The College of Education, Health and
Human Sciences
Announces the Final Examination of
Jessica Nicole Buttacavoli-Smith
for the degree of
Doctor of Philosophy
April 24, 2015 at 10:00 am
103 Ball Hall, University of Memphis
Memphis, TN
Biographical Sketch
Bachelor of Arts, Psychology, University of Washington
Master of Arts, Community Counseling, Gonzaga University
Advisory Committee
Elin Ovrebo, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Counseling, Educational Psychology and Research, Committee Chair
Suzanne H. Lease, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Counseling, Educational Psychology and Research, Committee co-chair
Nancy Nishimura, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Counseling, Educational Psychology and Research
Chloe Lancaster, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Counseling, Educational Psychology and Research
Major Field of Study
Counseling Psychology
Period of Preparation: 2011-2015
Comprehensive Examination Passed: August, 2013
The Psychological Distress Experienced in Women Seeking Educational Upward Mobility: The Role of Backlash, Self-Esteem, and Race
Abstract
Women earn roughly 58% of all conferred higher educational degrees in the United States and this number is projected to continue to grow (U.S. Department of Education, 2012). It is commonly known that going to college provides a number of benefits, especially to women as education is one of women’s primary means of upward social mobility and higher earning power (Benjamin, 2005; Hill, 2003; Hout, 1998; Simmons, 2009). However, relatively few studies have explored the backside of educational upward mobility. As women who are seeking a higher degree often experience pushback from family, friends, support persons, and the educational systems themselves, the current study investigated how these women’s perceived backlash, self-esteem, and race predicted psychological distress. It was expected that perceived backlash would predict psychological distress and that this relationship would be moderated by women’s self-esteem and race. The current study examined survey responses from 207 women participants who were either currently seeking a higher educational degree or had their degree conferred in the last five years. A hierarchical multiple regression showed that perceived backlash significantly predicted psychological distress. Neither self-esteem nor race was found to moderate the relationship between perceived backlash and psychological distress, although self-esteem was significantly and positively related to psychological distress. This study has implications for how mental health professionals and educators may assist women in their pursuit of higher education in the future.