Date of Conferral

12-10-2025

Date of Award

December 2025

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Psychology

Advisor

Megan Corley, Ph.D.

Abstract

This quantitative study examined the relationship between motivational factors that contribute to challenges in expressing diversity and the levels of anxiety experienced by graduate psychology students when discussing racial topics. The study was grounded in critical race theory, which posits that racism is embedded within social and institutional systems and influences interpersonal and educational dynamics. The purpose of the study was to determine whether motivational factors, as measured by the Color-Blind Racial Attitudes Scale, predicted anxiety levels, as measured by the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System Emotional Distress Anxiety Short Form, and whether racial background moderated this relationship. Data were collected from 93 graduate psychology students in the United States who met inclusion criteria of being currently enrolled or recently graduated from a psychology program at the master’s or doctoral level. Using a nonexperimental, cross-sectional design, correlation and multiple regression analyses were conducted to examine the association between color-blind racial attitudes and anxiety, and moderation analyses assessed whether race influenced this relationship. Results revealed no significant overall relationship between motivational factors and anxiety; however, among Black-identifying students, higher color-blind racial attitudes were associated with lower anxiety. These findings underscore the complexity of race-related anxiety and indicate that racial identity may shape emotional responses to diversity discussions, highlighting the importance of enhancing diversity education within graduate psychology programs.

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