This dissertation is a longitudinal critical ethnographic research study that explores the experiences of four Black and Brown high school girls’ who participated in a hip-hop based science program (Science Genius program). The study employed three distinct yet aligned theoretical frameworks: - sociocultural theory, Pygmalion effect, and Black feminist theory. Given that an ethnographic study looks at the cultural patterns of a group over a period of time, this investigation spanned 2.5 years and involved explorations of the participants’ experiences with science. In addition, there are elements of autoethnography woven throughout the dissertation as my personal experiences as a Black woman in science informs both my research lens and my relationship to the research subjects (Camangian, 2010). By utilizing a qualitative methodological approach, the study gave voice to students who were racially and traditionally marginalized in science education and professions (Ceci & Williams, 2007; Emdin, 2016; Hanson, 2008; Hill, Corbett, & St. Rose, 2010; Mensah, 2012) and provided an opportunity for them to give personal accounts of their experiences in science education. The primary focus of the research involved a critical analysis of the responses of Black and Brown girls to a culturally relevant science curriculum that was based on the foundations of hip-hop pedagogy (Adjapong & Emdin, 2015; Emdin, 2010a, 2010b, 2016; Gay, 2010; Ladson-Billings, 1995). The findings of this study showed how the girls used the hip-hop based science program as a platform to demonstrate girl empowerment against commonplace Black and Brown girl race/gender biases in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education and how they built up their confidence to exhibit their scientific knowledge while defining their scientific identities.

Graduation date: 2006 / The purpose of this dissertation was to explore the experience of gifted girls transitioning from elementary school to sixth and seventh grade. The current counseling literature in this area found that gifted girls often struggle emotionally when transitioning to sixth and seventh grade. The bulk of this literature was based on quantitative research methods, and often on girls who were older. For the field of counseling it is important to add literature to the field that expresses the views of girls who are in sixth and seventh grade, and that their views are expressed qualitatively. Qualitative research methods were utilized for this study, specifically the use of grounded theory. Seven research participants were selected and interviewed over a four-month period. Three of these participants were in sixth grade at the conclusion of the study, and one was in seventh grade. Three seniors in high school were also interviewed to provide confirming data throughout the study. The interview data was coded and analyzed using grounded theory techniques. The major findings of this study were that for these gifted girls transitioning from elementary school to sixth and seventh was not as difficult as the literature had stated. With a strong sense of identity, these gifted girls were able to balance their desire to work hard academically and their interest in extra-curricular activities. In being able to balance their academic lives, they were able to make friends and build connections. The connections they made in turn contributed to their sense of self and their experiences of sixth and seventh grade. The implications of these findings are that gifted girls who have a strong sense of who they are, and a connection to others can move through this transition smoothly. For counselors working with this population it provides another understanding of the issues that face gifted girls in sixth and seventh grade.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Ball State University, 2009. / Title from PDF t.p. (viewed on Nov. 12, 2009). Includes bibliographical references (p. 145-161).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2001. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 122-130). Also available on the Internet.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2001. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 122-130). Also available on the Internet.

published_or_final_version / Linguistics / Master / Master of Arts in Applied Linguistics

Adolescence is a stage full of possibility, in which adolescents start exploring what is possible for them. Possible selves represent people’s self-concept pointing to the future, what they hope to be, what they expect to be and what they fear to be. These future oriented selves are closely related with adolescents’ behaviors, channeling their effort toward positive behavioral outcomes. The possible selves in Chinese context are less examined and adolescents in Hong Kong are facing a lot of challenges and uncertainties in the fast changing society. What are the possible selves among Hong Kong adolescents? How are parental influences associated with possible selves in the Chinese context? How proximal psychological associates, such as planfulness and self-esteem, relate with possible selves among adolescents? The current study was designed to answer the above questions. There were two phases in the research. Phase one adapted Possible Selves Questionnaire into Chinese (PSQ_C) with a translation and back-translation procedure and two pilot tests. Phase two conducted a large sample survey with secondary school adolescents. 3,078 participants, aged 12-20, were from 99 classes in 11 middle schools. The findings were presented with three themed papers. Research findings were presented in three journal papers with different foci. Paper one investigated the profile of possible selves among Chinese adolescents in Hong Kong, including the content of possible selves, strategies of possible selves and perceived likelihood of possible selves. Gender and age differences were examined. Paper two examined the effect of parental support on possible selves. It was found that parental pragmatic support consistently predicted having at least one strategy and perceived likelihood of hoped-for and feared possible selves, while socio-emotional support was only associated with perceived likelihood of hoped-for possible selves. Paper three examined planfulness and self-esteem as proximal psychological antecedents of possible selves. It was found that both planfulness and self-esteem were positively associated with having at least one strategy and perceived likelihood of hoped-for and feared possible selves. Self-esteem was more related to perceived likelihood whereas planfulness was more related with having strategy. It was found that planfulness and self-esteem mediated the relationship between parental support and possible selves. The current doctoral study complemented the existing literature in terms of theory by exploring the external and proximal psychological antecedents of possible selves and establishing a mediation model to explain the interplay among parental support, planfulness, self-esteem and possible selves. It was the first possible selves study among Hong Kong adolescents. It not only contributed to the indigenous research on adolescents by providing a handy Chinese possible selves questionnaire, enriching the understanding about modern adolescents, but also by providing information for further setup of intervention using possible selves constructs. The limitations were discussed, along with directions for future studies, contributions and implications in terms of theory, research and intervention. / published_or_final_version / Social Work and Social Administration / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

Adolescence is a time when individuals begin to explore and examine psychological characteristics of the self in order to discover who they really are and how they fit in the social world in which they live. It is during this time of self-exploration that adolescents at risk for Huntington's Disease often learn of their risk status and witness the debilitating symptoms of the disease in their parents. Huntington Disease (HD) is an autosomal dominant neuropsychiatric disorder characterized by mid-life onset, involuntary movements, cognitive impairment, and depression. This dissertation investigated how adolescents experience living in a family with Huntington's Disease and therefore at risk for Huntington's Disease, and how this impacts their self-understanding and self-identity. The method of inquiry was based on a phenomenological approach. In-depth interviews were conducted with each of the adolescents. The data were analyzed using Van Manen's (1980) and Cochran and Claspell's (1987) format, resulting in an extraction of three themes. These themes are: (1) Naming the Legacy: Understanding and Misunderstanding; (2) Experiencing the Legacy: Huntington's Disease in Relation to Relationships; and (3) Integrating the Legacy: At the Crossroads of Self and Future Self. The analysis emphasizes that the at-risk adolescents' exploration of self-identity and future self was an individual process influenced by the cognitive, developmental, and socio-cultural contexts of the adolescents' lives. The process of learning about Huntington's Disease occurred through intuition and practical and experiential learning. The adolescents found support outside their family through friends and adult mentors. They engaged in complicated coping strategies and demonstrated a capacity for decision-making that displayed maturity beyond what would be expected for their age group. These findings led to specific recommendations for theory, research, and clinical practice in the area of the adolescent experience of HD. The research underscores the need for healthcare professionals to re-evaluate their view of adolescent autonomy and capacity for decision-making.

This dissertation examines the unique history of Native Hawaiians and the literature on the sociology of mental health. It examines the role of Hawaiian culture, along with other structural and explanatory variables, in understanding the internalizing symptoms of depression and anxiety in a sample of Native Hawaiian adolescents. This study reviews theories regarding rapid social change, and models that aid our understanding of cultural loss and presents a theoretical model of how Hawaiian culture is affected by structural variables and where culture was learned and how culture, in turn, affects major life events and support, and how these variables are linked to internalizing symptoms. Existing data from the Native Hawaiian Mental Health Research Development Program (NHMHRDP) was used. These data included information from five high schools on three islands from the state of Hawaiʻi. Only Native Hawaiian students with complete information on the study's variables were included in the analyses (N=2142). Group comparisons and structural equation models were used to examine the role of Hawaiian culture in internalizing symptoms. There were significant differences found in categories of gender, socioeconomic status, and in the combination of the two. Univariate and multiple regression models indicated that major life events and family support accounted for the most variation in depression and anxiety. Hawaiian culture was significantly related, both directly and indirectly, to depression and anxiety, although it explained a small amount of variation on both outcomes. When the relationship between the variables was examined with structural equation modeling, the model for Native Hawaiian females had the best overall fit for the data and the variables used. Despite this, only small amounts of variance were accounted for in depression (12%) and anxiety (6%). Exploring other sociological concepts of anomie, social integration, alienation, and the subtle effects of racism and discrimination could be fruitful areas of further research in how Hawaiian culture affects not only psychopathology, but also overall health and wellness. / Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Hawaii at Manoa, 2002. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 146-170). / Also available by subscription via World Wide Web / xi, 170 leaves, bound ill. 29 cm

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of North Texas, Aug., 2007. / Title from title page display. Includes bibliographical references.