The Role of Rejection in Mediating the Effects of Stigma Consciousness Among Foreign-Born University Professors

Abstract

The current study investigated the extent to which foreign-born university professors teaching at American universities focus on being possible targets of stereotypes (stigma consciousness associated with being foreign born) and how this concern may affect their experiences. A sample of 162 foreign-born faculty members employed at 12 East Coast U.S. universities completed a series of online questionnaires to assess stigma consciousness, self-esteem, perceptions of rejection, loneliness, well-being, self-perceived teaching effectiveness, and feelings toward the university. Stigma consciousness about being foreign born predicted loneliness and negative feelings toward the university via the mediating variable of perceived rejection. There was also an unexpected pathway between stigma consciousness and perceptions of teaching effectiveness: Stigma consciousness was positively related to the perception of rejection, and, in turn, rejection was positively related to self-perceived teaching effectiveness. The results document the importance of stigma consciousness about being foreign born on the psychological adjustment and work-related perceptions of university faculty.