Date of Conferral
4-21-2025
Date of Award
April 2025
Degree
Ph.D.
School
Social Work
Advisor
Debra Wilson
Abstract
African American men often face significant environmental and systemic barriers in pursuing postsecondary education as shown by research on the experiences of African American male high school students and first-generation college students. The experiences of African American men who have not attended college or postsecondary education have received less attention. The purpose of this study was to explore the environmental and systemic barriers experienced by African American men aged 18–24 who have not attended or pursued college or postsecondary education. A qualitative study was conducted with 15 African American men aged 18–24 from single parent households utilizing the ecological model of systems theory as the theoretical framework. In-depth interviews were conducted to gather data. Identified through thematic analysis, the findings yielded five themes: neighborhood violence, lack of teacher and administrative support, college preparation, understanding of the college admission process, and mentors/role models. The results may expand the current literature and understanding of the complexities of environmental and systemic barriers faced by young African American men in participating in higher education. Using the findings, stakeholders may be able to provide resources that improve minority enrollment in college or post-secondary education, thus promoting positive social change.
Recommended Citation
Weston, Felix A., "Environmental and Systemic Barriers to Pursuing Postsecondary Education for Young African American Men From Single Parent Households" (2025). Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies. 17625.
https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/17625
