Disproportionate School Punishment and Significant Life Outcomes: A Prospective Analysis of Black Youths

This study tested relationships between racial inequalities in the school system—specifically, the disproportionate punishment of Black students—and life outcomes for Black youths, along with moderating psychological factors. In an 18-year longitudinal study of 261 Black youths (ages 11–29), we inve...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Psychological science 2021-09, Vol.32 (9), p.1375-1390
Main Authors: Chen, Edith, Brody, Gene H., Yu, Tianyi, Hoffer, Lauren C., Russak-Pribble, Aubrey, Miller, Gregory E.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Academic achievement
Adolescent
Adolescents
Adult
African Americans
Black people
Black students
Child
Child development
Educational attainment
Health status
Humans
Insulin
Longitudinal Studies
Mental health
Psychological aspects
Psychological Science in the Public Eye
Punishment
Racial Groups
Racial inequality
Schools
Secondary schools
Self control
Young Adult
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Summary:This study tested relationships between racial inequalities in the school system—specifically, the disproportionate punishment of Black students—and life outcomes for Black youths, along with moderating psychological factors. In an 18-year longitudinal study of 261 Black youths (ages 11–29), we investigated whether adult life outcomes varied as a function of adolescent self-control and academic achievement. We tested whether relationships were moderated by the racial climates of the high schools that youths attended, using administrative data on relative punishment rates of Black and White students. Among Black youths who attended schools that disproportionately punished Black students, high self-control in early adolescence presaged higher academic orientation in late adolescence, which in turn predicted higher educational attainment, higher income, and better mental health in adulthood. However, among these same youths, higher academic orientation forecasted higher adult insulin resistance, a key process in cardiometabolic disease. These findings suggest that achieving successes in life in the face of racial inequalities may come at a physical health cost for Black youths.
ISSN:0956-7976
1467-9280
DOI:10.1177/0956797621998308