Racially Diverse Adolescent Friendship Groups: A Phenomenological Research Study

<p>School psychologists and other school personnel are trained to engage in selfreflective and culturally humble practices to better serve an increasingly racially diverse student population. While most literature on cultural humility (CH) focuses on its development in professionals, this research study looks at its development in students experiencing the phenomenon of racially diverse friendship. Previous research has found there to be a significant relationship between Theory of Mind (ToM) and social competence. The intended purpose of this study was to explore the possible relationship between ToM and CH amongst high school students who are part of racially diverse friendship groups. Through a phenomenological approach, eight adolescents experiencing the phenomenon of racially diverse friendship were interviewed about their friendship experiences. Four themes were developed from their stories: <em>Similarities, Contextual Influence, Racial Consciousness</em>, and <em>Perspective</em>. Six out of the eight participants were White-identified; as a result, rich information about the racially diverse friendship experience of White-identified adolescents and how their participation in racially diverse friendship contribute to their perspective taking abilities is presented. This study provides new insight into three constructs that have never before been researched as a trio: racially diverse adolescent friendship, ToM, and CH. It provides valuable insight into how school psychologists may build CH and ToM in students through racially diverse friendship.</p>

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Year dc:date.available

2020

Author dc:creator

• Mottes, Arielle Brooke

Contributors dc:contributor

• Tara C. Raines
• P. Bruce Uhrmacher
• Gloria Miller
• Trisha Raque-Bogdan
• Krystyna Matusiak

• Cultural humility
• Culture
• Diversity
• Friendship
• Race
• Theory of mind
• Education
• Educational Psychology
• Psychology
• Race, Ethnicity and Post-Colonial Studies
• School Psychology
• Social Psychology

Statement dc:rights

• <p>Copyright is held by the author. User is responsible for all copyright compliance.</p>

Language dc:language

en

Repository record dc:identifier

https://digitalcommons.du.edu/etd/1816

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:digitalcommons.du.edu:etd-2806