Introduction

The pandemic semesters have been difficult. Coupled with social and political unrest, these challenges have nearly exhausted our collective abilities to heal, survive, and thrive. In the midst of it all, please know that we at JUEMP are doing our best to persevere; and we wish you all the very best as you work to do the same.

Now, we are pleased to present Volume 6 of The Journal of Undergraduate Ethnic Minority Psychology (JUEMP). This volume is formatted as a ‘rolling volume’. At present, Volume 6 features papers that are first-authored by students working across the campuses of Bucknell University, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Wesley College, and the University of Delaware. The following people graciously volunteered as professional and student reviewers for this volume:

Reviewers for Volume 6	Affiliations
Ben Barnett (Student Reviewer)	John Brown University
Dr. Michelle Lewis	Winston-Salem State University
Dr. Tyson Platt	Alabama State University
Dr. Albee Mendoza	University of Delaware
Mr. Shantay Mines, Ed.S., LMFT	Department of Veteran Affairs
Dr. Calvin Smith	Alabama State University
Dr. Tina Vazin	Alabama State University

Thank you, everyone. The goal of JUEMP is to publish up-to-date, high-quality, and original research papers that are first-authoured by undergraduate students. Please know that co-authours may be students or non-students (e.g., faculty, community members, etc.). We encourage and invite you to submit, either individually or collaboratively, your manuscripts for consideration. We also encourage and invite you to volunteer as a reviewer. Best wishes and thank you in advance for your interest and support of The Journal of Undergraduate Ethnic Minority Psychology.

Sincerely,

Dr. D. Lisa Cothran, Editor

Volume 6

Quinlan, A., & Mena, J. (2021-2022). The relation between educational attainment and physical quality of life: A comparison between Latinxs and Whites. Journal of Undergraduate Ethnic Minority Psychology, 6, 1-8.

Abstract This study examined the relation between educational attainment and self-reported physical health quality of life (QOL) in a population of Latinx and non-Latinx White participants. It was expected that ethnicity would moderate the relation between educational attainment and physical QOL where Latinxs with higher levels of education would report lower physical QOL than Whites. The sample included N=137 adults who were recruited from two health centers in Rhode Island. Participants completed a survey that assessed QOL and use of health resources. In addition, known moderators of physical health were considered in the primary analyses (e.g., currently ill, employment status, and psychological quality of life). Higher levels of educational attainment were associated with higher physical QOL with ethnoracial groups in aggregate. Examination of within-group differences indicated that Whites with higher educational attainment had better physical QOL than Whites with lower educational attainment; a pattern that was not observed with Latinxs. A hierarchical multiple regression indicated that psychological QOL, employment status, and current illness were significant predictors of physical QOL and that the relation between educational attainment and physical QOL was not moderated by ethnoracial identity. These findings suggest that higher educational attainment provides varying benefits to Latinxs and Whites. However, to effectively address the health of diverse racial/ethnic groups, further research is needed to discern how other factors might contribute to their health.

Novinte, A., & Hussong, A. (2021-2022). The Role of Indirect Exposure to Police Violence in Black Adolescent Suicidality. Journal of Undergraduate Ethnic Minority Psychology, 6, 9-15.

JUEMP_Novinte_Hussong_2021-2022

Abstract Exposure to racism may negatively impact psychological well-being among Black adolescents, for whom suicide rates have risen within the past decade. Using publicly available data from the Youth Risk Behavior Survey and the Mapping Police Violence Database, the association between indirect exposure to racism due to living in a state with higher police killings of Black Americans and youth self-reported suicide risk and behavior was tested. The analysis sample included 6201 Black and White high school students (22.4 % Black; 48.4% Male). Results of six multilevel models showed that indirect exposure to police killings was not significantly predictive of suicide risk and behavior, but when indirect exposure was defined as the rate of Black people killed, a significant interaction was found, β = -0.03, t (6173) = -2.47, p = .013. Black participants who lived in states with higher rates were more likely to report suicidality in comparison to White participants residing in those states. Findings indicate that police violence against Black Americans may negatively affect Black adolescents’ mental health.

Conti, S., & Mendoza, A. (2021-2022). Gender, Race, and First-Generation (1G) Status on Engagement, Parental Expectations, and Parental Criticism. Journal of Undergraduate Ethnic Minority Psychology, 6, 16-24.

Abstract Previous research (e.g., Pascarella et al., 2004) has found that first-generation (1G) students face different challenges than continuing education students (CE). It is important to study these challenges as they can influence students’ scholastic success. Some personal characteristics that can affect this success include gender identity, racial identity, engagement, and perfectionism. This between-subjects study investigates the effects of race, gender, and 1G status on engagement and perfectionism, which includes the variables of parental criticism and parental expectations. Data were collected from two small liberal arts colleges (SLACs) in the Northeastern United States. There were 240 participants, with 50.8% between the ages of 20 and 21, 27.1% 1G, 78.8% female, and 62.1% White. In terms of an interaction effect, results showed White 1G male students had the highest score in total engagement compared to other groups. However, non-White students scored higher in parental expectations compared to White students, and 1G students scored higher in parental criticism compared to CE students. The findings suggest there are different effects for non-White students and 1G students, which could be related to parenting. Future research could examine how involved the parents of 1G and/or non-White students are in their college education. It may be helpful to designate special programs for these students and their families.