The values affirmation intervention (VA) addresses a documented social psychology phenomenon that affects minority students. The problem of stereotype threat is the fear that someone of a minority background may live up to problematic stereotypes of that background, such as performing poorly in academics while coming from a racial background that is unfairly stereotyped as low-achieving. Values affirmation intervention counteracts that fear by having individuals reflect on and write out their personal values that allow them to focus on their individual selves over the fear of negatively representing their minority group.