Relationships Matter: External Factors Influence High School Completion among Black Young Adults

Authors

• L. B. Simmons, Virginia Commonwealth UniversityFollow
• Shawn Jones, Virginia Commonwealth UniversityFollow
• Sepideh S. Soheilian, University of BaltimoreFollow
• Chelsea Williams, Arizona State UniversityFollow

Abstract

To identify whether and how contextual (i.e., spiritual, educational, and cultural contexts) and relational (i.e., physical and psychological caregiving) resilience influence high school completion among Black young adults, the team conducted logistic regression and moderation analyses. The interaction between contextual resilience and relational resilience revealed that at higher levels of relational resilience, increased contextual resilience is associated with an increased likelihood of high school completion. Importantly, the findings also suggest that at lower levels of relational resilience, increased contextual resilience is associated with a decreased likelihood of high school completion among Black young adults. Themes emerging from this study highlight the importance of positive physical and psychological relational resilience from caregivers while underscoring the deleterious influence of poor caregiver relationships. We recommend that all stakeholders work together to take a shared responsibility in facilitating the successful completion of high school among Black young adults. Educators and clinicians should consider assessing Black students’ relationships with their caregivers and identify supplemental relational supports to bolster their relational resilience. Future directions are discussed.

Recommended Citation

Simmons, L. B.; Jones, Shawn; Soheilian, Sepideh S.; and Williams, Chelsea (2026) "Relationships Matter: External Factors Influence High School Completion among Black Young Adults," Journal of Youth Development: Vol. 21: Iss. 2, Article 13.
Available at: https://open.clemson.edu/jyd/vol21/iss2/13