Social Class Concealment: A Daily Diary Study of College Students With Low Income

Students with low income face challenges that impact their academic and social functioning. Given that classism is prevalent in college, one source of stress for these students is their routine management of their social class identity as a concealable stigma. This daily diary study qualitatively examined the concealment practices and situational characteristics of social class concealment among students with low income. One hundred four undergraduate students who self-identified as low income completed daily surveys for 14 days to track their social class concealment experiences; 63 of these participants reported concealing their social class identity at least once. Qualitative analysis was conducted using the fundamental qualitative description method. Participants concealed their social class using three strategies: selective or nondisclosure, impression enhancement, and disengagement from others. Results also indicated that participants concealed their identities in situations that amplified their social class stigma (e.g., internalized classism), and most frequently with their peers and those perceived to have higher social statuses. Concealment occurred in various on- and off-campus locations. Implications for higher education, clinical practice, and future research are discussed.