A new study led by Adrian Gale, assistant professor in Rutgers University’s child welfare and well-being research unit, has found “positive school climates” fall short of alleviating depression among Black boys from low-income neighborhoods.
For their research, Dr. Gale and his co-author, Rutgers Professor Lenna Nepomnyaschy, examined data from the Future of Families and Child Wellbeing Study conducted between 1998 and 2000 regarding nearly 1,900 Black 15-year-olds’ perception of their school’s climate and their depressive symptoms.
Across all socioeconomic groups, Black girls who thought positively of their school’s environment had fewer depressive symptoms than Black boys. Notably, low-income Black boys who also said they felt supported at school had the highest rate of depressive symptoms compared with their peers in higher-income neighborhoods. In other words, low-income Black boys, “who are most vulnerable to poor mental health outcomes, gain the least from a positive school climate.”
According to Dr. Gale, these findings indicate that supportive school cultures are not meeting the psychological needs of Black boys, which could negatively influence their long-term education decisions. Going forward, future efforts aimed at enhancing the well-being of Black youth should consider both gender and socioeconomic context.
This study is Dr. Gale’s most recent research on how Black youth’s schooling experiences in general contribute to the achievement gap. Dr. Gale holds a master of social work degree and a Ph.D. from the University of Michigan.
I am not surprised at the result of this study. Children are in school st most , 6 hours. Learning and EDUCATION takes place as long as one is ‘conscious. ‘
Some data suggest that Learning also occurs when you are asleep!!
The “school environment ” is not the answer.
My illiterate mother raised 3 PhD and 2 MD.
The answer to “how ” is in the book:
“MUD’DAH ”
Available at “Drjoewebsterbooks.com ” and Amazon and most major books outlets.
Once again, another so-called misinformed ‘Black academic’ research that’s peppered with nothing but the stereotypical deficit narrative in reference to Black male teenagers instead of addressing the damn REAL PROBLEM. The facts remain Adrian, that the American public and private educational system from Pre-K-12, Undergraduate, Graduate, Law, Medical, Dental, and even Osteopathic school are inherently anti-native born Black American males regardless of one’s SES. Of course, we will always find a few who successfully managed to navigate these spaces by appearing as “race neutral” or shall I say a “non-person” because it eases the insecurities and racist proclivities their White counterparts have.
Further, until the collective native born Black American community discontinue in not truly valuing education, they will continue to be used as fall guy for every social ill in this country. In other words, the onus should be placed on the native born Black American adults for falling short on numerous levels in being the leaders and teachers in their community where academic excellence is the norm and not the outlier.