TY - JOUR
T1 - Targeted identity-safety interventions cause lasting reductions in discipline citations among negatively stereotyped boys
AU - Goyer, J. Parker
AU - Cohen, Geoffrey L.
AU - Cook, Jonathan E.
AU - Master, Allison
AU - Apfel, Nancy
AU - Lee, Wonhee
AU - Henderson, Amelia G.
AU - Reeves, Stephanie L.
AU - Okonofua, Jason A.
AU - Walton, Gregory M.
N1 - Funding Information:
This research was supported by grants from the William T. Grant Foundation, the National Science Foundation, the Raikes Foundation, and the Spencer Foundation. We thank the students, teachers, parents, and administrators at the three partner middle schools for their collaboration and Julia Clark, Carol Dweck, and Eric Gomez for assistance in designing and implementing Experiment 1, Wyatt Roy for assistance with coding and data management, and Kali Trzesniewski for statistical assistance and feedback. J. Parker Goyer contributed primary statistical analyses, primary writing, and primary theorizing. Geoffrey L. Cohen codesigned both experiments, codeveloped materials, and contributed theorizing. Jonathan E. Cook provided statistical consultation and contributed to preliminary analyses. Allison Master codeveloped materials and implemented Experiment 2. Nancy Apfel codeveloped materials, implemented Experiment 2, and contributed management. Wonhee Lee codeveloped materials, implemented Experiment 1, and contributed management and initial analyses. Amelia G. Henderson and Stephanie L. Reeves codeveloped materials and implemented Experiment 1. Jason A. Okonofua contributed theorizing. Gregory M. Walton codesigned both experiments, codeveloped materials, and contributed initial statistical analyses, primary writing, and primary theorizing. All authors reviewed the manuscript, provided revisions, and approved its submission.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2019 American Psychological Association.
PY - 2019/8
Y1 - 2019/8
N2 - High rates of discipline citations predict adverse life outcomes, a harm disproportionately borne by Black and Latino boys. We hypothesized that these citations arise in part from negative cycles of interaction between students and teachers, which unfold in contexts of social stereotypes. Can targeted interventions to facilitate identity safety-a sense of belonging, inclusion, and growth-for students help? Experiment 1 combined social-belonging, values-affirmation, and growth-mindset interventions delivered in several class sessions in 2 middle schools with a large Latino population (N = 669). This treatment reduced citations among negatively stereotyped boys in 7th and 8th grades by 57% as compared with a randomized control condition, 95% CI [-77%, -20%]. A growth-mindset only treatment was also effective (70% reduction, 95% CI [-84%, -43%]). Experiment 2 tested the social-belonging interven-tion alone, a grade earlier, at a third school with a large Black population and more overall citations (N = 137 sixth-grade students). In 2 class sessions, students reflected on stories from previous 7th-grade students, which represented worries about belonging and relationships with teachers early in middle school as normal and as improving with time. This exercise reduced citations among Black boys through the end of high school by 65%, 95% CI [-85%, -15%], closing the disparity with White boys over 7 years by 75%. Suggesting improved interactions with teachers, longitudinal analyses found that the intervention prevented rises in citations involving subjective judgments (e.g., "insubordination") within 6th and 7th grades. It also forestalled the emergence of worries about being seen stereotypically by the end of 7th grade. Identity threat can give rise to cycles of interaction that are maladaptive for both teachers and students in school; targeted exercises can interrupt these cycles to improve disciplinary outcomes over years.
AB - High rates of discipline citations predict adverse life outcomes, a harm disproportionately borne by Black and Latino boys. We hypothesized that these citations arise in part from negative cycles of interaction between students and teachers, which unfold in contexts of social stereotypes. Can targeted interventions to facilitate identity safety-a sense of belonging, inclusion, and growth-for students help? Experiment 1 combined social-belonging, values-affirmation, and growth-mindset interventions delivered in several class sessions in 2 middle schools with a large Latino population (N = 669). This treatment reduced citations among negatively stereotyped boys in 7th and 8th grades by 57% as compared with a randomized control condition, 95% CI [-77%, -20%]. A growth-mindset only treatment was also effective (70% reduction, 95% CI [-84%, -43%]). Experiment 2 tested the social-belonging interven-tion alone, a grade earlier, at a third school with a large Black population and more overall citations (N = 137 sixth-grade students). In 2 class sessions, students reflected on stories from previous 7th-grade students, which represented worries about belonging and relationships with teachers early in middle school as normal and as improving with time. This exercise reduced citations among Black boys through the end of high school by 65%, 95% CI [-85%, -15%], closing the disparity with White boys over 7 years by 75%. Suggesting improved interactions with teachers, longitudinal analyses found that the intervention prevented rises in citations involving subjective judgments (e.g., "insubordination") within 6th and 7th grades. It also forestalled the emergence of worries about being seen stereotypically by the end of 7th grade. Identity threat can give rise to cycles of interaction that are maladaptive for both teachers and students in school; targeted exercises can interrupt these cycles to improve disciplinary outcomes over years.
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U2 - 10.1037/pspa0000152
DO - 10.1037/pspa0000152
M3 - Article
C2 - 30920278
AN - SCOPUS:85063482816
VL - 117
SP - 229
EP - 259
JO - Journal of Personality and Social Psychology
JF - Journal of Personality and Social Psychology
SN - 0022-3514
IS - 2
ER -