Roommate Conflict: Does Race Matter?

Two studies examined whether race of a roommate or a residence hall advisor had any effect on use of mediation for participants from two regions of the United States. Results from the first study showed that European Americans from the Midwest were likely to seek outside help when the roommate was a different race from them. The racial identity of the resident hall advisor did not appear to matter. Participants with stronger ethnic identification made more negative internal attributions about disruptive roommates. The data from the second study collected in the Southeastern United States showed that European Americans were more likely than African Americans to seek third-party help with a disruptive roommate. As in the first study, participants with stronger ethnic identification made more negative internal attributions about difficult roommates. Implications of mediation theory for structuring effective mediation sessions and persuading students to use university residence hall mediation services are discussed.