Strategies Black Male Students With Social Anxiety Use to Persist and Succeed at Rural Community Colleges

Social anxiety, one of the more common types of anxiety, has been linked to poor concentration, impaired performance, and lower academic achievement (BlackDeer et al., 2021; Derakshan & Eysenck, 2009; Leigh et al., 2021). This study addresses the questions: “How do Black male students with social anxiety at rural community colleges in the Southeastern United States handle both academic and non-academic challenges and cope with these stressors?” and “How do Black male students with social anxiety navigate barriers during their journey at rural community colleges in the Southeastern United States, and what strategies do they use to manage these obstacles?” This research examined Black male rural community college students experiencing social anxiety to better understand what they endure and how they cope in a higher education setting. The study also examined strategies used to enhance educational success and increase program completion among this population. A qualitative case study was used to examine the lived experiences of five Black male rural community college students at one rural community college in the Southeastern United States. Each participant took part in two one-hour interviews to provide data for the study. Using cognitive theory and anti-deficit achievement frameworks as the foundation, the findings of this study revealed several themes that connected participants’ lived experiences to the research problems, including the value of feeling a sense of belonging in rural academic spaces, managing academic pressures and non-academic barriers, exercising self-advocacy, self-protection, and intentionality, navigating institutional systems, and utilizing student support services. Findings from this study presented forward-thinking recommendations for leaders and practitioners on how to better support the academic success of Black male students who self-report social anxiety.