The sudden removal of immigrant parents by deportation can have lasting effects on children's overall wellbeing. While many studies demonstrate the impact parental deportation has on the child development, more research has been called for on how deportation and the removal of parents by deportation can affect school performance among ESL students. The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the student factors that predict 5 domains of school performance among ELS students of undocumented parents as perceived by their ESL teachers. Sewell's duality of structures served as the theoretical framework. A quantitative correlational design using an online survey research method was used to examine the extent to which student factors, (e.g., ability to focus, make friends, and persist on school tasks) predicted the 5 domains (e.g., basic skills, arts, humanities, STEM and physical fitness) using a questionnaire completed by 122 ESL teachers. Each of the factors were composed of 3 to 5 items, and interitem analyses revealed that all scales had adequate internal consistency. The data produced no significant correlations between the predictor variables and 5 measures of academic performance. The lack of relationship was likely a function of methodological challenges, and it is recommended that future studies consider more direct measures of immigrant student home and school variables that could influence academic performance.

The depiction of offenders in drama shows may play a significant role in how society views them. The purpose of using Gerbner's cultivation theory in this study is the belief that the frequency of watching, and the content of television shows can influence public perception. Previous research has used cultivation theory to investigate television shows, but no effort was made to differentiate between genres. There is an important gap in the current literature because few studies have examined how particular television shows influence society's views of female parolees. This study intends to address that weakness by limiting the study to female offenders. The purpose of the proposed research is to explore the impact of age, gender, genre, demographic location, and frequency of viewing certain television shows on the perceptions of female parolees by the general public. A sample of 263 participants, recruited through social media, completed the surveys. Data analysis was accomplished using multiple linear regression and logistic regression statistics. Findings indicated that the rate of watching the drama shows did not influence how the television viewers perceived female parolees. However, friendly shows were more likely to make participants more accepting of ex-offenders. The results of this research would make a significant contribution to the existing literature. It would enhance social change through initiatives that highlighted issues in some drama shows, and positively affect the perception of viewers.

Mental health disparities in African American males contribute disproportionate rates of incarceration treatment access. There is a significant need to revise current mental health practices to address treatment barriers. The purpose of this study was to understand whether medication management could reduce criminality in violent African American males diagnosed with schizophrenia. A phenomenological examination of psychiatric perceptions and psychological treatment coupled with race was performed, utilizing the critical race and rational choice theory. Two research questions were developed to understand effective medication management and what barriers are present that cause noncompliance resulting in criminal activity. A hermeneutic phenomenological approach was used examining 8-10 mental health and criminal justice professionals' perceptions of medication and its effects on violent schizophrenic African American males. Anonymous questionnaires with pre-addressed stamped envelopes was sent to a national counseling center and a law enforcement agency. Data were analyzed through the application of qualitative research data, coding, and development of themes. Fifty questionnaires were mailed out, and 11 responses were returned. Three themes of medication management, medication knowledge, and managing care were explored. Data analysis and results coincided with previous research. Positive social change will be affected through professionals enforcing early intervention and education of the effectiveness of medication and how it can reduce incarceration.

There has been limited attention as to whether effective clinical supervisors help to build self-efficacy in clinical trainees by focusing on positive instances of their behavior during practicum. Trainees' may enter practicum with lower self-efficacy regarding their skills and having a supervisor that provides an experience that was positive would be expected to lead to higher self-efficacy. The purpose of this study was to quantitatively examine whether a relationship existed between self-efficacy and graduate students' experience in practicum training as measured by the role conflict subscale of the role conflict and role ambiguity inventory); working alliance inventory-supervisee; supervision evaluation questionnaire; and self-efficacy inventory. The study drew on Bandura's social cognitive theory to understand self-efficacy and make predictions about it based the working alliance, role conflict, and role ambiguity from the perspective of the trainee. It was hypothesized that there would be a relationship between graduate students' self-efficacy and supervision during practicum. Data collection included survey responses from 64 doctoral-level trainee in clinical psychology programs recruited through Facebook and Survey Monkey. Results from the quantitative, correlation study revealed a significant positive correlation between role ambiguity and self-efficacy. The remaining research questions did not yield significant results. Future recommendations include larger sample sizes and perhaps mixed methods approach to the research. The positive social change implications of this research indicated that when building positive relationships with trainees the more likely they would experience higher self-efficacy.

The various stresses experienced, by the individual providing care for an elderly spouse or parent are referred to as caregiver's burden. The present study examines the influence of the relationship between sisters on the perceived burden of the caregiving daughter. In addition to the quality of the sibling bond, the effect of proximity is also examined. The 58 participants completed questionnaires which assessed the amount of caregiving, the perceived burden, and the quality of the relationship with the sister. Correlational analyses indicated a strong negative correlation between burden and closeness (p < .01). The results of regression analyses indicated that proximity to the sister was not a significant predictor of burden (p < .25), but that closeness to the sister predicted 6% of the variance in perceived burden (p < .01). The findings of this study illustrate that the quality of the sibling bond between sisters can be an important influence on the perception of caregiver's burden. When sisters have a close relationship, even when they do not live in proximity, the perceived burden of the caregiving daughter can be mediated.

A total of 131 Hispanic American and Euro-American youths (ages 6 to 16 years) who participated in previous clinical trials for phobic and anxiety disorders were compared in terms of treatment gains and maintenance. In terms of treatment gains, the findings indicated that Hispanic American and Euro-American youths responded more similarly than differently to the exposure-based cognitive/behavioral treatments from pre- to post-treatment. This was found using traditional hypotheses testing, calculation of effect sizes, and statistical equivalence testing. In terms of treatment maintenance, the findings also demonstrated that Hispanic American and Euro- American youths responded more similarly than differently, albeit with some variations within specific assessment points. The findings are discussed in terms of the need to evaluate empirically supported treatments for use with ethnic minority populations, particularly Hispanic Americans.

It is not uncommon for eyewitnesses to recall things at later interviews that were not recalled at previous interviews (reminiscence). Many legal decision makers assume that inconsistent eyewitnesses are necessarily inaccurate witnesses. Consequently, their testimony may be prematurely discredited or dismissed. In order to examine the effectiveness of various retrieval cues in eliciting reminiscence, participants watched a videotaped mock crime and were tested for recall on two occasions using the same or different cues. Results supported the hypothesis that varying retrieval cues increases the amount of reminiscence. Furthermore, all participants exhibited some reminiscence. Finally, reminiscence was not significantly correlated with overall accuracy of testimony. These findings suggest that many of the assumptions legal decision makers hold regarding inconsistent testimony are erroneous.

No description available.

No description available.

The rate of incarcerated individuals in the United States continues to grow. At midyear 2005 the Nation's prisons and jails incarcerated 2,186,230 persons. (Bureau of Justice 1). Prison systems are in need of a brief mental health-screening tool that rapidly and readily identifies mental illness and co-occurring substance abuse in inmates to improve the approach to mental health diagnosis and treatment throughout an offender's incarceration. This study was designed to assess whether the Modified Mini Screen (MMS) is a valid screening measure for identifying mood disorders, anxiety disorders, and psychotic disorders in newly admitted inmates during the intake and reception process in prisons. For this study, 130 individual's MMS scores were compared with results from the Brief Symptom Inventory to determine the proportion in each group with mental illness. Findings show concurrent validity for age, ethnicity, level of education, and history of substance abuse and mental health. Concurrent validity of the MMS with the BSI was better for females than for males for. Results suggest that the sensitivity of the MMS is somewhat weak, as it only has a 55% chance of correctly identifying a mentally ill individual as being mentally ill. For females, the sensitivity of MMS was 87.5%, while the specificity was 100%. Moreover, for males, the sensitivity of MMS was 46.9%, while the specificity was 95.6%. These results suggest that the concurrent validity of the MMS with the BSI was better for females than for males for in this study sample.