Date of Award
Summer 8-20-2026
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)
Department
Education: Curriculum and Teaching
First Advisor
Dr. Melissa Schieble, PhD
Second Advisor
Dr. Tamara R. Buckley, PhD
Third Advisor
Dr. Rosa Rivera McCutchen, PhD
Abstract
Black and Latino males attending community colleges continue to experience disproportionately low rates of retention and degree attainment, often framed through deficit-based narratives that overlook broader structural and psychosocial influences. This qualitative study examined how psychosocial stressors, including family, social, environmental, institutional, and psychological factors, shape the retention and persistence of Black and Latino male students in two-year institutions. Grounded in Critical Race Theory (CRT) and examined through a psychosocial lens, this study uses a narrative inquiry approach to center participants’ lived experiences and better understand how systemic inequities and racialized environments influence academic trajectories. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with five (n=5) participants and analyzed using both deductive coding informed by CRT and inductive coding derived from participant narratives.
Findings revealed that psychosocial stressors are interconnected and cumulative, contributing to challenges in academic engagement and persistence. Key themes included institutional conditions contributing to racial battle fatigue, the impact of psychosocial stressors on retention, and resilience developed through lived experiences. Despite these challenges, participants demonstrated resilience shaped by identity, community, and personal agency. The study introduces the Black and Latino Academic Resilience Cycle to illustrate how students navigate ongoing stressors. Implications emphasize the need for culturally responsive, equity-focused institutional practices that move beyond deficit perspectives to better support Black and Latino male students.
Recommended Citation
Brown, Troy, "Psychosocial Stressors and Resilience: Stress-Related Experiences Impacting Retention and Persistence Amongst Black and Latino Males in Community College" (2026). CUNY Academic Works.
https://academicworks.cuny.edu/hc_sas_etds/1571
Included in
Academic Advising Commons, Adult and Continuing Education Administration Commons, Community College Education Administration Commons, Educational Leadership Commons, Higher Education Commons, Higher Education Administration Commons, Race and Ethnicity Commons, Social Justice Commons, Urban Education Commons
