Date of Award

5-2026

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy

Department

Counselor Education and Counseling Psychology

First Advisor

Mary Z. Anderson, Ph.D.

Second Advisor

Branson L. Boykins, Ph.D.

Third Advisor

Regena F. Nelson, Ph.D.

Keywords

Adolescents, black, independent schools, school belonging

Abstract

Even though the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) has been committed to diversity for the last 30 years, they often focus their diversity efforts on all students of color instead of specific groups such as Black students (Brosnan, 2001). By not focusing on the specific experiences of Black students at independent schools, independent schools cannot truly foster a strong sense of school belonging for Black students because they do not understand the distinct barriers and factors that contribute to the development of school belonging for Black students who attend their schools (Hall & Stevenson, 2007).

This qualitative study sought to answer two primary research questions: 1) What factors contribute to developing a strong sense of school belonging among Black adolescents who attend independent schools? 2) What barriers prevent developing a strong sense of school belonging among Black adolescents who attend independent schools? Results were derived from data collected from four current independent school students who each completed a demographic survey, an in-depth semi-structured interview, and a member checking interviews. Reflexive thematic analysis guided the methodology, and fourteen themes and twenty-one total subthemes stemmed from the data and helped to better understand Black adolescents’ sense of school belonging at NAIS independent schools. The themes that help support a sense of school belonging are: 1) People who look like me, 2) People who live like me, 3) School-led events, 4) Affinity groups, 5) Extracurriculars, 6) Prestige, and 7) Academic rigor. The themes that act as barriers to develop school belonging are: 1) Racial incidents, 2) Reality of being a Black face in a White space, 3) Learning experience, 4) Political climate, 5) Relationships, 6) Absence of Black culture, and 7) SES.

Findings and themes are presented and grounded in a critical race theory framework. Implications for research, independent school education, future directions, and study limitations are discussed. This study examines how Black adolescents who attend NAIS independent schools describe their sense of school belonging. By focusing on the experiences and sense of school belonging of Black students at NAIS schools specifically, this study aims to impact the independent educational system in the hopes of bettering the experiences of Black students at these schools.

Access Setting

Dissertation-Open Access

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