Academic Resilience Among Black Male College Students Formerly in Foster Care: Implications for School Counselors

Abstract

Drawing on qualitative data collected through in-depth interviews with 11 academically successful Black male college students formerly in foster care, the purpose of this study was to explore and identify protective factors that have contributed to their academic resilience. More specifically, this study sought to identify the environmental resources and supports that have helped mitigate against school failure and enabled educational success. The two major findings relate to the role and importance of having an extensive support network and the significance of participating in independent living programs, which served as protective factors for participants in this study. This article presents implications for school counseling practice.

Keywords

academic resilience Black males high achieving school counselor youth in foster care

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Alva

S. A.

(1991). Academic invulnerability among Mexican-American students: The importance of protective resources and appraisals. Hispanic Journal of Behavioral Sciences, 13(1), 18–34.

Amatea

E. S.

Daniels

Bringman

Vandiver

F. M.

(2004). Strengthening counselor-teacher-family connections: The family-school collaborative consultation project. Professional School Counseling, 8(1), 47–55.

Amechi

M. H

. (2016). “There’s no autonomy”: Narratives of self-authorship from Black male foster care alumni in higher education. Journal of African American Males in Education, 7(2), 18–35. https://jaamejournal.scholasticahq.com/article/18479-there-s-no-autonomy-narratives-of-self-authorship-from-black-male-foster-care-alumni-in-higher-education

American School Counselor Association. (2019). ASCA national model: A framework for school counseling programs (4th ed.). https://schoolcounselor.org/About-School-Counseling/ASCA-National-Model-for-School-Counseling-Programs

Bogdan

R. C.

Biklen

S. K

. (1998). Qualitative research in education: An introduction to theory and methods. Pearson Education Group.

Brooms

D. R

. (2016). Being Black, being male on campus: Understanding and confronting Black male collegiate experiences. SUNY Press.

Bryan

(2005). Fostering educational resilience and achievement in urban schools through school-family-community partnerships. Professional School Counseling, 8(3), 219–227.

Bryan

Day-Vines

N. L.

Griffin

Moore-Thomas

. (2012). The disproportionality dilemma: Patterns of teacher referrals to school counselors for disruptive behavior. Journal of Counseling & Development, 90(2), 177–190. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1556-6676.2012.00023.x

Bryan

Henry

. (2012). A model for building school–family–community partnerships: Principles and process. Journal of Counseling & development, 90(4), 408–420. https://doi.org/10.1002/j.1556-6676.2012.00052.x

10.

Bryan

(2017). White teachers’ role in sustaining the school-to-prison pipeline: Recommendations for teacher education. The Urban Review, 49(2), 326–345. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11256-017-0403- 3

11.

Calvin

Fenton

Lee

Pattison

Warner-King

Purbaugh

. (2001). Make a difference in a child’s life: A manual for helping children and youth get what they need in school. Casey Family Programs.

12.

Courtney

M. E.

Terao

Bost

. (2004). Midwest evaluation of the adult functioning of former foster youth: Conditions of youth preparing to leave state care. Chapin Hall Center for Children at the University of Chicago.

13.

Cuyjet

M. J.

(1997). African American men on college campuses: Their needs and their perceptions. New Directions for Student Services, 1997(80), 5–16.

14.

Davis

R. J

. (2006). College access, financial aid, and college success for undergraduates from foster care. National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators.

15.

DeCuir-Gunby

J. T.

Marshall

P. L.

McCulloch

A. W.

(2011). Developing and using a codebook for the analysis of interview data: An example from a professional development research project. Field Methods, 23(2), 136–155. https://doi.org/10.1177/1525822X10388468

16.

Denzin

N. K.

Lincoln

Y. S.

(2000). The discipline and practice of qualitative research. In Denzin

N. K.

Lincoln

Y. S.

(Eds.), Handbook of qualitative research (2nd ed., pp. 1–29). SAGE.

17.

Dworsky

Napolitano

Courtney

(2013). Homelessness during the transition from foster care to adulthood. American Journal of Public Health, 103(S2), S318–S323. https://doi.org/ 10.2105/AJPH.2013.301455

18.

Dworsky

Perez

. (2009). Helping former foster youth graduate from college: Campus support programs in California and Washington State . Chapin Hall Center for Children.

19.

Ersing

R. L.

Sutphen

Loeffler

D. N.

(2009). Exploring the impact and implications of residential mobility: From the neighborhood to the school. Advances in Social Work, 10(1), 1–18. https://doi.org/10.18060/77

20.

Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) of 2015, Pub. L. 114-95 (2015).

21.

Fergus

Zimmerman

M. A.

(2005). Adolescent resilience: A framework for understanding healthy development in the face of risk. Annual Review Public Health, 26, 399–419.

22.

Ferguson

A. A

. (2001). Bad boys: Public schools in the making of Black masculinity . University of Michigan.

23.

Fields-Smith

(2005). African American parents before and after Brown. Journal of Curriculum & Supervision, 20(2), 129–135.

24.

Geiger

J. M.

Beltran

S. J.

(2017). Experiences and outcomes of foster care alumni in postsecondary education: A review of the literature. Children and Youth Services Review, 79(2), 186–197. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2017.06.023

25.

Gizir

C. A.

Aydin

(2009). Protective factors contributing to the academic resilience of students living in poverty in Turkey. Professional School Counseling, 13(1), 38–49. https://doi.org/10.1177/2156759X0901300103

26.

Gross

J. P

. (2019). Former foster youth in postsecondary education: Reaching higher. Palgrave Macmillan.

27.

Harper

S. R.

(2005). Leading the way: Inside the experiences of high-achieving African American male students. About Campus, 10(1), 8–15.

28.

Harper

S. R.

(2012). Black male student success in higher education: A report from the national Black male college achievement study. University of Pennsylvania, Graduate School of Education, Center for the Study of Race and Equity in Education.

29.

Harper

S. R.

Davis

R. J.

Jones

D. E.

McGowan

B. L.

Ingram

T. N.

Platt

C. S.

(2011). Race and racism in the experiences of Black male resident assistants at predominantly White universities. Journal of College Student Development, 52(2), 180–200. https://doi.org/10.1353/csd.2011.0025

30.

Harry

Anderson

M. G.

(1994). The disproportionate placement of African American males in special education programs: A critique of the process. Journal of Negro Education, 63(4), 602–619.

31.

Hass

Allen

Amoah

(2014). Turning points and resilience of academically successful foster youth. Children and Youth Services Review, 44(1), 387–392. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2014.07.008

32.

Hass

Graydon

(2009). Sources of resiliency among successful foster youth. Children and Youth Services Review, 31(4), 457–463. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2008.10.001

33.

Heaton

(2008). Secondary analysis of qualitative data: An overview. Historical Social Research, 33(3), 33–45. https://doi.org/10.12759/hsr.33.2008.3.33-45

34.

Henfield

M. S.

Washington

A. R.

Byrd

J. A.

(2014). Addressing academic and opportunity gaps impacting gifted Black males: Implications for school counselors. Gifted Child Today, 37(3), 147–154. https://doi.org/10.1177/1076217514530118

35.

Hines

A. M.

Merdinger

Wyatt

(2005). Former foster youth attending college: Resilience and the transition to young adulthood. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 75(3), 381–394.

36.

Irvine

J. J

. (1990). Black students and school failure. Policies, practices, and prescriptions . Greenwood.

37.

Jackson

J. F. L.

Moore

J. L.

(2008). Introduction: The African American male crisis in education: A popular media infatuation or needed public policy response? American Behavioral Scientist, 51(7), 847–853.

38.

Jenkins

T. S.

(2006). Mr. Nigger: The challenges of educating Black males within American society. Journal of Black Studies, 37(1), 127–155.

39.

Johnson

R. M.

(2013). Black and male on campus: An autoethnographic account. Journal of African American Males in Education, 4(2), 25–45.

40.

Johnson

R. M.

(2015). Measuring the influence of juvenile arrest on the odds of four-year college enrollment for Black males: An NLSY analysis. Spectrum: A Journal on Black men, 4(1), 49–72. https://www.muse.jhu.edu/article/613203

41.

Johnson

R. M.

(2020). The state of research on undergraduate youth formerly in foster care: A systematic review of literature. Journal of Diversity in Higher Education, 14(1), 147–160. https://doi.org/10.1037/dhe0000150

42.

Johnson

R. M.

Strayhorn

T. L.

(2019). Preparing youth in foster care through an early outreach program. Journal of College Student Development, 6(5), 612–616. https://doi.org/ 10.1353/csd.2019.0051

43.

Johnson

(2021). Black youth in foster care and the school-prison nexus. Feature: The Community College Context. Office of Community College Research and Leadership, 6(3).

44.

Jones

(Ed.) (2007). The state of Black America 2007: Portrait of the Black male. Beckham Publications Group.

45.

Kearney

K. S.

Naifeh

Hammer

Cain

. (2019). “Family” ties for foster alumni in college: An open systems consideration. The Review of Higher Education, 42(2), 793–824. https://doi.org/ 10.1353/rhe.2019.0015

46.

Kerman

Wildfire

Barth

R. P.

(2002). Outcomes for young adults who experienced foster care. Children and Youth Services Review, 24(5), 319–344.

47.

Kunjufu

. (1986). Countering the conspiracy to destroy Black boys. African American Images.

48.

Kunjufu

. (2005). Keeping Black boys out of special education. African American Images.

49.

Masten

A. S.

Coatsworth

J. D.

(1998). The development of competence in favorable and unfavorable environments: Lessons from research on successful children. American Psychologist, 53(2), 205–220. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.53.2.205

50.

Merriam

S. B

. (1998). Qualitative research and case study applications in education. Jossey-Bass.

51.

Miles

M. B.

Huberman

A. M.

(1994). Qualitative data analysis: An expanded sourcebook. SAGE.

52.

Miller

Farrow

Meltzer

Notkin

. (2014). Changing course: Improving outcomes for African American males involved with child welfare systems. Center for the Study of Social Policy and Alliance for Racial Equity in Child Welfare.

53.

Moore

J. L.

Henfield

M. S.

Owens

(2008). African American males in special education: Their attitudes and perceptions toward high school counselors and school counseling services. American Behavioral Scientist, 51(7), 907–927.

54.

Morton

B. M.

(2018). The grip of trauma: How trauma disrupts the academic aspirations of foster youth. Child Abuse & Neglect, 75, 73–81. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2017.04.021

55.

Mwangi

C. A. G

. (2015). (Re)examining the role of family and community in college access and choice: A metasynthesis. The Review of Higher Education, 39(1), 123–151. https://doi.org/10.1353/rhe.2019.0015

56.

Noguera

P. A.

(1997). Reconsidering the “crisis” of the Black male in America. Social Justice, 24(2), 147–164.

57.

Noguera

P. A.

(2003). The trouble with Black boys: The role and influence of environmental and cultural factors on the academic performance of African American males. Urban Education, 38(4), 431–459.

58.

Palmer

R. T.

Wood

J. L.

Dancy

T. E.

II Strayhorn

T. L

. (2014). Black male collegians: Increasing access, retention, and persistence in higher education. ASHE Higher Education Report, 40(3), 1–147. https://doi.org/10.1002/aehe.20015

59.

Palmer

R. T.

Young

E. M.

(2009). Determined to succeed: Salient factors that foster academic success for academically unprepared Black males at a Black college. Journal of College Student Retention, 10(14), 465–482. https://doi.org/10.2190/CS.10.4.d

60.

Patton

M. Q

. (1990). Qualitative evaluation and research methods. SAGE.

61.

Polite

V. C.

Davis

J. E

. (1999). African American males in school and society: Practices and policies for effective education. Teachers College.

62.

Riebschleger

Day

Damashek

(2015). Foster care youth share stories of trauma before, during, and after placement: Youth voices for building trauma-informed systems of care. Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment & Trauma, 24(4), 339–360. https://doi.org/10.1080/10926771.2015.1009603

63.

Roach

(2001). Where are the Black men on campus? Black Issues in Higher Education, 18(6), 18–21.

64.

Ryan

J. P.

Testa

M. F.

Zhai

(2008). African American males in foster care and the risk of delinquency: The value of social bonds and permanence. Child Welfare, 87(1), 115–140.

65.

Saldaña

(2015). The coding manual for qualitative researchers. SAGE.

66.

Sandles

D. L.

Jr Magdaleno

K. R.

(2016). Factors impeding the social and academic progress of African American males in foster care. CLEARvoz Journal, 3(2), 1–9.

67.

Scott

L. D.

Jr Munson

M. R.

McMillen

J. C.

Snowden

L. R.

(2007). Predisposition to seek mental health care among Black males transitioning from foster care. Children and Youth Services Review, 29(7), 870–882.

68.

Strauss

Corbin

(1998). Basics of qualitative research: Grounded theory procedures and techniques (2nd ed.). SAGE.

69.

Strayhorn

T. L.

(2008). Teacher expectations and urban Black males. Academic Leadership Journal, 6(2), 29–34.

70.

Strayhorn

T. L

. (2010). Buoyant believers: Resilience, self-efficacy, and academic success of low-income African American collegians. In Strayhorn

T. L.

Terrell

M. C.

(Eds.), The evolving challenges of Black college students: New insights for policy, practice, & research (pp. 49–65). Stylus.

71.

Strayhorn

T. L.

(2014, October). Fostering pathways to success: Insights on educational aspirations and experiences of transitioning and emancipated foster youth [Keynote presentation]. Keynote scholarly address presented at the Ohio Reach Fostering Pathways to Success Conference, Columbus, OH, USA.

72.

Strayhorn

T. L.

Johnson

R. M.

Barrett

B. A.

(2013). Investigating the college adjustment and transition experiences of formerly incarcerated Black male collegians at predominantly White institutions. Spectrum: A Journal on Black Men, 2(1), 73–98. https://doi.org/10.2979/spectrum.2.1.73

73.

Toldson

I. A.

Braithwaite

R. L.

Rentie

R. J

. (2009). Promoting college aspirations among school-age Black American males (Vol. 7). Emerald Group Publishing Limited.

74.

Unrau

Y. A.

Font

S. A.

Rawls

(2012). Readiness for college engagement among students who have aged out of foster care. Children and Youth Services Review, 34(1), 76–83. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2011.09.002

75.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (2018). Adoption and foster care analysis and reporting system (AFCARS) FY 2017 data. https://www.acf.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/cb/afcarsreport25.pdf

76.

Warren

C. A.

(2013). The utility of empathy for White female teachers’ culturally responsive interactions with Black male students. Interdisciplinary Journal of Teaching and Learning, 3(3), 175–200.

77.

Washington

A. R.

(2010). Professional school counselors and African American males: Using school/community collaboration to enhance academic performance. Journal of African American Males in Education, 1(1), 26–39.

78.

Waxman

H. C.

Gray

J. P.

Padron

Y. N

. (2003). Review of research on educational resilience. Center for Research on Education, Diversity and Excellence. https://escholarship.org/uc/item/7x695885

79.

Williams

J. M.

Bryan

(2013). Overcoming adversity: High-achieving African American youth’s perspectives on educational resilience. Journal of Counseling & Development, 91(3), 291–300. https://doi.org/10.1002/j.1556-6676.2013.00097.x

80.

Wolanin

T. R

. (2005). Higher education opportunities for foster youth: A primer for policymakers. Institute for Higher Education Policy.

81.

Wood

Kaplan

McLoyd

V. C.

(2007). Gender differences in the educational expectations of urban, low-income African American youth: The role of parents and the school. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 36(4), 417–427.