Date of Conferral
5-13-2024
Date of Award
May 2024
Degree
Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.)
School
Psychology
Advisor
Alfie Weinbaum
Abstract
Nontraditional African American women continue seeking degrees in higher education graduating despite the challenges they face oftentimes displaying resilience in doing so This qualitative study explored the lived experiences of four nontraditional African American women college students. The theoretical foundation for this study was Garmezy’s resilience theory. The theory capitalizes on the positive aspects or in this case protective factors which foster success in overcoming negative circumstances. This narrative, thematic analysis included data from in-depth interviews to identify key themes related to resilience to determine protective factors used by this population to succeed in college. The results show each participant relied on individual, familial, and environmental factors to pursue and achieve academic goals. Although, all protective factor themes had a perceived positive impact, individual characteristics such as perseverance, self-motivation, self-efficacy, and determination seemed to contribute to the participant's academic success. The results of this research study should be used as a guide to assist individuals, communities, and universities in assisting nontraditional African American women college students in their higher education pursuit by increasing awareness of existing resilience skills and providing insight into the protective factors that foster positive social change through academic outcomes.
Recommended Citation
Jackson, Cheryl Yvonne, "Nontraditional, African American Women College Students’ Lived Experiences" (2024). Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies. 15789.
https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/15789
