently diverse environments than they have previously experienced, heightening attention to ethnicity (Locks et al., 2008). In the present study, believing that others view one’s ethnicity favorably appeared to enhance the formation of both same- and cross-ethnic friendships, and feelings of belonging. Whereas friendships may benefit students by providing important interpersonal resources such as companionship through the college transition, perceptions regarding broader feelings towards one’s ethnic group may be more related to feelings of belonging in the broader campus environment.

Authors

• Jakeem Amir Lewis, University of California, Davis
  Presenting Author

• Adrienne Nishina, University of California, Davis
  Non-Presenting Author