TY - JOUR
T1 - Disproportionate School Punishment and Significant Life Outcomes
T2 - A Prospective Analysis of Black Youths
AU - Chen, Edith
AU - Brody, Gene H.
AU - Yu, Tianyi
AU - Hoffer, Lauren C.
AU - Russak-Pribble, Aubrey
AU - Miller, Gregory E.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© The Author(s) 2021.
PY - 2021/9
Y1 - 2021/9
N2 - This study tested relationships between racial inequalities in the school system—specifically, the disproportionate punishment of Black students—and life outcomes for Black youths, along with moderating psychological factors. In an 18-year longitudinal study of 261 Black youths (ages 11–29), we investigated whether adult life outcomes varied as a function of adolescent self-control and academic achievement. We tested whether relationships were moderated by the racial climates of the high schools that youths attended, using administrative data on relative punishment rates of Black and White students. Among Black youths who attended schools that disproportionately punished Black students, high self-control in early adolescence presaged higher academic orientation in late adolescence, which in turn predicted higher educational attainment, higher income, and better mental health in adulthood. However, among these same youths, higher academic orientation forecasted higher adult insulin resistance, a key process in cardiometabolic disease. These findings suggest that achieving successes in life in the face of racial inequalities may come at a physical health cost for Black youths.
AB - This study tested relationships between racial inequalities in the school system—specifically, the disproportionate punishment of Black students—and life outcomes for Black youths, along with moderating psychological factors. In an 18-year longitudinal study of 261 Black youths (ages 11–29), we investigated whether adult life outcomes varied as a function of adolescent self-control and academic achievement. We tested whether relationships were moderated by the racial climates of the high schools that youths attended, using administrative data on relative punishment rates of Black and White students. Among Black youths who attended schools that disproportionately punished Black students, high self-control in early adolescence presaged higher academic orientation in late adolescence, which in turn predicted higher educational attainment, higher income, and better mental health in adulthood. However, among these same youths, higher academic orientation forecasted higher adult insulin resistance, a key process in cardiometabolic disease. These findings suggest that achieving successes in life in the face of racial inequalities may come at a physical health cost for Black youths.
KW - health
KW - minority groups
KW - schools
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85112362318&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85112362318&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1177/0956797621998308
DO - 10.1177/0956797621998308
M3 - Article
C2 - 34387518
AN - SCOPUS:85112362318
SN - 0956-7976
VL - 32
SP - 1375
EP - 1390
JO - Psychological Science
JF - Psychological Science
IS - 9
ER -