Despite socioeconomic disadvantages, less acculturated Mexican Americans tend to exhibit better mental health than their more acculturated counterparts. However, in the case of older Mexican American adults, research has demonstrated the opposite to be true (Gonzalez, Haan, & Hinton, 2001). A variable of interest potentially responsible for this difference is social support. Thus, the current study proposed to investigate the mediation and moderation effects that social support has on the relationship between acculturation and depression in older Mexican American adults age 60 or older. Data from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS) was analyzed. Results showed that the mediating effect of contact with one’s children (-.109*) and the moderating effect of total social support and contact with one’s children (-.127*; -.103*) were statistically significant in the relationship between acculturation and depression. Although these effects are small they may still hold important implications for better understanding this population.

The purpose of this ethnonursing study was to discover, understand, describe, and explicate the emic expressions, meanings, beliefs, practices, and experiences of postpartum Mexican American women living in a Passaic, New Jersey, community and to gain an understanding of any phenomena in the postpartum period. Leininger's culture care diversity and universality theory was utilized as the undergirding framework for this study. Eight key and 15 general informants participated in this study. The ethnodemographic interview guide, a qualitative enabler, was used to assist with the collection and analysis of data. NVivo 8.0, a qualitative software program, was used to assist with data management and organization. The data were analyzed and interpreted into categories, patterns, and themes that were confirmed through multiple interviews. Through face-to-face interviews and field notes, the researcher discovered, understood, described, explicated, and analyzed the cultural expressions, meanings, beliefs, practices, and experiences of Mexican American women during the postpartum period. The findings from this study focus first on nursing knowledge development, pointing the direction for future research to determine effective nursing care actions. Early interventions assist in providing culturally congruent care to postpartum Mexican American women. Implications for nursing research, theory, education, and practice are offered. / School of Nursing / Nursing / PhD / Dissertation

Purpose <br>The purpose of this focused ethnography is to understand the meaning and cultural influences of healthy eating and the role of nursing in the promotion of healthy eating practices from the Mexican American child's point of view. <br>Background <br>No current studies directly measure the meaning of healthy eating from the Mexican American child's perspective. Mexican American children have a unique perspective and understanding of the meaning of healthy eating and can help identify cultural norms and other factors that may be vital in directing culturally appropriate health promotion interventions. <br>Research Design <br>A focused ethnography method using Leininger's four phases of data analysis was utilized. <br>Informants <br>The researcher interviewed twenty-one children aged eleven to thirteen for the study. Fifteen individual interviews and two group interviews were completed. <br>Data Collection and Analysis <br>Data gathering and data analysis occurred simultaneously. Leininger's four phases of qualitative data analysis and utilized NVivo9 qualitative data management software. <br>Results <br>The data emerged into three themes within the culture. Theme one: Mexican American children connect healthy eating with familiar foods in the context of their Mexican American culture. Theme two: Foods that provide feelings of happiness and well being are essential for healthy eating. Theme three: Sources of food and health information education are valued when provided by familiar and trusted sources. <br>Conclusions and Implications <br>For the informants of this study the meaning of healthy eating is closely tied to the cultural life ways learned and valued by the Mexican American culture. Culture cannot be separated from the child when considering the meaning of healthy eating. Mexican American children view healthy eating within the context of culture, associating familiar foods that provide a feeling of happiness and well being with healthy foods. Mexican American children view eating habits as healthy when taught by familiar and trusted sources. <br>This study provides nurses an enhanced understanding of the meaning of healthy eating and valuable information to improve nutritional health education and promotion activities, better assists children and their families to improve and maintain health and provides culturally congruent care that is valued by the population. / School of Nursing; / Nursing / PhD; / Dissertation;

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Oregon State University, 1985. / Typescript (photocopy). Includes bibliographical references (leaves 151-155). Also available online.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2005. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 241-246).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2005. / Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2004. / Includes vita. Includes bibliographical references (p. 393-404).

This qualitative study examined the dropout crises from the perspectives of Mexican American dropouts labeled as learner disabled who were receiving special education services. Such study is imperative as this group increases both in school and in special education classes. There were two research questions that guided the study: 1. What are the perceptions of Mexican American dropouts who participated in a special education program regarding their educational experiences? 2. What were the factors that influenced these students’ decisions to drop out of school? From the participant interviews, historical academic documents, and rich-descriptive information gathered from the students’ voices, three themes were revealed as the primary reason for dropping out of school: non-responsive school culture, lack of supportive environment, and social factors. It was evident in the data collected that the school culture was unfavorable toward their learning and in meeting successful graduation requirements. Under non-responsive school culture, the following subthemes emerged as underlining factors to their dropping out: (a) low expectations, (b) non-caring for the student, (c) ineffective curriculum content, and (d) social issues at school. School-related factors such as the lack of a supportive environment revealed the following subthemes: (a) symptoms of school failure, (b) negative learning environment, and (c) culturally non-responsive instruction. Other attributing factors for dropping out of school included family structures and peer pressure. While each of the participants had unique experiences, each attributed non-responsive school culture, lack of supportive environment, and social context as major factors for dropping out of school. Therefore, the significance of this study lies in the potential to impact Mexican American student achievement in the reduction of dropouts.

The current study was designed to examine the influence of cultural orientation on alcohol involvement among Mexican-American adolescents. Also, this study assessed whether cultural orientation predicted positive and negative alcohol expectancies for the effects of drinking one to two drinks or bingeing; and whether alcohol-use expectancies mediated the effects of acculturation on drinking practices. The participants were 300 Mexican-American high school students (M = 16.5, SD = 1.15; 178 female and 122 male) from a city along the Texas/Mexico border who were mostly self-identified as 2nd generation Mexican-Americans. The students completed the questionnaires regarding alcohol involvement, acculturation, and alcohol expectancies. Significant findings in the current study indicated a higher orientation to Mexican culture predicted higher levels of alcohol involvement for boys; whereas, a higher orientation to U.S. culture predicted higher alcohol involvement for girls. Also, identification with Mexican culture for girls predicted negative alcohol expectancies for low and high quantities of alcohol use.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2000. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 242-253). Available also in a digital version from Dissertation Abstracts.