MPC Member Publications

This database contains a listing of population studies publications written by MPC Members. Anyone can add a publication by an MPC student, faculty, or staff member to this database; new citations will be reviewed and approved by MPC administrators.

Full Citation

Title: Testing a Self-Affirmation Intervention for Improving the Psychosocial Health of Black and White Medical Students

Citation Type: Journal Article

Publication Year: 2019

DOI: 10.31234/OSF.IO/W9CBV

Abstract: Stereotype threat in secondary and undergraduate education can deteriorate Black students’ sense of well-being, belonging, and efficacy. Self-affirmation interventions have been shown to mitigate the negative psychological impact that stereotype threat has posed for Black students in these educational contexts. There is limited research that suggests that Black students in medical schools may also experience the negative impacts of stereotype threat. Until now, it has been unclear whether Black (vs. White) students experience a lower sense of belonging in medical school and whether they can benefit from self-affirmation interventions during medical training. With a longitudinal field experiment, we tested (a) whether Black (vs. White) medical students in the U.S. experience decrements in psychological well-being (i.e., fatigue, depression, anxiety), sense of belonging, and perceived residency competitiveness; and (b) the extent to which a self- affirmation intervention would ameliorate any observed disparities in these outcomes for Black students. With a sample of 234 Black and 182 White medical students across 50 schools in the U.S., we found that Black students tended to report more fatigue and less belonging than White students; however, the self-affirmation intervention did not significantly impact students’ fatigue, depression, anxiety, or belonging. Unexpectedly, Black students in the self-affirmation (vs. control) condition reported lower perceived competitiveness for residency. White students’ perceived competitiveness for residency was unaffected by the intervention.

Url: https://psyarxiv.com/w9cbv/

User Submitted?: No

Authors: Perry, Sylvia P.; Wages, James; Skinner-Dorkenoo, Allison L; Burke, Sara E.; Hardeman, Rachel; Phelan, Sean M.

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