Does a simultaneous teacher intervention boost the effects of self-affirmation on black middle school students' grades in social studies, math, and language arts?

Brief psychological affirmation essays have been studied as way to counter stereotype threat and improve the academic achievement of Black students. Despite large and long-lasting positive effects of affirmation essays in many studies, results have not been consistent, leading to ongoing questions about moderators. The current study contributes to understanding of the value and limitations of the self-affirmation writing exercise by examining the impact of one dose of the intervention on grades in Social Studies, Math, and Language Arts (LA) within a sample of Black middle school students. It also examines gender moderation of intervention effects and compares effects of the original intervention with a version that simultaneously targets teachers' perceptions and behaviors. The enhanced version was expected to boost affirmation's effects by directly targeting the social environment side of affirmation's hypothesized recursive dynamics. Analyses of quarterly grades over one school year revealed superior Social Studies grade trajectories among students exposed to the enhanced intervention. Similarly, students receiving either the affirmation essay or teacher component had superior outcomes in Social Studies than students in the control condition. However, no intervention effects were found for Math or LA and gender did not moderate intervention effects in any subject. The study considers the intervention's mixed effects from a theoretical perspective that emphasizes the unique developmental and environmental experiences of Black students. Additional feasible interventions to address the balance of Black students' developmental vulnerabilities and protective factors in the classroom are described. Assessment of environmental threats before choosing environmental enhancements is recommended.