Racial battle fatigue and coping in a "Postracial" ERA for African American and Mexican American students: implications for higher education institutions and students

This study investigates how racial battle fatigue manifests itself for African American and Mexican American students and investigates the most utilized coping strategies students employ to combat racial battle fatigue. The study uses structural equation modeling (SEM) to investigate the differences in racial battle fatigue for African American and Mexican American students. The study responds to an empirical need by examining an under-researched area in higher education, namely, researching the effects of racial microaggressions on students' psychological, physiological, and behavioral stress responses and how students cope with racialized stress. Findings suggest that both African American and Mexican American students are negatively impacted by racial microaggressions and those microaggressions negatively impact stress responses. The impact of racial microaggressions varies across groups. Secondly, the study found that adaptive coping strategies may help alleviate the impact of racial microaggressions within the racial battle fatigue framework. Implications suggest that universities need to immediately provide services to Students of Color that account for racism as the universities try to address hostile climates and cultures. At the same time, universities need to create opportunities to disrupt Whiteness. That way White students, faculty, and staff are more aware of their privilege to help change the culture of institutions.