Research has demonstrated the effectiveness of school-based interventions for children to use to deal with being bullied. However, the research has not looked at the effectiveness of these interventions for Latino students. These students come to school with different cultural experiences and values. In theory, treatment that is evaluated as acceptable and potentially effective is more likely to be used. This study investigates and compares the treatment acceptability ratings of White American (n=87) and Mexican descent (n=28) students for two intervention skills that are often taught in bully intervention programs: assertiveness, and seeking help from an adult. Students were taught each skill in an analog group setting and asked to rate the acceptability of each skill. Results showed that White American students had a higher acceptability rating of the assertiveness skill than the Mexican descent students. White American females rated the assertiveness skill higher than Mexican descent males, and rated the skill of seeking adult help higher than White American males. No differences in treatment acceptability were found between the groups of students for the intervention on seeking help from adults. Similar barriers to implementation were reported by both Mexican descent and White American students. Finally, no relationship was found between the Mexican descent students’ acculturation level and treatment acceptability ratings. Implications of these findings for school-based practice and research are discussed.

Self-disclosure is the process of sharing personal information with others and varies according to relationship intimacy, cultural norms, and personal values. Collectivism, defined as the tendency to define oneself in terms of social/cultural roles, may impact self-disclosure in intercultural relationships. The present study investigated whether Latinos/as reliably self-disclose more in intracultural versus intercultural friendships and acquaintanceships. An additional question was whether cultural variables such as collectivism, ethnic identity, and acculturation are related to self-disclosure differences. Data were collected via an online survey from internationally born Latinos and Latino Americans. Results of linear mixed effects model testing revealed that relationship type and partner ethnicity had significant relationships with self-disclosure. Higher collectivism was related to increased self-disclosure across all relationship types. Acculturation was related to self-disclosure only in the context of partner ethnicity and friendships, while ethnic identity did not demonstrate a general relationship with self-disclosure. Potential explanations for these results are discussed.

The achievement gap between White students and students of color has long been a concern of educators. It is well established that critical pedagogy and culturally relevant teaching practices increase the possibility of academic achievement for ethnic minority students; yet, throughout the U.S., the implementation of such practices has been less than optimal. It is also clear that some teachers are doing an excellent job of teaching students of color. However, it is not clear what those teachers are doing and what their practices look like, particularly in secondary classrooms and for Latina/o students—the fastest growing ethnic minority population in the U.S. Are successful teachers of Latina/o youth engaging in critical pedagogy or culturally relevant teaching practices? Have they developed caring, empathetic relationships with students that result in greater engagement and academic success? Using a multifaceted theoretical framework of critical social theory, seen specifically through the lenses of culturally relevant pedagogy, empathy and false empathy, critical studies in Whiteness, and critical race theory, this ethnographic multiple-case study aimed to answer those questions. By observing and interviewing educators whom principals, teachers, and parents all nominated as “successful” for the Latina and Latino students in a particular school, and identifying the teaching strategies and classroom management routines they employed, I hoped to illuminate key practices and underlying attitudes that other teachers can emulate as they strive to reach and teach Latina/o students.

Previous research suggests that competition in the low-skilled labor market associated with Latino immigration is related to crime for rural whites and urban blacks. Furthermore, studies suggest that communities can selectively enforce norms regarding crimes. This study tested whether low-skill job competition associated with Latino immigration is correlated with higher rates of drug use than drug dealing, and higher rates of instrumental crimes than expressive crimes. Furthermore, this study tested whether urban blacks were more affected than urban whites, and rural whites more than rural blacks. The results did not support the original hypotheses, except that urban blacks were more affected than urban whites. This suggests support for Anderson’s Code of the Street. However, differing crime increases between rural and urban areas suggests that Anderson’s theory may not work everywhere. Lastly, the control variables suggest that the race-crime relationship may be more complex when other factors are controlled for.

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I conducted this study to investigate the type of relationship that exists between African Americans and Latinos in Hamblen County. My research consisted of three discussion groups. One group consisted of nine African Americans and the two additional groups consisted of five Latinos. After analyzing the results of my research, I found that my results agreed with much of the scholarly studies that denoted some conflict among Latinos and the African Americans but little evidence of adverse effects on the economic and social status of the African Americans due to the increased Latino population in Hamblen County. I used the qualitative research method because as Uwe Flick states, “the qualitative research method extends the scope of data collection while creating an interact ional setting that comes closer to everyday life than the interviewer and interviewee or narrator permits.”1 I also used relevant literature and information gathered through the discussion groups.

Looking for best teaching practices has always been an important issue for educators. Teacher education programs, school districts, and researchers have gone to great lengths to train teachers to teach "better." Yet, students are still not performing well in school, specifically minority students. The achievement gap and dropout rates only get larger between Latino students and their White peers. According to National Center for Educational Statistics (NCES, 2002), in the United States the drop out rate for Latino students is 23.8% compared to 6.8% for White students. With such disparities occurring, what is being done to address this large, under-performing population? What do Latino students need in order to succeed in the American school system? One of the known ways to help Latino students succeed is culturally responsive teaching (Banks, 2006). Are culturally responsive teaching practices the best pedagogical approach for Latino students? And if so, do teachers understand what these practices entail? This inquiry was a qualitative study highlighting the teaching practices of three self-identified culturally responsive teachers working in an inner-city school that is predominately populated by low performing Latino students. This study involved observations and interviews with three teachers and employed ethnographic methods highlighting not only what culturally relevant teachers in classroom practices with Latino students, but also how these practices help teachers' efficacy improve.

Studies with diverse populations including Caucasians, African-Americans, Asians, and Latinos have contributed important information about factors that may contribute to childhood obesity. However, the studies on Latino children have not examined how specific child and parent factors may be related to physical activity (PA) or sedentary behaviors (SB). Research investigations into these correlates or possible determinants of PA and SB in Latino children have only included children from Mexican American backgrounds. This dissertation consists of two studies designed to address the gaps in knowledge about these factors and their interaction with PA and SB in a specific group of Latino children. Data were obtained by direct evaluation of 75 children and their parents living on the Island of Puerto Rico. Objective measures, via accelerometry, were used to asses PA and SB, and questionnaires were used to obtain parental perceptions and beliefs about PA and SB. Child’s body composition was measured and used as a fitness component, along with a motor proficiency battery. Study 1 examined the relation between children’s fitness levels and level of motor skills, parental beliefs and perceptions of health status and children’s PA and SB. Results showed that time spent in SB and moderate to vigorous intensity PA (MVPA) was associated with parents’ intentions of reducing TV time and their perception of their child’s body weight. Study 2 undertook a more specific analysis of the mechanism(s) of these associations, specifically attempting to understand the possible moderation effect of certain constructs on the association between predictors of PA and SB. Results indicated that the strength of age as a predictor of MVPA and SB levels of Latino children may be moderated by the parent’s perception of influence, which in itself may be influenced by the parent’s level of education. Parental perceptions and intentions are modifiable factors, which suggests that working with the family is an important area to explore in future interventions to reduce obesity risk in this population.

It is well documented that Human Immunodeficiency Virus / Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (HIV/AIDS) disproportionately affects Hispanics and Latinos in the United States (US). While Hispanics represented 17% of the US population in 2014, they accounted for nearly one-fourth (23%) of all new estimated HIV diagnoses. Furthermore, Hispanics/Latinos made up nearly one-fifth (21%) of all persons living with HIV infection in the United States (and six dependent areas). Hispanic/Latino populations face numerous barriers that negatively impact their outcomes along several steps of the HIV care continuum. This paper will discuss the HIV care continuum, particularly focusing on disparities that Hispanic and Latino populations may face progressing through several steps of the continuum. Furthermore, a focus on defining barriers that this population may face accessing and maintaining regular HIV care will be used to explore ways that providers can deliver culturally tailored, appropriate HIV care to this population. An emphasis on the social determinants of health on the HIV outcomes of Hispanics/Latinos will be crucial in addressing the disproportionate share of the HIV burden that this population encounters.

Latinos consistently have the lowest degree completion rate throughout the United States (Kurlaender & Flores, 2005). At the same time, Latinos are the fastest growing sector of the U.S. population. Taken together, these facts demonstrate an ongoing and growing inequity in educational opportunities and outcomes for a significant portion of the nation's population. The findings of this study provide additional knowledge regarding how Latino students perceive interaction with faculty and how affirming relationships with faculty can develop Latino students' sense of belonging. In addition, the study identifies three main support sources for Latino student persistence, which include family support, collegiate self-efficacy, and a sense of belonging to the campus. This study presents five recommendations for policy and practice based upon the findings of this study, for campus leaders to address the low number of Latino students persisting in their college journeys. Furthermore, it provides three suggested areas for future research.