This study was designed to better understand psychological support services available and desired for students and group leaders of study abroad experiences. It was hypothesized that study abroad group leaders 1) would witness psychological distress among their students and 2) would not have an action plan addressing psychological distress while abroad. The participants consisted of thirty-seven faculty and staff members who led a study abroad excursion in the past five years at a mid-sized, public university in the Midwest. Each participant answered an online needs assessment comprised of questions regarding demographics, trip logistics, and mental health concerns. The results indicated that nearly 50% of all study abroad trip leaders reported a student with a mental health issue and 75% of these group leaders believed that the students either did not have access to mental health services or only had medical assistance available. Limitations and recommendations for future studies are reported. / Department of Counseling Psychology and Guidance Services

The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of a study abroad experience on levels of ethnocultural empathy and global-mindedness. Now more than ever, universities are being asked to provide concrete evidence about the effectiveness and outcomes of studying abroad. Participation in study abroad programs has continued to substantially increase over the past decade, resulting in a higher demand of such international programs at universities (IIE, 2004). A sample of 76 university students completed the following measures: demographics questionnaire, Scale of Ethnocultural Empathy, and Global-Mindedness Scale. It was hypothesized that students who study abroad would exhibit higher levels of both pre- and post-test ethnocultural empathy and global-mindedness. It was also expected that participants with previous experience abroad would have higher levels of both pre- and post-test ethnocultural empathy and global-mindedness. Results indicated that levels of ethnocultural empathy and global-mindedness did not differ based on the study abroad, diversity class, or control group, but that scores on both measures increased from the pre- to post-test for both the diversity class and the control group. Results for the study abroad group remained the same between the pre- and post-test for both measures. Despite the fact that this study had no significant findings, it has provided groundwork for future research regarding study abroad experiences, ethnocultural empathy, and global-mindedness. / Department of Counseling Psychology and Guidance Services

Cultural diversity is affecting every aspect of society today and nurses need to be able to provide culturally competent care to remain relevant, and useful, within the current climate. Cultural immersion experiences are one of the teaching strategies that have been incorporated in an attempt to prepare nurses to be culturally competent in practice. However, there are only a few research studies that have been conducted, within the discipline of nursing, to empirically document the process and outcomes of a cultural immersion experience. Thus, the purpose of this study was to examine factors that facilitate a meaningful cultural immersion experience during a nursing program, as well as the short-term effects of such experiences on personal and professional growth and cultural awareness. The theoretical framework for the study was Leininger's theory of Culture Care Diversity and Universality.This study identified factors that were relevant and important in facilitating a meaningful cultural immersion experience within the categories of situational predetermining factors, modifying factors, and transitional factors (adjustment strategies). Situational predetermining factors identified as relevant included prior personal and professional experiences, prior attitudes and values, preparation before departure, andprior cultural knowledge. Modifying factors identified as relevant included the perception of living in another world, and being "stuck there," as well as the type of location, type of nursing experience, and people met on site. Transitional factors identified as relevant included social support from classmates and the use of coping responses such as humor, self-reliance, personal strength/faith, as well as adjustment of communication style to be able to talk with host-nationals. Finally, personal and professional growth and changes in cultural awareness were identified as outcomes of the immersion experience. Further research on the process and outcomes of cultural immersion is needed to continue to generate a base of nursing knowledge related to cultural immersion, and to assist nurse educators in the planning and execution of such experiences. / School of Nursing

Research in the field of second language acquisition in the past five to ten years has focused on individual variation in language learning, and has examined such learner variables as learning styles, personality characteristics, learning strategies, and learner beliefs about the nature of language learning. Recently, research on individual learners has broadened to include a greater focus on the contexts of language learning and to explore the interactions between individual learners and the socio-cultural environment in investigations of these learner variables.This study has two purposes. The first is to investigate the language learning of novice level second language learners in a language and culture immersion program. The six college-age learners of Spanish who participated in an eight-week language and culture immersion program in Mexico are the focus of the case studies. The research focuses on five areas of learner variation: learner beliefs and philosophies about the nature of language learning, approaches to vocabulary learning, classroom behaviors, speaking for communication, and cultural adjustment.The second purpose of the study is to explore the use of multiple approaches to research on individual variation. The research framework for the study is ethnographic and the study employs a multi-methodological approach to data collection over an extended period of time in several language learning contexts. The research procedures used in the studyinclude participant observation, interviews, language learning journals, questionnaires, retrospective analysis of videotaped clips, and standardized instruments such as the Modern Language Aptitude Test, the Strategy Inventory for Language Learning, the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, and the ACTFL Oral Proficiency Interview. / Department of English