The purpose of this study was to understand the relationship between individual risk factors, school environmental stressors/supports, and identity development and later academic and psychological functioning of African American adolescents. The model was developed using a modified version of the Phenomenological Variant of Ecological Systems Theory model. More specifically, this study explored the role of early experiences of teacher support and the school's racial/ethnic context on later academic engagement and psychological outcomes of African American adolescents. The study also investigated how risk factors among this population (e.g., gender and age) and protective factors (e.g., ethnic identity) were related to teacher support and outcomes (e.g. academic engagement, depression, and aggressive behavior). Initial data analysis was performed to establish differences in outcome variables between African American and European American students in the sample. The full sample consisted of 1,518 adolescents (16.0% African American and 84.0% European American). Results indicated significant gender and ethnic group differences on measures of ethnic identity and aggressive behaviors, and significant gender differences in depression and academic engagement. In a sub-sample of African-American adolescents (n=243), the racial/ethnic context did not significantly predict later academic engagement, depression, or aggressive behaviors, suggesting that being in a school with a homogenous African American population or European American population was not correlated with engagement or psychological functioning. Findings did suggest, however, that personal characteristics such as gender and age, predicted future outcomes. Students' perceptions of teacher support, however, had the greatest effect on academic engagement and aggression. Students who perceived greater support from their teachers engaged more in school and in fewer aggressive behaviors. Furthermore, results indicated that the development of a positive ethnic identity is important for later academic engagement among this population, particularly for African American males, but it did not mediate the relationship between stressors in the school environment and student outcomes. Continued research is warranted to explore the role of school contextual factors and outcomes for African American adolescents to better support the academic achievement of this population.
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