A lack of English proficiency in the Latino community living in America has great repercussions, especially in communication between family members and education or health care providers. Latin parents are left to rely on their children to act as translators when communicating with their teachers or school personnel. Furthermore, Latino parents often have a limited understanding of the U.S. school system, curriculum, and what they are entitled to as parents. Latin-American parents could benefit from learning specific education-related terms to better understand the education system. Stimulus equivalence is a behavioral technique that can be applied to language learning and target these specific terms. This study worked with Latin-American parents with a lack of English proficiency in education-related terms such as national education initiatives. Six education-related terms were selected and two participants were tested and trained for relations among the stimuli through match-to-sample procedures. Stimuli were presented in five different categories: name, acronym, picture, English definition, and Spanish definition, creating a total of twenty possible relations. Results showed the emergence of 9 and 11 relations, while only two to four were explicitly taught to the two participants. This adds to the literature on stimulus equivalence and demonstrates the effectiveness of using stimulus equivalence procedures to teach language to parents in the Latino community. / Teaching & Learning

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The increasing presence of "Latinos" in higher education presents a challenge to the academy, particularly in understanding their adjustment to the college environment (Umana-Taylor, Diversi & Fine, 2002). This study investigates how ethnically diverse "Latino\a" undergraduates construct and affirm ethnic identity. The findings suggest that a "Latino\a" pan-ethnicity is problematic because of the diversity of national origins, family histories, linguistic preferences, and cultural traditions that exists among the different nationalities that comprise this ethnic group. Unlike previous generations of immigrants, new diaspora "Latinos" seek integration into American society as bilinguals with linguistic command for both Spanish and English and resist abandonment of national identities and culture. These are suggestive of transnational identities that are multiple and adaptive to a variety of contexts and situations; rather than being fixed and constant. / Ph. D.

Parental involvement has been at the forefront of many studies leading to the conclusion that increased parental involvement improves academic achievement. Despite findings suggesting the benefits of parental involvement, research reveals a lack of parental involvement among Spanish-speaking parents. The overarching objective of this qualitative case study was to explore how Spanish-speaking mothers make sense of the construct of parental involvement. This qualitative study was comprised of three cases: one Guatemalan mother and two Honduran mothers each with children attending elementary school. My methodology allowed me to explore and depict historical and sociocultural factors that influence how the mothers view their role in their children's education. I collected data through semi-structured interviews, informal observations, and extensive fieldnotes and I conducted on-going analysis on these data. Data provide evidence that the mothers in the study hold a different perspective of parental involvement from that of school personnel. Their views stem directly from their own historical and cultural knowledge, which differs from that of middle-class, White Americans. They are involved in their children's overall education in ways not acknowledged by educators. / Ph. D.

Genetic medicine is a field progressing at a rapid rate. Even with all the new advancements, there are still minority groups who are less visible when it comes to the uptake of some forms of genetic medicine. African Americans and Hispanic/Latinos have been shown to experience certain conditions more than Caucasians. In the 2008 African American profile for North Carolina, African Americans had higher age-adjusted mortality rates for heart disease, cancer, stroke, diabetes, kidney disease, and chronic liver disease (North Carolina State Center for Health Statistics, 2010). Hispanics/Latinos in North Carolina had higher incidence levels of cancer, HIV and kidney disease as opposed to other races (North Carolina State Center for Health Statistics (b), 2010). Despite these poor health outcomes, African Americans and Hispanic/Latinos are less visible when it comes to participating in medical genetics research opportunities and also in genetic testing (Shavers, Lynch, & Burmeister, 2002). Lack of participation among African-American individuals can attributed to mistrust, due to past misuse in clinical research settings such as the Tuskegee Syphilis Study and a variety of other factors (i.e. access to care, socioeconomic level) (Smith, Thomas, Williams, & Ayers, 1999). Among Hispanic/Latinos, concerns exist about immigration and governmental bias, as well as language barriers and cultural differences between the researcher and participant (Gelman, 2010). These cultural histories have become particularly salient as the field of genomics becomes increasingly reliant on initiatives to increase minority participation in research efforts. In order to explore beyond what previous quantitative studies have found, ethnographic research methods such as focus groups and semi-structured interviews were utilized to understand why members of these two heritage groups are underrepresented. The initial phase of my study was completing two separate focus groups, one with only African Americans and one with only Hispanic/Latinos. The information shared in the focus groups sessions revealed potential areas of exploration for the individual semi-structured interviews. Thus, I conducted 65 semi-structured interviews with African American individuals and 25 semi-structured interviews the other with only Hispanic/Latino individuals. The analysis of the interviews revealed that factors such as age, religion, education level, and finances play key roles in decisions about participating in genetic testing or genetic research. Understanding the views and concerns of African Americans and Hispanic/Latinos could not only help identify potential barriers to genomics research and testing, but could also provide effective means of overcoming them. As an outcome of my study I argued for the need for community input in setting the research agendas. Engaging the community in the design and implementation of genetics research can be a useful method of bridging the trust between minority communities and the research institution. Additionally, community-academic partnerships can be beneficial in addressing the barriers of genomics research and testing by providing useful collaborations in defining perspectives on race and genetics. Moreover, the information gained from community collaborations can be used to develop policy recommendations relating to genomics research (Jones & Wells, 2007). This study was not intended as advocacy for genetic testing, but to lay the foundation for understanding the health care decisions of African Americans and Hispanic/Latinos in this new era of genetic medicine. / Ph. D.

The purpose of this study was to collect exploratory data on dietary acculturation, physical activity, and body image in a limited resource Latina population in northern Virginia. Acculturation may be described as a process in which members of one cultural group adopt the beliefs and behaviors of another group. Acculturation has been associated with a variety changes in terms of diet, physical activity and body image. Most dietary acculturation research in the U.S. has focused on Mexican Americans, Cuban Americans, and Puerto Ricans; however this study was composed of mostly Central and South Americans. Eighty-five subjects were recruited from the Arlington County Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program, Arlington County Women, Infants, and Children program, and the Fairfax County Parklawn Family Center. Demographic information, acculturation, fruit and vegetable intake, saturated fat avoidance, physical activity, and body image were assessed with written survey instruments. The results indicated that this Latina population with limited resources in northern Virginia was mainly from Bolivia and El Salvador, and was not highly acculturated. Almost half of the participants were overweight or obese. About 50% of the population met the 5-A-Day goal for fruit and vegetable intake and almost 95% of participants exhibited at least one form of saturated fat avoidance. Eighty-five percent of the population reported participating in 30 minutes or more leisure-time physical activity less than 3 times each week, though a similar percentage reported that physical activity was important for health. Sixty percent of respondents were on a weight loss diet. While there was a significant relationship between the number of servings of fruit consumed and acculturation, there was no significant relationship between acculturation and any other dietary, physical activity or body image factor measured. The results of this study provide a baseline for further research in the limited resource Latina population in northern Virginia. / Master of Science

This thesis explores the complex link between Latino individuals' self-esteem and media depictions. This thesis was created with the intent to fill a current gap in communication research by providing original data and addressing the lack of quantitative research surrounding the Latino community. The Latino Perceptions of Realism in TV and Film Scale was created as a new tool to measure opinions about ethno-cultural portrayal. This thesis aims to clarify how Latino people's self-esteem is shaped by the perceived realism of media depictions, drawing on Social Identity Theory and Social Learning Theory. This thesis examines how Latinos are portrayed in movies to determine how media exposure affects how the Latino population views their self-esteem. This study uses empirical analysis to further our understanding of the relationship between media portrayal, social identity development, and self-esteem in the Latino community. The thesis offers original quantitative data using a survey-based approach. It introduces the Latino Perceptions of Realism in TV and Film Scale, a new survey tool for gauging perceptions of Latino interpretations of television and film Latino characters. Regression analysis was employed to investigate how media depictions affect the development of self-esteem in the Latino population. Key findings provide insight into the complex relationships between media portrayal and the way Latinos view their ethnic group in film and television. Demographic factors such as age and gender, the amount of media consumption, intellectual capacity, and work ethic were revealed as important determinants impacting the development of Latino self-esteem. This study contributes new data to the discipline of media effects research, extending the conversation on the stereotypical representation of Latinos in television and film. It also provides insight into how Latinos view their self-esteem based on character portrayals in film and television. / MACOM / This thesis examines the complex relationship between how Latino individuals identify and how the media portrays them. By providing new perspectives and addressing the lack of quantitative studies on the Latino population, this thesis aims to close a gap in communication research. The Latino Perceptions of Realism in TV and Film Scale is a new scale designed to gather feedback on how Latino culture is portrayed in media. Based on psychological theories, specifically Social Identity Theory and Social Learning Theory, this thesis explores how media representations affect Latino self-esteem. Through an analysis of the representations of Latinos in television and film, the study investigates how exposure to these representations affects how Latino viewers feel about themselves. This study uses empirical analysis to expand on our knowledge of the relationship between media representation, social identity, and self-esteem in the Latino community. The results provide insight into the complex connections between how Latinos view their own ethnic group in the context of film and television and how they are portrayed in the media. This study reveals a nuanced association between media consumption patterns and the self-esteem of Latinos. Latinos' identity and self-esteem are shaped by various factors, including their views of reality, the quantity of media they consume, and demographic traits. This thesis broadens the discussion on stereotyped portrayals of Latinos in the media. It offers insights into how these representations affect Latino self-esteem by bringing fresh data to the field of media effects research.

By employing critical narratives, this qualitative study examined the lives of Latino male immigrants and their educational experiences in the California community college system. Seven Latino male immigrants matriculated at a community college participated in the study. The study utilized Critical Bicultural Theory and Latino Masculinity Theory frameworks to analyze the male students’ narratives. Findings speak of their unique racialized and gendered experiences as they navigate their community college educational experiences. This study contributes to the field by identifying what Latino immigrants need to co-construct their own educational success in a way that employs their strong familial and cultural knowledge. The goal of study was to inform and develop specific ways that community colleges can actively engage Latino male immigrant students.

Workplace safety, if not managed appropriately, can result in human and economic tolls. The need to establish and maintain a safe working environment has probably never been more important. Despite a mounting emphasis on safe work practices, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported a total of 5,702 fatalities in the United States in 2005. Among these fatalities, Latino workers, defined as both foreign-born and native-born (U.S.-born) workers of Latino ethnicity (BLS, 2006; Dong and Platner, 2004), accounted for 16% of those fatalities (BLS, 2006). Researchers are increasingly acknowledging that organizational factors are important in workplace safety (Hofmann, Jacobs, and Landy, 1995; Hurst, Bellamy, Geyer, and Ashley, 1991). However, there is a lack of cross-cultural comparison in this area. With the continuing increase in Latino construction workers and the level of injuries and fatalities, little attention has focused on the comparison of employment relationships between Latino and non-Latino construction workers and their supervisors and work environment. Therefore, this research endeavor used social exchange theory to examine the role of organizational factors in small construction firms to help explain why Latino workers have a disproportionate number of construction casualties compared to their non-Latino counterparts and to design a safety training program to help reduce the number of injuries, accidents, and fatalities in the workplace. The results of this is research endeavor demonstrated that both Latino and non-Latino and Latino groups had relatively equal perceptions of organizational support and distributive justice implying that Latinos and Latinos have identical support needs or that the construction firms' practices meet the support the workers need regardless of ethnicity. In addition, the study found ethnic group differences for safety climate, safety behavior, and cultural dimensions, which may contribute to the disproportionate number of fatalities for Latino workers. After uncovering group differences, this study tested the affect of training on perceived organizational support, distributive justice, safety climate, and safety behavior. This research demonstrated that providing training, of any type, as a source of perceived organizational support increases workers' perception of organizational support. Additionally, the study concluded that embedded sources of perceived organizational support in the training program increase workers' perceptions of distributive justice and safety climate. As a result, guidelines to improve workers' perception of organizational support and safety climate were created. Since high perceptions of safety climate are linked to less risky safety behaviors, embedding perceived organizational support into training programs can have an indirect affect on the workers' safety behavior. For that reason, improving the safety behavior of workers and the workers' perception of a safe work environment can lead to reduced accidents, injuries, and fatalities in the construction industry. / Ph. D.

The purpose of this study was to better understand associations between acculturation, parental beliefs, mother-child emotion talk, and emotion understanding in Latino preschool-aged children. Research on Latino families may prove to be important given the little research that has focused on emotion understanding strictly in Latino cultures. Forty Latino mother-child dyads were observed throughout a series of naturalistic observations. Mothers self-reported their acculturation and their beliefs about the value and danger of children's emotions, children's emotional development processes, and their role in guiding their children's emotions. Mother-child emotion talk and framing was measured during a 15 minute story-telling task using a Lego house and through a wordless picture book. Children's emotion understanding was measured using two standard tasks. Results showed that mothers' acculturation was related to their beliefs about the danger of emotions, their role in guiding their child's emotions, and their child's readiness to learn about emotions. Mothers' acculturation was also related to children's emotion understanding. Mothers' beliefs about guiding children's emotions were related to mothers' labeling of emotions and to children's emotion understanding. This study confirms and expands several previous findings relating to emotion socialization of children. Overall, results highlight the importance of acculturation for parents' beliefs about emotions and children's emotion understanding. / Master of Science