This study empirically examined the predictive power of White racial identity, racial diversity of friendship group, and multicultural tolerance on interpersonal adjustment of White college students. The sample was comprised of 125 White students attending an urban university with a racially diverse student body reflective of national race demographics. Participants were asked to complete a demographic questionnaire, the White Racial Consciousness Development Scale-Revised (WRCDS-R), the Quick Discrimination Index (QDI), a Friendship Group Diversity Questionnaire, and the Student Developmental Task and Lifestyle Assessment (SDTLA). Pearson product-moment correlations provided insight into the relationships among the study variables and a hierarchical regression was conducted to investigate the research hypotheses.

Statistically significant correlations were found between the independent variables (White racial identity, multicultural tolerance, and friendship group diversity) and the dependent variable (interpersonal adjustment), which is consistent with previous research. The results of the hierarchical regression indicated that the overall model of multicultural tolerance, friendship group diversity, and White racial identity was a statistically significant predictor of interpersonal adjustment. Multicultural tolerance and White racial identity were statistically significant predictors of interpersonal adjustment, with White racial identity accounting for additional significant variance above and beyond the other variables. Friendship group diversity was not found to be a statistically significant predictor of interpersonal adjustment.

Results of the study underscore the importance of racial identity and multicultural tolerance in White students’ psychosocial development. Empirical and practical implications of the study, limitations, and future research are discussed.