Year
2026
Season
Spring
Paper Type
Master's Thesis
College
College of Arts and Sciences
Degree Name
Master of Science in Psychological Science (MSPS)
Department
Psychological and Brain Sciences
NACO controlled Corporate Body
University of North Florida. Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences
Committee Chairperson
Dr. Olutola Akindipe
Second Advisor
Dr. Elizabeth Brown
Third Advisor
Dr. Angela Mann
Department Chair
Dr. Lori Lange
College Dean
Dr. Kaveri Subrahmanyam
Abstract
Racial minority students continue to experience disparities in educational outcomes, leading to research interest in factors that may mitigate the effects of negative racialized experiences in academic contexts. Racial socialization—messages individuals receive about race throughout development—has been linked to positive academic and psychological outcomes in younger populations; however, its relevance for college students remains less understood. The present study examined whether racial socialization predicted academic achievement among Black and Latino undergraduate students and whether it moderated the relationship between stereotype threat and academic achievement. It was further hypothesized that self-efficacy would mediate the relationship between stereotype threat and academic achievement. Participants completed self-report measures of racial socialization, stereotype threat, and academic self-efficacy, and reported their GPA. Regression analyses indicated that racial socialization, both as a composite variable and across its four subconstructs—cultural socialization, preparation for bias, promotion of mistrust, and egalitarianism—did not predict GPA. Racial socialization also did not moderate the relationship between stereotype threat and GPA. Self-efficacy did not mediate the relationship between stereotype threat and academic achievement; however, self-efficacy significantly predicted GPA. Exploratory analyses revealed that racial socialization was significantly associated with self-efficacy, with promotion of mistrust uniquely predicting lower self-efficacy. These findings suggest that racial socialization may be more closely linked to psychological processes than to direct academic outcomes in higher education, and that its subconstructs may function differently depending on the outcome examined. Implications for future research are discussed.
Suggested Citation
Tima, Dan'n, "I think I can: The role of racial socialization and self-efficacy on racial minorities’ stereotype threat and academic achievement" (2026). UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations. 1390.
https://digitalcommons.unf.edu/etd/1390