Uses and gratifications theory posits that media use is an intentional and selective process by individuals in order to satisfy emotional needs. Basis this theory, the author conducted an exploratory study to compare social media engagement with four factors of acculturation among Hispanic Americans. These variables were also compared to the variables of education level and generation in order to test for a relationship. An online questionnaire captured data from a sample of Hispanic American participants (N = 85). Correlation analysis was performed, and results indicated that generation had a significant relationship with social media engagement and three out of four of the factors of acculturation.

The purpose of this dissertation was to investigate the Latino remarriage conundrum: Latinos have first marriage and divorce rates similar to whites but notably lower remarriage rates than whites. What explains this divergence in race, ethnicity and nativity (R-E-N) differences for remarriage? The question is particularly intriguing because the R-E-N patterns for first marriage and divorce are often explained as a consequence of Latinos having a cultural orientation that promotes pronuptial values. Despite having socioeconomic disadvantage compared to whites, this view suggests that Latinos marry and divorce at rates similar to whites because of their strong cultural attachment to marriage. The conundrum is how could pronuptial values fully account for Latino-white patterns in marriage and divorce but not for remarriage? To investigate the Latino remarriage conundrum, I utilized a mixed method approach using the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1979-2010 (NLSY79), the National Survey of Family Growth 2006-2010 (NSFG) surveys and 23 in-depth interviews with recently divorced white and Latina women. I examined a variety of economic, cultural, and social factors to explore why remarriage patterns differ from marriage and divorce among R-E-N groups. Findings suggest that religious affiliation, parental reactions to post-divorce dating, and socioeconomic preferences for remarriage influence white-Latino remarriage differences. / text

<p> The United States (U.S.) Army and the nation have a growing population of Hispanics. Yet Hispanics are still lagging in filling white-collar positions in the U.S. and Army. The Army has taken notice and implemented the Hispanic Access Initiative (HAI) through its Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) at colleges and universities that are classified as Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs). It has done this in order to recruit more Hispanic Officers into its Officer Corps.</p><p> This study follows seven Hispanic students and discusses their experiences with ROTC at an HSI. They faced the same issues many Hispanic students deal with when attending an institution of higher learning. In addition, they also had the added responsibility of completing all the required work for ROTC. In an effort to become leaders in the Army, these students overcame traditional challenges Hispanics face, and they graduated from college.</p><p> A qualitative study was conducted with the seven students to understand what made them successful in completing their four-year college degrees. Their phenomenological experiences highlighted four main themes from their responses: (a) challenges, (b) benefits, (c) support system, and (d) role models. These themes surfaced at one point or another throughout their education. In the end, the goal to graduate and be commissioned into the U.S. Army was reached by each of the former students.</p><p> As a result of this study, colleges and universities can look to ROTC to increase their graduation rates among Hispanic students. Since the Hispanic population is continuing to increase, it is in the interest of colleges to graduate more Hispanics in order to provide highly qualified graduates for a large number of white-collar jobs.</p>

<p> The purpose of this study was to examine psychological effects, including internalizing and externalizing behaviors, among Latino adolescents. Secondary data were utilized from the California Health Survey administered in 2011&ndash;2012. Internalizing behaviors include feelings of depression, hopelessness, nervousness, restlessness, worthlessness, and feeling that everything is an effort. Externalizing behaviors include drinking alcohol and smoking cigarettes. Findings in the study suggested a significant relationship between U.S. citizenship and internalizing and externalizing behaviors. Findings of this study also suggested significant relationships between external and internal behaviors. Additionally, the results showed significance in receiving psychological-emotional counseling.</p>

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<p> With President Obama's recent focus on immigration, the plight of undocumented college students has become a more pressing matter in colleges and universities across the country. Given the State of California's large Latino immigrant population, the media's ability to provide accurate information on multiple aspects pertaining to the accessibility of higher education for the undocumented becomes increasingly important. By closely examining all newsprint articles in the English newspaper, <i>The Los Angeles Times,</i> and it's sister Spanish publication, <i>La Opinion,</i> regarding undocumented college students from 1992 to 2014, Ericka Paddock provides a comprehensive view of how media portrayals impact the public's view of immigration legislation and undocumented college students in general. How do English and Spanish newspapers differ when discussing the topic of undocumented college students in higher education? And how are they similar? In addressing these questions, Paddock finds that the way each newspaper portrays the issue has much to do with the frames, themes, and discourse they use to describe various perceptions of immigration itself</p>

En los anos recientes se ha visto un incremento de documentales dentro de la produccion cultural hispana, reflejando vi­as alternativas de representar el entorno. Pero en contraste a la entusiasta produccion filmica, no se han hecho estudios concentrados sobre documentales, y menos de aquellos que tratan cuestiones de movilizaciones poblacionales a modo de estudio de espacios fi­sicos e imaginarios, producidos por mujeres. Esta tesis pretende otorgar la merecida atencion academica a los documentales relacionados al mundo hispano y con tematica de la frontera, producidos por mujeres, observando la sinergi­a que genera el enlace de elementos convencionalmente considerados perifericos como el genero documental, el genero femenino, y el espacio liminar de la frontera, tanto geopolítica como sociocultural. Para ello se exploran los rasgos formales y tematicos de seis documentales de mujeres sobre la frontera -tanto en su sentido simbolico como concreto. Tres de ellos surgen de la frontera geopoli­tica de EEUU y Mexico, y la otra mitad se enfoca en la representacion de las fronteras virtuales o socioculturales que plasman la Espana en la era de la globalizacion: Que suene la calle (2005) de Itzel Marti­nez, Cowboy del amor (2005) de Michele Ohayon y Maquilapolis (2006) de Vicky Funary y Sergio de la Torre, Extranjeras (2003) de Helena Taberna, El tren de la memoria (2005) de Marta Arribas y Ana Perez y Aguaviva (2006) de Adriadna Pujol. El analisis parte de la idea de conjugar la interseccion de tres li­neas divisorias o fronteras: la li­nea que divide el genero documental de otros generos cinematograficos, la li­nea que divide el genero femenino del genero masculino (u otros), y la linea que divide una cultura de otra -o un pai­s- de otro. El encuentro de estos tres elementos constituye un centro fructi­fero de ideas alternativas de lo marginal, y se establece como espacio legi­timo de rearticulacion de poli­ticas de representacion. Las diferentes perspectivas sobre las dinamicas socioculturales que surgen de la (re)consideracion de los procesos de produccion y circulacion de estos textos culturales aportara a generar nuevos abordamientos de elaboracion y usos de poli­ticas identitarias.

<p> This thesis explores alienation from one&rsquo;s cultural and ethnic legacy and its ramifications for Chicanos, other ethnic groups, and biracial individuals. From a depth psychological perspective, the impact of loss of language and culture for individuals in these populations is investigated in relation to the development of psyche and the individuation process. Understanding of the unhealed wounds of loss of land, both physically and spiritually, has affected the Chicano psyche in relation to itself and the world. Seven themes are indentified and discussed regarding the cultural unconscious in order to provide for therapists a greater understanding of the psyches and cultural background of Chicanos and other ethnic groups. This information can assist therapists to be more culturally competent when working with these populations. The definitive purpose of the study is to learn how depth psychology can better serve this community and bring insight to what the soul is calling for. </p>

<p> An analysis was conducted to examine the prevalence and risk factors for depressive symptoms and the factors associated with accessing healthcare among 2 groups of immigrant postnatal Mexican women living in California less than 10 years. Using Andersen's Behavioral Model for Health Care Utilization, this study's findings are consistent with prior research. The demographic variables of the women who lived in the United States less than 5 years and women who lived in the United States less than 10 years did not differ. Recent immigrants were more likely to see the doctor more frequently or wait less time between visits. Over 90% of participants experienced limited English proficiency. The percentage of women experiencing depression symptoms was 12.6%. The fmdings underscore the need for social workers to assess the risk factors associated with postpartum depression and evaluate the predisposing, enabling and need factors of Mexican immigrant women associated with accessing care.</p>

<p> Latino immigrant families are a population facing great risks which can severely impact their overall well-being. Evidence suggests that parent education and social support programs are an effective way for decreasing some of those risks. The purpose of this project was to identify a potential parenting program, seek potential funding sources to implement such program, and write a grant to fund the parenting program for Aurora Elementary School in the city of Los Angeles, California. The Strengthening Families Program was chosen after revision of best practices in parenting programs for Latino families found in the literature. The program is designed as a group with parenting education, social support, substance use prevention, and parent-child interaction components. The Joseph Drown Foundation was identified as the potential funding source. Social Work implications are discussed. The actual submission and/or funding of this grant was not a requirement for the successful completion of this project.</p>