A qualitative single case study exploring Black male student self-efficacy at a private faith-based Massachusetts high school.

Many Black male students who attend private high schools in the United States experience a lack of sufficient resources, support, and representation within the student and faculty population (Bolgatz et al., 2020). These experiences of Black male students can contribute to their overall academic self-efficacy, positively or negatively (Bandura, 1977). The purpose of this qualitative single case study was to explore Black male students’ perceptions of how they use self-efficacy to shape their private faith-based high school academic experience. I conducted a qualitative single case study that included data from five Black male participants ranging from Grades 9–12 at Park High School (PHS). Participants were asked to complete a questionnaire, a semi-structured individual interview, and a focus group with all of the participants together. I used Bandura’s (1977) self-efficacy theory to shape the study through the four major components: performance accomplishment, social persuasion, vicarious experience, and physiological state. There were four major findings about the academic experience of Black male students at PHS, which led to four implications for different key groups. Finding 1: Black male students in private high schools need positive past academic experiences to believe they can be successful. Finding 2: Black male students in private high schools respond well to positive peer pressure and teacher feedback. Finding 3: Black male students in private high schools benefit from positive academic experiences shared by family members and peers, which can guide and support their own academic journeys. Finding 4: Black male students in private schools have negative experiences with diversity issues. As a result of these findings, I recommended professional development for high school teachers, targeted strategies to increase student and faculty diversity for high school administrators, active engagement in their students’ lives for parents and guardians, and continued research on the experience of Black male students in private schools for researchers.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ed.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Doctoral

Grantor

Baylor University.

Year dc:date.issued

2025

Author dc:creator

• Hill, Lauren R., 1991-

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Vaughn, Shelby Duncan.

• Self-efficacy.
• Private high school.
• Black male students.
• Academic support.
• Academic opportunity gap.
• Albert Bandura.

Statement dc:rights

• Baylor University works are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission. Contact libraryquestions@baylor.edu for inquiries about permission.

Language dc:language.iso

en

Handle dc:identifier.uri

https://hdl.handle.net/2104/14136

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:baylor-ir.tdl.org:2104/14136