The relationship among racial identity, subscription to stereotypic roles, perceived environmental expectations, and academic achievement in adolescent African-American girls

This quantitative study examined the relationship of racial identity, stereotype subscription, and perceived environmental expectations to academic achievement in 134 adolescent African-American girls. Students from a single urban school district completed an 80-item survey that measured the variables of interest. Racial identity and subscription to stereotypic roles were measured using existing instruments; the Cross Racial Identity scale and the Black Girls Perception Scale. Perceived environmental expectations were measured using an instrument developed for this study, the PEE scale. Student responses to survey questions were coupled to each participant's combined California Standardized Test (CST) score for English and Math, and correlations were calculated using multiple linear regressions.;Three types of environmental expectations: expected achievement, sanctioned achievement, and aberrant achievement were found to significantly predict CST scores. Additional analyses were conducted using MANOVA which showed nearly significant differences in racial identity scores between students at grade level and those below grade level in the Assimilation and Multicultural subscales. However, no significant differences were found in stereotypic role subscription between girls at grade level and those below grade level.;The results presented help explain the complexity of the achievement gap, and how identity may facilitate academic outcomes. Additionally; implications, limitations, and discussion for future research are presented.