The relationship of Black and White male and female students' attitudes, behaviors, experiences, and academic performance to their satisfaction in college

• Main Author: Charleston-Lyons, Pamela Roberta
• Format: Dissertation
• Language: English
• Published: ProQuest Dissertations & Theses 01-01-1998
• Subjects: African Americans; Black studies; Educational psychology; Educational sociology; Ethnic studies; Higher education; Minority & ethnic groups; Sociology
• ISBN: 9780599083394; 0599083395

This dissertation examines the relationship that Black and White students' attitudes, behaviors, experiences, and academic performance have with their satisfaction in college. Data presented in this dissertation were collected using a survey administered in 1989 to a representative sample of undergraduate students attending six Midwestern colleges or universities. The survey was conducted as part of a project funded by the Spencer Foundation, in 1988, that focused on identifying different ways that predominantly White colleges and universities have responded to Black students, the relationships of their different organizational structures and processes to increasing the Black student enrollment, and satisfaction with their educational experience, improving Black student academic performance and increasing their rate of persistence and progress toward receiving a baccalaureate degree (Allen, Gurin, Peterson, 1988). The four groups of students who participated in this study were Black males, Black females, White males, and White females. The variables in the study included student background characteristics, academic preparation for college, academic performance, attitudes and behaviors, experiences, institutional type, and satisfaction. Three dimensions of student satisfaction were examined in this study: satisfaction with faculty, satisfaction with academic performance, and satisfaction with campus life. Analysis of variance tests revealed similarities and differences among the four groups of students on a variety of background, attitudinal, and behavioral characteristics. No sex or race differences were found in student satisfaction with faculty or their satisfaction with their academic performance. Sex and race differences were found, however, on student satisfaction with their campus life. Black students were generally less satisfied than White students with campus life. Black female students were the least satisfied with their campus life and White female students were the most satisfied. Stepwise multiple linear regressions were used to identify variables that predicted satisfaction for the four groups of students. Common predictors of satisfaction with faculty were interacting more with faculty and perceptions of academic performance. Satisfaction with academic performance was predicted by interacting more with faculty and college grade point average. Social interaction was a common predictor for satisfaction with campus life. Specific predictors of student satisfaction were found for each group.