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The factor structure of the Academic Motivation Scale (AMS) was examined with a sample of 578 Black college students. A confirmatory factor analysis of the AMS was conducted. Results indicated that the hypothesized seven-factor model did not fit the data. Implications for future research with the AMS are discussed.

The purpose of this study was to examine academic disidentification along with demographic and psychological factors related to the academic achievement of African American adolescents. Participants included 96 African American students (41 males, 55 females) in an urban high school setting located in the Southwest. Consistent with previous research, academic disidentification was determined by looking for an attenuation of the correlation between academic self-concept and grade point average (GPA) of male and female students. The relationship between academic self-concept and grade point average significantly decreased for African American males, while it significantly increased for African American females. Demographic factors included age and sex, while psychological factors included academic self-concept, devaluing academic success, and racial identity. Results of a hierarchical regression indicated that sex and academic self-concept were significant positive predictors of GPA, while age and racial identity were significant negative predictors, accounting for 50% variance. Academic self-concept was the strongest predictor of GPA. Implications of the results are discussed. (Contains 4 tables.)

Conventional wisdom in much of the educational and psychological literatures states that the ethnic and racial identity of African American students is related to their academic achievement. The purpose of this study was to determine whether ethnic identity and anti-white attitudes predicted the academic achievement of African American students at a historically Black university. A hypothesized path model was proposed that included ethnic identity, attitudes toward other ethnic groups, anti-white attitudes, perceptions of caring faculty, academic self-concept, and devaluing academic success. The path analysis model explained 27% of the variance in grade point average and revealed three direct effects on grade point average: (a) academic self-concept (positive), (b) devaluing academic success (negative), and (c) anti-white attitudes (negative). Ethnic identity was indirectly linked with grade point average (GPA) through academic self-concept and devaluing academic success. Tests of two alternative nested models suggest that even in an indirect role, ethnic identity may be more important than anti-white attitudes in a model of African American academic achievement.

The major purposes of the present study were (a) to examine the degree to which gender moderates the relationship between ethnic identity and academic achievement and (b) to examine whether psychological disengagement (i.e., devaluing academic success [DAS]) mediates gender differences in the academic achievement of African American college students. Data from 274 participants (79% female) were examined using measures of psychological disengagement, academic self-concept, ethnic identity, racial centrality, and self-reported grade point average. The results indicated that ethnic identity and racial centrality were negatively related to academic achievement for male students and positively related to academic achievement and academic self-concept for female students. Gender differences in DAS explained differences in academic achievement. Implications for future research are discussed. (Contains 3 figures and 3 tables.)

Structural equation modeling of data from 396 African-American and 291 white students at one predominantly white and two historically black colleges found that, contrary to suggestions of antiintellectualism, African-American students do not lack academic motivation and do not have lower self-esteem and academic self-concept. Educational environment plays a significant role. (Contains 59 references.) (SK)

Examined the validity and reliability of scores on the Academic Self-Concept Scale (W. Reynolds and others, 1980) in groups of 291 European American and 396 African American college students. Results suggest important ethnic differences in the structure of academic self-concept regarding beliefs about ability and the relationship between effort and grades. (SLD)

Examined academic self-concept in African American college students attending historically black and predominantly white colleges, noting institutional, gender, and class status differences and factors predicting academic self-concept. Student surveys indicated that grade point average was the best predictor of academic self-concept at predominantly white colleges. Quality of student-faculty interventions was the best predictor at historically black colleges. (SM)

The question of gender differences in academic outcomes has been widely reported and debated. Recent data suggest more similarities than differences in achievement, yet also show males being more likely to make ability attributions for grades while females are more likely to make effort attributions. Thus, it may be more useful to focus on underlying factors and psychological processes that are gendered and influence academic outcomes. The primary purpose of this study was to test a hypothesized model of academic outcomes in a sample of U.S. undergraduate women and men in the Southwest (345 women, 146 men). Participants were recruited from an educational psychology subject pool and completed an online survey. A hypothesized path model was tested that linked gender stigma consciousness to impostor phenomenon, and linked impostor phenomenon to the academic outcomes of disengagement and grade point average (GPA) through academic self-concept. Alternative models were also tested that included 1) academic self-concept predicting impostor feelings, 2) impostor feelings predicting gender stigma consciousness, and 3) GPA predicting academic self-concept. Results revealed the hypothesized model fit the data reasonably well across men and women while the alternative models resulted in a poorer fit. However, there were notable differences in some of the paths. The path from impostor phenomenon to GPA was significant for women but not men, while the path from academic self-concept to disengagement was significant for men but not women. Theoretical and practical implications regarding the gendered role of impostor feelings in grades are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The factor structure of the Academic Motivation Scale (AMS) was examined with a sample of 578 Black college students. A confirmatory factor analysis of the AMS was conducted. Results indicated that the hypothesized seven-factor model did not fit the data. Implications for future research with the AMS are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to examine academic disidentification along with demographic and psychological factors related to the academic achievement of African American adolescents. Participants included 96 African American students (41 males, 55 females) in an urban high school setting located in the Southwest. Consistent with previous research, academic disidentification was determined by looking for an attenuation of the correlation between academic self-concept and grade point average (GPA) of male and female students. The relationship between academic self-concept and grade point average significantly decreased for African American males, while it significantly increased for African American females. Demographic factors included age and sex, while psychological factors included academic self-concept, devaluing academic success, and racial identity. Results of a hierarchical regression indicated that sex and academic self-concept were significant positive predictors of GPA, while age and racial identity were significant negative predictors, accounting for 50% variance. Academic self-concept was the strongest predictor of GPA. Implications of the results are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The major purposes of the present study were (a) to examine the degree to which gender moderates the relationship between ethnic identity and academic achievement and (b) to examine whether psychological disengagement (i.e., devaluing academic success [DAS]) mediates gender differences in the academic achievement of African American college students. Data from 274 participants (79% female) were examined using measures of psychological disengagement, academic self-concept, ethnic identity, racial centrality, and self-reported grade point average. The results indicated that ethnic identity and racial centrality were negatively related to academic achievement for male students and positively related to academic achievement and academic self-concept for female students. Gender differences in DAS explained differences in academic achievement. Implications for future research are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In this article, Kevin Cokley challenges conventional wisdom about African American college students and the factors underlying their academic underachievement. In this quantitative study of students attending three historically Black colleges and universities and one predominantly White university, Cokley reviews and integrates existing research on the academic motivation and academic self-concept of African American students. He then introduces self-determination theory as an additional motivational framework to understand African American students' motivation. While Cokley finds that African American students are intrinsically highly motivated, this motivation is not related to how they perform academically or to their academic self-concept. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined data from 358 African American students and 229 European American students to determine if the phenomenon of academic disidentification occurred. Analyses revealed that among African American male students, the relationship between academic self-concept and grade point average (GPA) significantly decreased, whereas the relationship between academic self-concept, self-esteem, and GPA significantly increased for European American female students. The relationship between academic self-concept and GPA remained significant for African American female and European American male students. Research and counseling implications are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to replicate and extend Cokley's (2000) study by comparing the academic self-concept of African American students in a historically Black college and university setting (HBCU) and a predominantly White college and university setting (PWCU). A total of 396 African American students completed the Academic Self-Concept Scale (Reynolds Ramirez, Magrina, & Allen, 1980) and a demographic questionnaire. Consistent with Cokley' s (2000) study, grade point average was the best predictor of academic self-concept for students attending the PWCU while quality of student-faculty interaction was the best predictor of academic self-concept for students attending HBCUs. Implications for how student affairs professionals can assist African American students as well as faculty are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The author discusses various aspects related to the academic success of African American college students by criticizing the views of various scholars such as Richard Valencia who favors race discrimination in education. Topics discussed include research report of Education Trust on graduation and factors related to blacks academic success.