The Relationship Between Campus Climate Perceptions, Anxiety, and Academic Competence for College Women

Abstract:This study is guided by theory and research that point to the importance of campus climate as a critical factor in college student achievement and belonging. Minoritized groups, however, are often found to have negative experiences on college campuses due to their marginalized racial and gender positions. For college women specifically, there is research that points to college climates that engender feelings of alienation and distancing, especially at the intersection of being of color and a woman. This study examines the association between campus climate—belonging and campus racial climate—and self-perceived academic competence in a racially diverse sample of college women (N = 172). We also test the mediating role of anxiety to explain why campus might influence academic competence. Campus belonging significantly predicted academic competence, and anxiety was a partial mediator. These findings demonstrate the implications of hostile environments for college women, and they point to ways college student affairs professionals can intervene to lend support to college women's mental health and positive self-concepts.