Latino students are at risk for poor social and academic outcomes in American schools, yet contextual models for understanding this risk have been elusive. Considerable research has attempted to understand the relation between the ethnic composition of schools and outcomes for Latino students, with inconsistent findings. It was hypothesized that school ethnic composition would be differentially related to outcomes in this population of students, depending on other school contextual factors. Using secondary data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health), the present study examined individual and school-level moderators of the slopes of same-ethnicity representation (i.e., the percentage of same-ethnicity peers) and ethnic diversity predicting feelings of school belonging and the odds of high school completion among Latino youths. The results illustrate moderation of the slopes of ethnic composition variable depending on the socioeconomic status (SES) of schools as well as the extent of academic tracking. In low SES schools, same-ethnicity representation was positively related to both outcomes (belonging and completion) when academic tracking was low. In high SES schools, the slope of same-ethnicity representation predicting the odds of high school completion was negative under conditions of low ethnic diversity. Diversity was itself positively associated with high school completion across contexts, yet this relation was moderated by SES at the student level. Specifically, the association between diversity and completion diminished as student SES decreased, relative to the mean SES of students in a school. Altogether, the results suggest that conditions associated with reduced inequality among students, namely low systemic strain (higher SES) and low academic tracking, are related to more positive associations between both same-ethnicity representation and diversity, and social and academic outcomes for Latino students. Future research is advised to consider the intersection of school ethnic composition with other aspects of the school context as well as with characteristics of individual students.

The associations of neighborhood level socioeconomic deprivation and low birth weight were investigated among 1,030,443 singleton live births in the State of Florida between the years 1992 and 1997. Census data for per capita income, unemployment, percent of individuals living below the poverty line, vehicle ownership and educational attainment were used as neighborhood level indicators of socioeconomic status. Additionally, these variables were combined into a deprivation index to measure relative deprivation of neighborhoods across Florida. Birth data were linked to census block groups and tracts, which were used as proxies for low birth weight. Multilevel models were used to model the relationship between the deprivation index and each of the indicators and low birth weight, while adjusting for individual level risk factors. After adjusting for individual level factors no consistent relationship between neighborhood socioeconomic measures and low birth weight could be established. The relationship between neighborhood socioeconomic factors and low birth weight varied across ethnic categories. Among White Non-Hispanics and Hispanics measures of socioeconomic deprivation had a small association with low birth weight. However, for Black Non-Hispanics neighborhood measures had little consistency in predicting the occurrence of low birth weight

Negative interpersonal workplace behaviours are an important but relatively infrequently studied occupational-stressor. The present research investigated the connection between these behaviours and employee well-being. This work had two main goals. The first goal was to provide greater insight into when and why social interactions at work can be harmful to employee well-being. Consistent with this goal, theory and research were reviewed, and results from two field studies were presented suggesting that (1) disrespect is an important characteristic of interpersonal workplace events that can explain detriments to employee well-being, and (2) both individual and contextual moderators are relevant in this process. In a first study, disrespectful leader behaviours were shown to negatively relate to employee well-being independent of demanding, production-focused leader behaviours. In a second study, perceived disrespectfulness mediated the relationship between exposure to negative interpersonal behaviour and well-being; workplace norms, social support, control-related self-beliefs, and negative affectivity moderated associations within the mediation sequence. Given the importance placed on objective measurement methods in the occupational stress literature, the inherent difficulties in measuring social stressors objectively, and the widespread use of self-report instruments in the literature, the second main goal of this work was to approach greater objectivity in the measurements of self-reported negative interpersonal workplace interactions. A number of approaches were used toward this end, including the development of a more objective self-report measure of interpersonal workplace behaviours, as well as the use of aggregate variables and the investigation of moderated relations within multilevel frameworks. Implications of this work and directions for further research are discussed.

Negative interpersonal workplace behaviours are an important but relatively infrequently studied occupational-stressor. The present research investigated the connection between these behaviours and employee well-being. This work had two main goals. The first goal was to provide greater insight into when and why social interactions at work can be harmful to employee well-being. Consistent with this goal, theory and research were reviewed, and results from two field studies were presented suggesting that (1) disrespect is an important characteristic of interpersonal workplace events that can explain detriments to employee well-being, and (2) both individual and contextual moderators are relevant in this process. In a first study, disrespectful leader behaviours were shown to negatively relate to employee well-being independent of demanding, production-focused leader behaviours. In a second study, perceived disrespectfulness mediated the relationship between exposure to negative interpersonal behaviour and well-being; workplace norms, social support, control-related self-beliefs, and negative affectivity moderated associations within the mediation sequence. Given the importance placed on objective measurement methods in the occupational stress literature, the inherent difficulties in measuring social stressors objectively, and the widespread use of self-report instruments in the literature, the second main goal of this work was to approach greater objectivity in the measurements of self-reported negative interpersonal workplace interactions. A number of approaches were used toward this end, including the development of a more objective self-report measure of interpersonal workplace behaviours, as well as the use of aggregate variables and the investigation of moderated relations within multilevel frameworks. Implications of this work and directions for further research are discussed.

Two Monte Carlo studies were conducted to investigate the sensitivity of fit indices in detecting model misspecification in multilevel structural equation models (MSEM) with normally distributed or dichotomous outcome variables separately under various conditions. Simulation results showed that RMSEA and CFI only reflected within-model fit. In addition, SRMR for within-model (SRMR-W) was more sensitive to within-model misspecifications in factor covariances than pattern coefficients regardless of the impact of other design factors. Researchers should use SRMR-W in combination with RMSEA and CFI to evaluate the within-mode. On the other hand, SRMR for between-model (SRMR-B) was less likely to detect between-model misspecifications when ICC decreased. Lastly, the performance of WRMR was dominated by the misfit of within-model. In addition, WRMR was less likely to detect the misspecified between-models when ICC was relative low. Therefore, WRMR can be used to evaluate the between-model fit when the within-models were correctly specified and the ICC was not too small.

Propensity score analysis has been used to minimize the selection bias in observational studies to identify causal relationships. A propensity score is an estimate of an individual's probability of being placed in a treatment group given a set of covariates. Propensity score analysis aims to use the estimate to create balanced groups, akin to a randomized experiment. This study used Monte Carlo methods to examine the appropriateness of using propensity score methods to achieve balance between groups on observed covariates and reproduce treatment effect estimates in multilevel studies. Specifically, this study examined the extent to which four different propensity score estimation models and three different propensity score conditioning methods produced balanced samples and reproduced the treatment effects with clustered data. One single-level logistic model and three multilevel models were investigated. Conditioning methods included: (a) covariance adjustment, (b) matching, and (c) stratification. Design factors investigated included: (a) level-1sample size, (b) level-2 sample size, (c) level-1 covariate relationship to treatment, (d) level-2 covariate relationship to treatment, (e) level-1 covariate relationship to outcome, (f) level-2 covariate relationship to outcome, and (g) population effect size. The results of this study suggest the degree to which propensity score analyses are able to create balanced groups and reproduce treatment effect estimates with clustered data is largely dependent upon the propensity score estimation model and conditioning method selected. Overall, the single-level logistic and random intercepts models fared slightly better than the more complex multilevel models while covariance adjustment and matching methods tended to be more stable in terms of balancing groups than stratification. Additionally, the results indicate propensity score analysis should not be conducted with small samples. Finally, this study did not identify an estimation model or conditioning method that was consistently able to create adequately balanced groups and reproduce treatment effect estimates.

As a crisis of representation challenges third wave democracies, two of its most salient indicators – weak party institutionalization and the underrepresentation of marginalized groups – have thus far been evaluated only in isolation. This dissertation contends that the two dynamics are related, and uses extensive variation within Brazil, the third wave's most populous democracy, to analyze the relationship. Employing an original empirical database of 21,478 candidacies, 73 interviews, and field observations from throughout Brazil, I explain how voters, electoral rules, and parties interact to undermine women's political participation and representative democracy. Despite socioeconomic progress, an effective women's movement, an electorate increasingly receptive to female politicians, and a legislated gender quota, Brazil ranks poorly in global assessments of women's legislative presence. Using mixed methods, this dissertation analyzes variation in women's electoral performance across districts, electoral rules, parties, and women to explain the puzzle of women's underrepresentation in Brazil. I argue that the weakly institutionalized and male dominant character of most Brazilian parties has undermined the quota while also hindering women's political prospects and circumscribing their pathways to power. I subject the hypotheses of the women's representation literature and my own arguments to empirical testing and find that Brazil's female political aspirants are thwarted not by development level, electoral size, or ideology, but rather by the preponderance of inchoate and male-led parties. The analysis demonstrates that to effectively promote women's participation in candidate-centered elections, parties must have the capacity to provide women with essential psychological, organizational, and material support and the will, heralded by the party leadership, to do so. The paucity of such support and persistence of traditional gender norms have led Brazil's few female politicians to craft novel profiles; by conforming to traditional gender norms as supermadres, or converting social, organizational, or professional experiences into political capital as lutadoras or technocrats, such women have nonetheless thrived in inhospitable electoral contexts. I conclude that reforms that strengthen parties while incentivizing the promotion of women's participation within parties offer the greatest potential for mitigating Brazil's crisis of representation, situating once more the goals of the women's movement within the broader democratic reform agenda. / text

The primary objective of this study was to explore the influence of parental support on antisocial behavior among 1514 adolescents from Sarasota County (Florida). An integrated multilevel approach was developed considering elements of the social support paradigm and social learning theory. Using Hierarchical Linear Modeling (HLM), the results suggest that both paternal and maternal support were significant factors in the prevention of antisocial behavior. However, paternal support demonstrated to be stronger when students justified school misbehavior. At the school level, the findings suggest that the influence of parental support to reduce antisocial behavior competes with favorable definitions toward crime learned by youngsters from society and deviant peers.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between residential segregation (the physical separation of Blacks and Whites in residential contexts) and adverse perinatal outcomes (low birth weight, preterm delivery and small for gestational age births) in Florida, Georgia and Louisiana. The study determined the independent effect of the level of residential segregation on the likelihood of adverse perinatal outcomes after controlling for contextual and individual factors. The study also assessed whether the relationship between residential segregation and adverse perinatal outcomes were moderated by ethnicity and median income.The studied employed an observational, cross-sectional study design that utilized secondary data. Live birth certificates between 1999 and 2001 provided information on individual covariates and perinatal outcomes. Structural indicators of residential segregation and contextual covariates were obtained from the U.S. Census Bureau. Th e nested data structure for each birth outcome model was composed of individual, contextual, and structural data. Three-level, hierarchical generalized linear models were used to test research hypotheses.The study population consisted of non-Hispanic White and Black primaparous women between 15 and 49 years of age experiencing singleton live births delivered at less than or equal to 45 weeks gestation. The final sample consisted of 255,548 women nested within 4,360 census tracts and 63 Metropolitan or Micropolitan Statistical Areas. Residential segregation did not have a direct relationship with low birth weight, preterm delivery or small for gestational age, after controlling for other variables in multilevel models. Models testing the moderating effects of ethnicity indicated that increased Isolation decreased the risk of LBW among Black women. Several contextual --level variables and the majority of individual-level variables were significantly associated with perinatal outcome risk .Findings indicate that effects of residential segregation may be birth outcome and ethnic group specific. Relationships between individual factors, contextual factors and adverse perinatal outcomes signal the importance of proximal factors to perinatal outcomes. There is a need for specification of a broader constellation of biological, social and spatial factors and a thorough assessment of residential preferences and experiences in order to better understand the associations between neighborhoods and perinatal outcomes.

Access to health care is an important resource for sexually experienced adolescent females in the prevention of unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections, including HIV. However, a paucity of research exists regarding the extent to which social disparities in access to health care exist among this vulnerable population of adolescents, including the potential contribution of the neighborhood context. Therefore, the primary aims of this dissertation were to examine (1) the extent to which racial and socioeconomic disparities in access to health care exist among sexually experienced adolescent females, (2) the extent to which access to health care among sexually experienced adolescent females varies across neighborhoods, and (3) the extent to which the neighborhood racial and socioeconomic context contribute to racial and socioeconomic disparities in access to health care among sexually experienced adolescent females. A multilevel design was employed for this dissertation utilizing secondary data from Wave I of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health). Analyses included hierarchical generalized linear modeling to examine the receipt of a routine physical, the receipt of contraceptive services, and reported unmet health needs among the dissertation sample of 1,526 sexually experienced Non-Hispanic Black and Non-Hispanic White adolescent females between 15 years to 19 years of age who were dispersed across 546 neighborhoods. After adjusting for a variety of factors that may influence access to health care, the findings revealed no racial disparities and few socioeconomic disparities in access to health care among this sample of adolescents. No significant relationship was noted between the neighborhood racial and socioeconomic context and access to health care or social disparities in access to health care among this sample of adolescents. However, the findings revealed that access to health care among this sample of sexually experienced adolescent females varied across neighborhoods, above and beyond the individual composition of the neighborhood. Further studies are indicated to explore the underlying factors that contribute to socioeconomic disparities in access to health care among sexually experienced adolescent females, and the potential neighborhood characteristics that may contribute to differential access to health care across neighborhoods among this vulnerable population of adolescents.