Ethnic identity has been established as an essential component of an individual's self-concept and view of others. Further, this aspect of identity has been positively associated with aspects of well-being including self-esteem, intergroup relationships, and academic achievement in Black students. Research also suggests that outgroup comfort, a measure of Black individuals' lack of anxiety around White individuals, is positively associated with well-being and general achievement. Given that ethnic identity and outgroup comfort are socially influenced constructs, it is important to consider the role of the racial composition of the academic context on identity development, intergroup relations, and the academic achievement of Black students. The current study sought to better understand the academic achievement of Black students and the role of ethnic identity and outgroup comfort in predominantly Black and predominantly White school settings. Correlational and moderated mediation analyses were used to test the hypothesis that outgroup comfort is a mediator for the relationship between ethnic identity and academic achievement, and to test for the moderating effect of the racial composition of the school setting. Results supported that the interaction between ethnic identity and setting moderated the relationship between ethnic identity and outgroup comfort. However, results did not support a direct effect of ethnic identity or outgroup comfort on academic achievement, and therefore the full hypothesized model was not supported. Limitations, implications for practice, and implications for future research are discussed in the final chapter. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com.bibliotheek.ehb.be/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]