The Social Psychological Consequences of Poverty on the Academic Success of Latino Students
Abstract
The purpose of this study is to investigate if social psychological consequences of
poverty and discrimination have an effect on Latinos’ educational outcomes. I refer to
social psychological consequences as experiences of negative self-feelings, minority
status distress, and self-expectations for the future. I propose that Latinos’ self
expectations for the future moderate the relationship between poverty experiences,
negative self-feelings, and academic outcomes. I use Howard D. Kaplan’s self-referent
behavior theory to explain negative self-feelings process; identity control theory to
explain the self-expectations for the future; and, the minority status stress model to
examine discrimination effects on Latinos. I use the Kaplan Longitudinal and
Multigenerational Study (KLAMS) data. The data is analyzed using linear regressions
with OLS estimates, binary, and multinomial logistic regressions, and path analyses.
The results indicate that there is no significant difference in the mechanism
driving the social psychological consequences of poverty on educational outcomes for
whites and Latinos. Poverty experiences affect grades, however, it has no effect on
college attendance for either group. Additionally, poverty experiences increase negative
self-feelings for both, and in some instances, these are less strong for Latinos. All types
of discrimination affect whites and Latinos in the same manner, and self-expectations for
the future did not influence the effects between discrimination, negative self-feelings, and
academic outcomes for both groups. Additionally, ethnicity did not influence the
psychological consequences of poverty on educational outcomes.
Citation
Trevino-Garza, Alma D. (2018). The Social Psychological Consequences of Poverty on the Academic Success of Latino Students. Doctoral dissertation, Texas A & M University. Available electronically from https : / /hdl .handle .net /1969 .1 /174399.