Examining racial microaggressions and alcohol use among marginalized populations at a predominately white institution

Objective: Microaggressions are brief verbal, behavioral, or environmental indignities toward people of color. Methods: Cross-sectional study examining the association between demographics, alcohol culture, and witnessing or experiencing microaggressions among undergraduate students. Analysis based on the "Color of drinking" study data collected at University of Wisconsin-Madison, WI between November 2017 and January 2018. Results: African-American/Black students significantly witnessed and experienced more microaggressions than other students, with a Relative Risk Ratio (RRR) of 9.5 (CI 95%: 4.7-19.1) and a RRR of 7 (CI 95%: 3.4-14.3). For students of color, experiencing microaggressions was associated with considering leaving (RRR = 3.5, CI 95%: 2-6.2). Additionally, the witnessing and experiencing of microaggressions appears to be associated with the alcohol culture on campus. Conclusions: African-American/Black was the racial group that witnessed and suffered more microaggressions. The percentage of students witnessing microaggressions increased with the year in school. Alcohol use in the last 30 days, feeling impacted by other's use of alcohol, and avoiding certain areas due to alcohol consumption were associated with experiencing microaggressions among students of color.

Psychometric Properties of the Spanish Version of the Goal Orientation Scales in Ecuadorian Undergraduate Students

The present study aims to analyze the psychometric properties of the Goal orientation Scales (GOS; Skaalvik, 1997) in a sample of 2,170 Ecuadorian undergraduate students (M = 21. 97, SD = 3.61; 61.6% female). The Exploratory Factor Analysis and Confirmatory Factor Analysis supported the four-factor structure of the GOS, and the scale exhibited an adequate factorial invariance for gender. The multidimensional Rasch analysis revealed that one item showed misfit, and the distribution of items did not correspond well with the levels of achievement goals. The current research addresses a formal gap related to the validation of the GOS in a Latin American country and provides advanced psychometric information to further improve the scale for its application to Spanish-speaking samples.