Classism in the university setting: Examining student antecedents and outcomes.

To examine the relationship between social class status, experiences of classism, and psychosocial and school-related outcomes, 950 undergraduates at a liberal arts school completed a survey assessing their college experiences. Social class, race, and gender were hypothesized to predict experiences of classism, which were then expected to relate to psychosocial and school outcomes. The multivariate model was tested via path analysis. Lower social class status predicts experiences of classism. Classism is associated with lower levels of school belonging, negative psychosocial outcomes, and greater intentions of leaving school. School belonging mediates the relation between classism and both psychosocial outcomes and intentions to leave school. Additionally, psychosocial outcomes mediate the relation between school belonging and health perceptions, as well as the relation between school belonging and intentions to leave school. Implications include the importance of addressing and stopping classism in higher education.