This study is concerned with the problem of determining and analyzing the characteristics and concerns of Hispanic women who are enrolled in a large metropolitan community college district. The purposes include (1) the description of demographic data on these Hispanic women in terms of (a) specific group ethnicity, (b) marital status, (c) estimated total income, (d) age, (e) number of hours currently enrolled, (f) number of dependent children, (g) number of hours employed per week, and (h) language usage (English or Spanish); (2) identification of the concerns of these students; (3) determination of the degree of concern as reported by these Hispanic women students regarding specific problems; (4) assessment of the relationships between the demographic characteristics and the degrees of concern about specific problems. The study population sample is composed of 748 Hispanic female students from the Tarrant County Community College District enrolled for at least one credit hour during the Fall Semester of the 1984-1985 academic year. The sample for the study is 400 randomly selected students from this population. A survey instrument originally developed by Kathie Beckman Smallwood was revised for this study and produced a 52.25 per cent response return. Response frequencies and percentages were gathered to show degree of concern for each problem and the characteristics of the Hispanic female students. Mean scores to show the average degree of concern are also reported for each potential problem. Chi square contingency coefficient was used to show every possible association between concerns and demographic variables. The findings indicate that Hispanic female students concerns are academically and career oriented. Respondents indicate that getting a good job after graduation is their primary concern. Ability to succeed in college is the second highest reported concern followed by knowing how to study efficiently. Seventy four per cent of the respondents are Mexican-American, three-fourths are part-time students, over half are working from 21-40 hours per week, and over half report an estimated total family annual income of under $15,000. The lower the income, the greater the degree of concern for several problems.

Although the literature has a wealth of information about the barriers that Hispanic women encounter to achieve senior leadership positions in higher education, there continues to be a lack of research focusing on the factors that positively influence the career path of successful contemporary Hispanic women in academe. This study bridged this gap by adding to the field about this population. The information provided will allow for a greater understanding of how to deal with those challenges and opportunities and may change societal perceptions associated with Hispanic women leaders in academe. The researcher’s indepth analysis of the factors that positively influenced the career path of the Hispanic female top administrators who participated in this study showed that several components were fundamental for the successful career path mobility of the aforementioned participants. An analysis of the data revealed that the following were found to be the most significant components that best describe the professional profile of the group of Hispanic female top administrators who participated in this study: (a) having the credentials and training, (b) following tenured and academic administrative tracks, (c) being mentored and empowered, (d) being able to balance career and family, (e) being politically savvy, (f) demonstrating leadership capacity, and (g) displaying high self- efficacy beliefs.

This investigation identifies deterrents to the educational, social, and cultural success of Latina adolescent females. Across the nation, and especially in states such as Texas and California, the Hispanic population is fast becoming the largest minority in society. Because the adolescent Hispanic population within the United States today will comprise much of America's future economic and social base, identifying and addressing educational, cultural, and social deterrents to their success becomes important not only for personal well-being, but for the well-being of future society as a whole. A second purpose was that of determining the efficacy of group-centered psychoeducational therapy in improving self-esteem and decreasing anxiety and depression symptoms in adolescent female Hispanic high school students. The experimental groups consisted of one group of seven female Hispanic adolescents who received computer and internet training and psychoeducational group counseling twice a week for five weeks. and a second group of five female Hispanic adolescents who received computer and internet training and psychoeducational group counseling twice a week for five weeks. The control group consisted of fourteen female Hispanic students who received no treatments. The Beck Depression Inventory was used to measure pre and post test levels of depression, the Beck Anxiety Inventory was used to measure pre and post test levels of anxiety, and the Rosenberg Self-Esteem questionnaire and the Index of Self-Esteem were used to measure pre and post levels of self-esteem.