Substance Use and Interpersonal Violence: Exploring Potential Threats to Underrepresented Minority Students’ Academic Success

Background College dropout has been described as an epidemic, with underrepresented minority (URM) students having the highest dropout rates at colleges and universities. This study examines interpersonal violence and substance use as potential threats to the academic success of URM students. Method...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of college student retention : Research, theory & practice theory & practice, 2022-05, Vol.24 (1), p.193-212
Main Authors: Asher BlackDeer, Autumn, Patterson Silver Wolf, David A., Beeler-Stinn, Sara, Duran, Bonnie
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Academic Achievement
Academic Persistence
African American Students
Alaska Natives
American Indian Students
Cocaine
College Students
Comparative Analysis
Correlation
Disproportionate Representation
Drinking
Dropouts
Gender Differences
Grade Point Average
Hawaiians
Hispanic American Students
Indigenous Populations
Marijuana
Minority Group Students
Rape
School Holding Power
Sexual Abuse
Student Attitudes
Substance Abuse
Violence
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Summary:Background College dropout has been described as an epidemic, with underrepresented minority (URM) students having the highest dropout rates at colleges and universities. This study examines interpersonal violence and substance use as potential threats to the academic success of URM students. Methods This study is a secondary data analysis of the National College Health Assessment. Results Significant decreases for grade point average (GPA) in African American students were associated with physical violence and marijuana use. For Hispanic/Latinx students, physical violence, marijuana use, and methamphetamine use were significantly associated with decreases in GPA. American Indian, Alaska Native, or Native Hawaiian students’ decreases in GPA were significantly associated with marijuana use. Conclusions Results of the study indicated that substance use and interpersonal violence are associated with decreases in GPA for various groups of URM. These findings are disconcerting and relay the importance for colleges and universities to undertake strategies to increase the retention of URM students.
ISSN:1521-0251
1541-4167
DOI:10.1177/1521025120911638