African American Child and Adolescent Academic Help-Seeking: A Scoping Review

Abstract

To influence school achievement, researchers investigate student academic help-seeking. However, a growing population of students of color combined with the risk of poorer academic performance yields attention toward African American student academic help-seeking. In this review, 13 studies analyzed sampling characteristics, theoretical frameworks, and designing methodologies. Results illustrated that samples varied in terms of data collection, settings, participant characteristics, and research purpose. Also, frameworks differed with the majority of the studies referencing culture or motivation-informed theory. The methodology focused on quantitative measures of help-seeking behavior, attitude, and influencing variables. Qualitative measures showed African American students experienced help-seeking challenges, family involvement, and assumed responsibility for seeking help. Implications for research and practice are provided.

Academic Help-Seeking Attitudes, and Their Relationship with Emotional Variables

“…Considering the results obtained in related studies, we expected female participants to report higher levels than male participants of the four variables of academic help seeking used. Evidently, girls report higher levels of support seeking, coping [32] and make more requests for academic help [33]. We also hope to find significant relationships between the various variables of seeking academic help and the study variables, because the act of seeking help may require personal characteristics such as self-esteem, academic self-concept and satisfaction with life.…”