A short writing task raised grades for Black students over two years.
HelpedThe short version
Black students who wrote about an important value earned better grades over two years.
- 385
- Black and European American middle schoolers
- Randomised
- groups picked at random
- Recorded
- behaviour was recorded
- 1 tool
- tested
The study
Who took part
385 students in three groups, tracked for two years, most aged 12 to 14. Some were Black and some were European American.
What they did
In seventh grade, students were put into groups by chance. Those in the affirmation group wrote three to five times about a value that mattered to them. The other group wrote about an unimportant value or their morning routine.
What happened
Over two years, Black students in the affirmation group earned 0.24 grade points more than the other group. Among the lower-performing half, the difference was 0.41 grade points. Fewer affirmed Black students were held back or put in a remedial program: 3% against 9%. European American students showed no difference.
What the study found
- HelpedGoals
Black students who wrote about an important value earned better grades over two years.
Randomised trial of 385 Black and European American middle schoolers · vs students given a neutral writing task · behaviour was recorded
- HelpedOther outcomes
Low-performing Black students who wrote about a value still felt able to fit in and succeed.
Randomised trial of 385 Black and European American middle schoolers · vs students given a neutral writing task · behaviour was recorded
How solid is this?
- Groups picked at random
- Behaviour was recorded
Source
Recursive Processes in Self-Affirmation: Intervening to Close the Minority Achievement Gap (2009)
DOI: 10.1126/science.1170769 (opens in a new tab)
