Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2002. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references. Available also from UMI Company.

<p> A Secondary Analysis was conducting with data from the SAMSHA's 2012 National Survey on Drug Use and Health. The model of behavioral health for vulnerable populations was utilized to select key variables in order to examine the alcohol use, health, mental health and alcohol use treatment of older adult Latinos. Data from 395 Latinos over the age of 50 who reported drinking alcohol in their lifetime were used. The results showed that Latino men over the ages of 50 tend to use alcohol above the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAA) low risk guidelines. Additionally, older adults who were in poverty, reported depression and anxiety over the past year, and reported alcohol dependence were more likely to seek mental health treatment instead of specialty alcohol treatment. The findings underscore the importance of social workers in mental health settings to not only assess older adults for depression and anxiety but also for alcohol use disorders. </p>

<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>

<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>

<p> The purpose of this project was to write a proposal to fund an early dropout prevention and intervention program for Latino students. This program will be offered to all students 4-12 years of age who attend J.E. Van Wig Elementary School within the Bassett Unified School District. Attendance support services, academic support services, mental health, and counseling services will be provided in order to assists students to overcome social, emotional, attendance and academic challenges. After an extensive search for funding sources, The Annenberg Foundation, whose mission was suitable with the goals of the program, was selected. The actual submission and/or funding of this grant, was not a requirement for the successful completion of the project.</p>