Previous research has indicated that approximately 25% of the 30,000 youths emancipated from foster care each year experience negative outcomes including poor education attainment, limited employment opportunities, homelessness, lack of access to healthcare, and poor social networks. Despite the existence of federal legislation that requires foster care agencies to assist foster youths to make the transition to independent living, research has revealed that the current transitional planning process is not effective. There is a gap in the current literature regarding qualitative research on youths' shared experiences of the transitional planning process as they transit out of foster care. This study examined youths' experiences with the transitional planning process and the degree to which the plan mitigated homelessness after emancipation. The study employed a descriptive phenomenological approach. Participants were 10 youths age 18 to 21 who emancipated from the Department of Human Services, Children and Youth in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, foster care system within the past 3 years. Purposive sampling was used to recruit participants and semistructured interviews were used collect the data. Social capital theory was used to guide the study. Data were inductively analyzed with management assistance from NVivo software. Results indicated that participants experienced challenges during transition in housing, education attainment, employment, physical or mental health, and finding mentors and continuing support. Participants offered suggestions for improving the transition planning process. Findings from this study can be used to enhance social change initiatives by providing insight into what youths need to better prepare them for independent living.

This project explores the relationship of Pentecostal churches in the U.S. to social ministry. Taken from the results of multivariate logistic regression and likelihood ratio tests utilizing the National Congregations Study , a nationally representative sample of US congregations, I found that Pentecostal congregations are statistically less likely to participate in social ministry than non-Pentecostal Christian congregations. Through chi-square analyses, I also found Pentecostal churches to be less likely than non-Pentecostal Conservative congregations to participate in social ministry. Through a series of interviews and observations of five Pentecostal Assemblies of God churches in the Atlanta, Georgia metropolitan area, assessments were made on Pentecostal identity and Pentecostal perceived involvement in the community of Atlanta. Recommendations for further research are provided.

Immigration is not new to Ecuador. Beginning in the early 2000s, the amenities migration phenomenon gained popularity in Ecuador, especially in the UNESCO World Heritage Trust Site of Cuenca, located about five and a half hours south of Quito and four hours east of Guayaquil in the Andes Mountains. This study combines literary research on retirement migration and a case study on the retired expatriate community in Cuenca, Azuay, Ecuador. The limited case study includes twelve in-depth interviews with retired expatriates living in Cuenca and nine interviews with Cuencanos that interact with retired expatriates daily. According to the expatriates, the advantages of living in Cuenca include the cheaper lifestyle, year-round spring-like weather, and a slower pace of life. The disadvantages consist of the concept of “Ecuadorian time” and the indirectness of Cuencanos. Data suggest that Cuencanos value the presence of retired expatriates because they help stimulate the economy, but they resent the impenetrable language barrier and their cultural disengagement. The Cuencanos’ responses also indicate that a deeper understanding of the country and culture is necessary on behalf of the retired expatriates to facilitate their integration into the existing culture rather than trying to create an exclusive subculture within Cuenca.

Men are less likely than women to seek help from health services providers regarding the health issues they face. In the United States, of the various race/ethnicity populations, Black American men are least likely to seek health related help, which is reflected in the substantially higher mortality and morbidity rates in Black American men compared to other populations. Guided by the social epidemiological framework, this study examined the relationship between social network measure and health help-seeking behavior among foreign-born and U.S.-born Black American men of West African descent residing in the state of Rhode Island. A cross-sectional study design with convenience sampling method was used in executing the study. A questionnaire that was developed based on validated instruments such as the General Help-Seeking Questionnaire (GHSQ) and Social Network Index (SNI) was employed in collecting data. Ordinal logistic regression and the Chi-square test of independence were used to assess the associations between health help-seeking behavior and social networks. Findings revealed a significant relationship between social network measure and selected categories of general help-seeking measures. For example, foreign-born participants compared to their U.S-born counterparts were more likely to have a high social network size, with respect to future intent to seek help from both formal and informal help sources. The results of this study may drive social change by providing evidence that is vital to our understanding of the health-related help seeking behavior of Black American men in general and Black American men of West African descent in particular.

For the past 200 years, Latinos have comprised the largest, consistent category of immigrants in the United States. This influx has created a need for culturally competent psychological treatment of a population that suffers from acculturative stress, defined as the stress a minority member experiences while trying to adjust to the culture of the majority. Researchers have studied Latino immigrants' enduring trials as they adjust to life in the United States. Nevertheless, there is limited research on the quantification of factors contributing to acculturative stress. Based on the conceptual framework of bidimensional acculturation and Latina/o critical race theory, predictors of acculturative stress among Latino immigrants (N = 172) were examined in this quantitative cross-sectional study. Data were collected using a convenience sample from several public areas located in Miami, Florida. Forced entry regression analysis weighed factors such as: documentation status, experiencing prejudice, gender, income, the number of family members present, confidence in English, age, and number of years in the United States. The results demonstrated only experienced prejudice weighed significantly in the regression model (β = .43, p < .05), and was therefore correlated with acculturative stress scores. The results of this study may help to increase mental health professionals' awareness of how experiences of discrimination can impact the acculturative stress of their immigrant clients. To improve service to this community, mental health professionals and their institutions can take steps to counteract the biases associated with the acculturative stress of Latino immigrants, thereby establishing themselves as an ally to this population.

The objectives of this study were to measure net in- or out-migration to or from the Standard Metropolitan Areas of Utah between 1950-60 and 1960-70 and to study selected socio-economic factors relating to migration and the growth of SMSA 's. Specifically, the factors of migration and natural population increase were central in an analysis of population redistribution. Selected demographic characteristics of the migrants such as sex and age were also studied to establish their impact upon the SMSA population structure. The relationship between population change in the SMSA 's and economic factors of labor force supply and employment were also reviewed. Net intercensal migration for the SMSA 's of Ogden, Provo-Orem, and Salt Lake City were derived through indirect methods of estimating net migration: L. The Census Survival Ratio Method and the Life Table Survival Ratio Method. An analysis of the findings indicated that most migrants were in the younger age groups of 20-34 years and females outnumbered the males in the migrating population. These trends held for all three SMSA 's throughout the 1950-60 and 1960- 70 period. It also appears that net migration has played an important part in the process of metropolitanization in the state. About 25. 14 percent of the Salt Lake SMSA growth between 1950-60, and 17.15 percent between 1960-70 was due to net migration. However, Provo-Orem SMSA 's growth through net migration was -. 08 for 1950-60, but it was 34.07 percent for the 1960-70 period. Ogden SMSA 's growth due to net migration was estimated at 10. 56 percent for the 1950-60 period and -19.73 percent for the 1960-70 decade. By correlating the amount of net in- or out-migration in the labor force population and the amount of Wlemployment, it was found that the net-migration figures were sensitive to the amount of tmemployment in the labor force in each SMSAo There seemed to be an inverse relationship between the number of Wlemployed and the amount of in-migrationo The results, indicating the amount of intercensal net migration for SMSA 's in Utah between 1950 and 1970, for the first time, demonstrated the components of population change for these metropolitan areas. Knowledge of population change due to net migration will be useful in population projections for these areas, thus, facilitating socio-economic planning for years to come.

The purpose of this project was to examine interaction patterns in various campground settings and to elaborate on camping literature which has suggested that the campground is a social event with high rates of interaction. In exploring this phenomenon, this report utilized observational techniques to document the temporal, spatial, familiarity, numerical, and behavioral dimensions of the observed interactions. The data suggested that young adults and middle-aged persons were observed to be involved in, and initiated the highest proportions of, interactions. In general, males displayed far greater proportions of initiations than females. The highly developed campground exhibited higher proportions and rates of social interaction than the less developed campground; but the overall sociability of the campground was blunted by the tremendous extent of “no interaction” in both types of campgrounds. Besides the differences in population size and density of the two campground types, the non-demographic properties of the campground were also shown to be an influencing factor in interaction behavior. The major finding of this report was that regardless of the type of campground, having and not having previously existing acquaintances within the campground played a prominent role in influencing the patterns of interaction. The total interaction proportion was much higher for units with previously existing acquaintances than for units without previously existing acquaintances in the campground. The report also demonstrated that social interactions were predominantly between units who knew each other from outside the campground. The data also suggested that while population size and density, and the ecological field of a setting, played roles in influencing interaction patterns, it was the familiarity dimension that yielded the most fruitful insights and played one of the more prominent role s in influencing campground interactions.

This thesis examines the cultural context of opera in Boston between the years 1620 to 2010. Specifically, I look at how the Boston Opera Company was founded, its existence, and its ultimate demise. The rise of opera in colonial Boston is also explored and especially how the immigration in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries influenced the city. Around this time of changing demographics Eben D. Jordan, Jr., of Jordan Marsh Co. decided to build an opera house for the city of Boston. The effects that Puritanism had on music and the culture of Boston during its early years are also explored. Then Boston musical independence is catalogued about how it relates to the unique form of music that did form during this time, starting with the First New England School. During the mid to late nineteenth century massive immigration took place that changed this country, especially Boston. The modern United States was formed during this time, including its music. Boston, starting in the 1830’s had numerous societies and schools disseminating music to the populace. This in turn led to the creation of the Boston Opera Company in 1908. The Boston Opera Company was founded by Eben D. Jordan of Jordan Marsh Co. He decided that the city of Boston needed a proper opera company, so he paid for the construction of the house and operation. Unfortunately, the populace soon lost interest and the company made in ill-fated trip to Paris in 1914. This trip, coupled with the start of WWI, forced the company to declare bankruptcy in 1915. There are definite cultural considerations as to why the opera company was unable to make itself part of the fabric of the city, like the Metropolitan Opera in New York. The Boston Symphony Orchestra is very much a part of the city and there is no reason why opera should not be with that part either. Boston has a very large metropolitan area and with the proper guidance and determination, opera could be supported here year round. A new house would have to be built, since the original opera house was torn down in 1958. With the proper determination, however, it could be done for permanent opera in the city.

Widespread participation in the 1980s Solidarity movement by Polish nationals of both genders, varying ideologies, and differing political backgrounds has led to diverse views of the history and narrative of the movement that today is interpreted in differing ways by groups and individuals. To gain a better understanding of how Poles view this unique time period of their history a survey featuring 54 questions was dispatched to and completed by over 121 Polish nationals. All questions relate to the Solidarity movement in categories covering: Prominent People, Media, Economics, Religion, and Education and concluding with a free-write section for additional comments by participants. The results show near common agreement on some points while in other areas participants expressed conflicting opinions and views. These varying perspectives reflect the ongoing debate concerning the ethos of the Solidarity movement in addition to its effect on contemporary Polish culture.

How do magazines that target the Black community represent Black/African American female beauty within a society that pushes a Eurocentric beauty ideal? Are these publications affected by the dominant ideal, do they resist the ideal with their own Afrocentric beauty standards, or do they find some type of compromise between the two? In this thesis, I propose that these publications present a compromise between Eurocentric and Afrocentric ideals but to the detriment of Black/African American women. To investigate my research questions, I conducted a content analysis of the advertisements in three periods of time, 1968, 1988, and 2008, in three lifestyle /news magazines that target the Black community: Jet, Essence, and Ebony. I looked at the beauty ideals represented in all three magazines by focusing on the hair type, skin color, and body shape and size of the Black/African American women portrayed. In addition I examined the historical context that supported the creation of these publications and these specific gendered and raced representations.Through a compromise between society’s dominant Eurocentric beauty ideal and an alternative Afrocentric ideal, these magazines participated in a trade-off, in which features and aesthetics of both communities were represented by Black women in advertisements. While the typical interpretation of this analysis might focus solely on the positive attributes of these representations, I argue that these representations are harmful to Black female readers because they circumscribe what constitutes Black female beauty while at the same time reinforcing negative ideas about physical attributes that are deemed “too Black” by the dominant ideals of a Eurocentric society.