Using Focus Groups to Explore the Stressful Life Events of Black College Men

Abstract

Black students who attend predominately White institutions (PWI) face many obstacles. This study identified the stressful life events of Black college men via focus group discussions and examined how these events impact their mental health and health behaviors. Forty-six participants from a PWI and a historically Black college/university (HBCU) affirmed that they experience similar encounters with stressful life events, but participants at the PWI reported that their major stressors were the result of “school-related” events, while participants at the HBCU reported stressors that were not school-related. Findings from this study present implications for future health promotion programs that target Black college men.