Doctor of Education (Educational Leadership), Youngstown State University, 2019, Department of Teacher Education and Leadership Studies

The acculturation of refugee-immigrant students is a complex process. The acculturation strategies of refugee-immigrant students are dependent upon the dominant society's acculturation expectations. There is ample research to support that refugee-immigrants prefer integration as an acculturation strategy (Berry, 2015). However, integration cannot be truly successful unless the dominant society promotes multiculturalism. The present study used a framework of the Mutual Intercultural Relations in Plural Societies (MIRIPS) and the Theories of Prejudice Scale to investigate the dominant society's (teachers) attitudes about the acculturation of refugee-immigrant students (non-dominant group). The constructs investigated were acculturation expectations (multiculturalism, melting pot, segregation, exclusion), multicultural ideology, and the mindset (fixed or growth) towards the malleability of prejudice. The present study also investigated the relationships between these constructs. Online surveys were sent to the teachers of refugee-immigrant students from a midwestern public school district resulting in 50 participants. The findings revealed that participants in the study preferred the acculturation strategy of multiculturalism, had a positive multicultural ideology, and had a growth mindset towards the malleability of prejudice. Despite the high scores in these constructs, a Pearson's Correlation Coefficient test found no statistical significance findings. This was due to the lack of variability in the responses, as all respondents had high scores in multiculturalism, multicultural ideology, and growth mindset. However, findings also revealed a strong relationship between multicultural ideology and the acculturation strategies of melting pot and segregation. The findings have implications to teacher professional development in multicultural education and future research. School districts with refugee-immigrant students can replicate this study to assess if teacher acti (open full item for complete abstract)

PhD, University of Cincinnati, 2021, Arts and Sciences: Psychology

Research indicates that the difficulties associated with acculturation place Latinx adolescents at a greater risk of developing psychological problems, including internalizing and externalizing disorders. The current study sought to examine the impact of family differences in acculturation on family functioning and adolescent mental health. Participants included 23 mother-adolescent dyads recruited through a community mental health clinic, two middle schools, and one high school in Cincinnati, OH. Findings revealed mother-adolescent acculturation differences to be related to internalizing symptoms in youth. Additionally, mothers who reported greater perceptions of family conflict also endorsed internalizing symptoms in adolescents. Family functioning was not found to mediate the relation between acculturation differences and adolescent mental health; however, this finding may be due to restrictions in our sample size, which limited power to detect mediation. Our findings suggest that the meaning families make of cultural experiences appears important for predicting adolescent internalizing outcomes. Thus, when working with Latinx youth in clinical settings, determining the impact that acculturation has within the family is important. Conducting more research is vital to further our understanding of acculturation and mental health outcomes for youth and families from different Latinx subgroups and, in turn, informing on culturally-sensitive interventions. Implementation and dissemination of such interventions may help to address the increased risk of mental health problems and reduce health disparities in this population.

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Ohio University, 2010, Counselor Education (Education)

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between acculturation level and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) prevalence in Central American immigrants in the United States. Central American immigrants represent a population that is a part of the Latino/Hispanic Diaspora in the United States. By the year 2050 the United States population will experience a great change in the ethnic/racial demographics and most will be former minorities comprising over 45% racial minorities (U.S. Census, 2005). Thus, it becomes more important for counselor educators and other helping professionals to understand how to adequately assess the “Latino” and be culturally sensitive — especially since Central American immigrants come from diverse backgrounds, and although they may be labeled “Hispanic,” there is diversity within groups of ethnic minorities. This dissertation examined the research hypotheses: There is a relationship between acculturation level and PTSD among Central American immigrants in the United States. In addition, there are predictive relationships among the demographic variables. The null hypotheses presented are: There is no relationship between acculturation level and PTSD among Central American immigrants in the United States and additionally, there are no predictive relationships among the demographic variables. A Pearson correlation design was done to assess statistical significance (both positive and negative), and to examine if there was a relationship between acculturation level and PTSD. The alpha level was set at a significance level of .05. A standard Multiple Regression design was utilized to assess predictive relationships among the demographic variables with PTSD severity: migration reason, age, gender, migration year, and marital status. The sample of participants was n = 63 out of 100 participants who volunteered to participate in the study. The results show that there was a relationship between accultur (open full item for complete abstract)

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Bowling Green State University, 2007, Communication Studies

This research focused on individuals of Arab ancestry residing in the U.S. and examined various factors that might influence their cultural identity. The research examined the effects of religion, nationality, and gender on participants' maintenance of Arab cultural identity, attitude toward the original and host cultures, in- and out-group socialization, and perceived discrimination. It also examined the effects of religion, nationality (Arab country of origin), gender, immigration generation, perceived discrimination, and sojourner status on acculturation mode. It also looked at the effect of religion and national origin on ethnogamy and self-identification. Finally, the research examined the relationship of self-identification, gender, in- and out-group socializing, and perceptions of the importance of events happening in Arab countries in the Middle East. Using snowball sampling, I recruited 304 participants. Data were collected from participants living in 13 states with origins from 10 Arab countries. The participants were provided with self-administered questionnaires with closed-ended questions. This study found that the participants' Arab country of origin affected single participants' ethnogamy; it also affected on in-group socializing and attitude toward the host culture. In addition, nationality and religion had significant effects on participants' attitude toward Arab country of origin and perceived discrimination by the host culture. Religion and American city of residence had an impact on self-identification. The results also showed that participants' American city of residence had significant effects on self-identifications and the perceived importance of events happening in Arab countries in the Middle East. In addition, immigration generation and sojourner status affected acculturation modes. Gender did not have any significant effects. The results of this study showed among other things that the major acculturation modes of Arab Americans in this s (open full item for complete abstract)

Master of Science in Nutrition and Dietetics, University of Akron, 2005, Nutrition and Dietetics

Chinese student groups in the U.S. are one the largest ethnic students groups in the U.S. Their lives were changed a lot by the experience of studying abroad. Information about their health beliefs and dietary habits is helpful for the dietitian and other health care providers. This study was designed to determine the main factors affecting dietary acculturation of Chinese students studying at universities in the U.S., as well as the dietary changes caused by acculturation. A survey questionnaire, including demographic information, food preparation patterns, meal consumption patterns, and a dietary acculturation scale was used to collect data. The dietary acculturation scale was used to evaluate the trend of eastern acculturation or western acculturation, and the data gained from the scale was converted into a dietary acculturation score. A total of 105 Chinese students in the greater Akron area participated in the study. Demographic information, living and dining conditions, food preparation and food choices, meal patterns, snack habits, and dietary acculturation scores were analyzed. Results revealed that this particular population had an average acculturation score of 58 (non-acculturated score 26). The percentage of participants always eating home cooked food increased from 62.9% to 82.9% since moving to the U.S. About 69% of participants reported experiencing snack content changes, and 12.4% of participants experiencing snack preparation changes. The survey data suggested that Chinese students experienced meaningful dietary acculturation changes while living in the U.S. In this study, there was no significant difference of the dietary acculturation score between the young and old groups of Chinese students (p=.831). Female Chinese students were more likely to have western acculturated food habits than were males. Further study should be done to investigate the detailed gender dietary changes and reasons for these changes in this population. It is important for (open full item for complete abstract)

Master of Arts, The Ohio State University, 1964, Graduate School

MA, University of Cincinnati, 2024, Education, Criminal Justice, and Human Services: Counseling, Mental Health

International students in the US face multiple challenges including career planning. This study examined how acculturation and study experiences impact international students' career decision making. This study also investigated the factors that influenced these students and how they were connected with the career decision of these international students. ANOVA and logistic regression analyses were used to analyze the relationship between the variables. The results indicated a significant relationship between assimilation in international students with their career decisions of staying in the US. Results also showed a significant relationship between study experiences of international students with their career decision. Implications for future research and practice are discussed.

Ph.D., Antioch University, 2024, Antioch New England: Marriage and Family Therapy

Parentification, or parent-child role reversal, occurs when children and adolescents take on parental responsibilities within the family (Boszormenyi-Nagy & Spark, 1973). This can include caring for younger siblings, attending to their parents' emotional needs, and assisting with tasks such as translation. Parentification disrupts family dynamics as parents transfer significant responsibilities to the child (Martino & Coburn, 2022). Extensive research consistently demonstrates the negative impact of parentification on children, leading to depression, suicidal feelings, shame, guilt, worry, and social isolation (Jurkovic, 1997). It can also contribute to the development of conduct disorders. Unfortunately, these difficulties often go unnoticed. However, when it comes to language brokering, which can be viewed as a similar experience to parentification as indicated by research, it can yield some positive results, such as developing new skills, improving self-esteem, and contributing to family survival (Kam et al., 2017; Martino & Coburn, 2022). Limited research exists on factors that alleviate the impact of parentification in Latine and Hispanic households, and despite its potential harm, parentification is often rationalized by families for various reasons. Familismo, a cultural value emphasizing loyalty and community within the family (Ayon et al., 2010) may play a significant role in the experiences of Latine parentified individuals. Familismo promotes unity, support, and loyalty within the family, resulting in enhanced self-esteem, a strong sense of belonging, and deep respect for the cultural community and family members (Fuligni et al., 1999; Ayon et al., 2010, Montero & Ceballo, 2021; Walker et al., 2022). This quantitative study demonstrates that familismo acts as a moderator in the relationship between parentification and depression. Specifically, this study reveals that higher levels of familismo weaken the link between parentification and depression. This d (open full item for complete abstract)

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Ohio University, 2023, English (Arts and Sciences)

This dissertation investigates the challenges and resources of international students who come from countries experiencing high levels of distress, war, violence, and unrest but who do not have refugee status in the country they are studying in. This project involved four qualitative case studies that examined the participants' intersectionalities as both international students and students who may have similarities to refugees. The study brings together acculturation strategies (Berry, 2005) found in second language writing research (Hung & Hyun, 2010) and identity studies (e.g., Harre et al., 2009; Estrem, 2016; Hooper & Enright, 2011). Additionally, it draws on trauma informed writing pedagogy (e.g., Munro, 2018; Tayles, 2021) and refugee literature (e.g., Matsuda and Hammill, 2014; Shapiro et al., 2018). The study found the participants had incredibly rich resources and a distinct vulnerability of more instability. While they had similar perceived needs to refugee students and may benefit from similarly supportive resources, they may also be more difficult to identify. Participating writing teachers expressed a lack of self-efficacy in working with students with trauma backgrounds and little awareness of ISDL needs apart from their English language development. Several implications for writing teachers emerged that align with trauma informed writing praxis. Some implications for further multilingual writing research also emerged, such as a correlation between acculturation strategies and student value for writing practices, and potentially expanding previous studies in transfer theory on the disposition of attribution. Ultimately, this research argues for more compassionate classrooms that adopt trauma informed writing pedagogy in response to self-disclosed trauma symptoms and perhaps as a regular practice rather than as an exception.

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), University of Dayton, 2022, Educational Leadership

American higher education institutions (HEIs) often prioritize internationalization on their campuses and as a result, prior to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of international students had grown steadily over the past several decades. Pathway programs have become features in the landscape of international higher education as a mean to increase access to American higher education. Often these pathway programs are implemented and managed by third-party pathway providers, who recruit international students on a partner institution's behalf. However, little research has been conducted to explore the experiences of international students in third-party pathway programs, and this dissertation attempts to fill a gap in the literature. This study applies a three-part framework that integrates acculturation theory, sociocultural theory, and the theory that internationalization is a culture shift and utilizes Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) through an anti-deficit lens to explore how international undergraduate students perceive and make sense of their experiences within third-party pathway programs on college campuses in the southeastern United States. Eighteen students from three research sites were interviewed, and findings indicate that (a) students rely on recruitment agencies, (b) varying degrees of alignment exist between expectations and experiences affect students' transitions, (c) pathway length varies but English development is constant, (d) sheltered spaces strengthen a sense of belonging and connectedness, (e) students are aware of and prepared for challenges, and (f) support comes in many forms.

Master of Arts (MA), Bowling Green State University, 2022, Cross-Cultural, International Education

Students from refugee backgrounds under the WUSC – Student refugee Program in Canada experience a lot of challenges. The challenges are mostly attributed to their background as refugees. Having been resettled from refugee camps where both the quality of life and standards of education were not admirable, their transitioning to higher education and to a developed country is marred with many challenges. This study documents the experiences of students from refugee backgrounds that were resettled to Canada through the WUSC – Student Refugee Program. The study utilizes a phenomenological approach to focus on a sample of six students from refugee backgrounds under the WUSC – Student Refugee Program that are in Canadian universities. The study utilizes Berry's (1997) acculturation theory. The results show that the program offered them an opportunity to access higher education but also brought with it challenges that they encounter as they navigate higher education in Canada.

Master of Arts, The Ohio State University, 0, Sociology

Siblings have the greatest history of shared experiences and are often the longest held relationship across an individual's life course. American immigrant sibling have been found to have even stronger bonds compared to the native born population as immigrant siblings become closer through the process of migration. The acculturative gap model suggests that children acculturate faster than their parents. This leads to parents depending on their children to navigate through social institutions by acting as language and cultural brokers. Arab Americans families are an interesting immigrant subgroup to examine as they are one of the fastest growing immigrant populations and have been found to be more orthodox than other immigrant subgroups, especially in relation in gender roles and expectation. This project aims to answer two questions.1) What roles do Arab Americans' siblings hold in each other's lives as related to their birth order and gender? 2) In what ways does the sibling relationship play a part in the acculturative process for Arab Americans? Through analysis of 21 in-depth interviews with Arab Americans that have siblings across the US, I find that while elder siblings within Arab American families tend to have a greater number of responsibilities than their younger siblings, elder sisters are more frequently tasked with cultural brokering and caretaking responsibilities for their families. In addition, despite elder sisters having greater levels of responsibility, this did not translate into elder sisters having more authority. Elder sisters were policed in their acculturative experiences at higher rates than their brothers. This caused for strain in the relationship between sisters and their brothers. In response to the acculturative restrictions of their sisters, Arab American brothers either supported the gendered differential treatment, or implicitly attempted to create equality in ways that did not cause conflict between them and their parents. This stu (open full item for complete abstract)

Psy. D., Antioch University, 2022, Antioch Santa Barbara: Clinical Psychology

Latin American countries tended to access mental health treatment at lower rates than their non-immigrant counterparts. There appeared to be limited to no studies that focused on male Mexican immigrants. Most studies focused on mental health treatment engagement and barriers that fell under the proxy variable of the Latino culture. This could aid in researchers failing to understand specific Mexican-cultural aspects in their research. Therefore, this qualitative descriptive study aimed to describe the experiences of male Mexican immigrants who had immigrated to the United States and explore barriers to treatment engagement they encountered to experiencing depression. Being guided by cultural identity theory, this study collected data from six participants via semi-structured interviews, where male Mexican immigrants described their perceptions and experiences on treatment engagement and any identified barriers when experiencing depression. Four themes emerged from the dataset that included: (a) Mexican culture shapes experiences of depression, (b) depression is experienced as restrictive to daily life, (c) culture is a significant barrier to treatment engagement, and (d) family and faith assist in overcoming treatment barriers toward engagement. The results of this study highlight the importance of clinicians to examine cultural aspects of depression in their Mexican patients. Clinicians need to understand the role that family and faith play in depression and how culture can shape treatment engagement and the success of managing symptoms. This can assist them in building appropriate treatment plans that align with their culture versus that of mainstream society. Additionally, language alone is not the only alignment many treatment providers can offer. Aligning practices with the culture strengthens treatment plans by concentrating on the client's combined lifestyle, culture, and experiences. This dissertation is available in open access at AURA, https://aura/antioch (open full item for complete abstract)

Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.), Xavier University, 2022, Psychology

Hispanic families may experience numerous barriers to physical and mental health care and tend to underutilize mental health services (Haack et al., 2018; Umpierre et al., 2015). English proficiency and cultural factors related to perceptions of mental health may impact the likelihood of Hispanic families seeking professional help for child mental health concerns (Alvarado & Modesto-Lowe, 2017; Eiraldi et al., 2006). The present study examined parental attitudes towards seeking professional help for child mental health concerns as well as possible differences in help-seeking for child mental (i.e., ADHD and depression) and physical health (i.e., stomach flu) concerns. Fifty-one Hispanic immigrant parents (40 mothers, 11 fathers; Mage = 35.62 years, SD= 8.19) completed measures to assess parental attitudes toward psychological help-seeking, likelihood to seek help for child physical and mental health concerns from formal and informal sources, and their level of familyism, religiosity, and acculturation. Participants indicated a higher likelihood to seek help from informal sources than from formal sources for both child mental and physical health conditions. Additionally, participants were more likely to seek help for a child's physical health condition than for mental health concerns. These results speak of the need to examine the process of help-seeking for Hispanic parents regarding mental health concerns in their children as well as the influence of other factors in their help-seeking process, including acculturation, familyism, and religiosity. Understanding these relationships can guide clinicians in identifying and problem-solving treatment barriers.

Master of Arts, Case Western Reserve University, 2021, Psychology

Latinx youth in the United States report higher levels of internalizing symptoms than their White non-Latinx counterparts. Culturally unique factors and values such as language proficiency and use, respeto, familismo, religiosity and spirituality, gender role beliefs, and U.S.-centered acculturative gaps have been shown to be associated with internalizing symptomatology. However, intergenerational discrepancies in these culturally-based factors require further examination in Latinx adolescents. This study explored the relationship between cultural factors and intergenerational cultural differences on adolescent internalizing symptoms. An online survey (N = 91) included a racially and ethnically diverse sample of Latinx adolescents between the ages of 11 - 16 (mean = 14, SD = 1.27) and one of their parents.. Responses indicated that the association between cultural factors on internalizing symptoms may in part be explained by intergenerational differences in English language use and proficiency, intergenerational interpersonal religious struggles, and U.S.-centered acculturative gaps.

PHD, Kent State University, 2021, College of Arts and Sciences / Department of English

Migrants are often oppressed groups, and non-migrants often poorly understand the challenges they face, even if they empathize. The two main problems this project seeks to address are, first, migrants' ability to maintain and/or revise a secure identity, and second, host-culture members' lack of understanding of and prejudice toward migrants. This dissertation described the challenges that migrants experience premigration, during migration, and postmigration, and explained how these experiences impact their identities. The analysis of the migrant characters' identities in Lalami's Hope and Other Dangerous Pursuits and Mengestu's The Beautiful Things That Heaven Bears demonstrated that migrants suffer from unmet autonomy, competence, and relatedness needs due to migration challenges. Moreover, the analysis investigated the problem of how migrants can redirect the identity crisis pathways of separation, marginalization, and assimilation towards integration (the secure pathway). By applying the skills of identity revision, migrants can achieve a viable and a fulfilling identity. Providing an understanding of migrants' identity needs and challenges will help the host country create more welcoming environments, replete with resources necessary for migrants to develop and maintain their new identities. In addition, the analysis of the two novels promotes the understanding of migrants' cultural and non-cultural identity challenges. Awareness of migrant identity issues should contribute to host countries' cross-cultural competency and therefore lower prejudice, intolerance, and xenophobia against migrants. It is my hope that this study will be of benefit to migrants and to both sending and receiving countries and their members. It should also be of interest to scholars and educators in the fields of migration studies, identity theory, and world literature.

Specialist in Education (Ed.S.), University of Dayton, 0, School Psychology

Culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) students may experience stress related to acculturation experiences, specifically in balancing the tension between conforming to mainstream cultural pressures and maintaining the values and traditions of their culture of origin. This qualitative study will share results from a focus group conducted with first- and second-generation American students regarding experiences of acculturative stress. Nine first and second generation CLD students were interviewed over Zoom and Google Meets meetings about their acculturative experiences. Students described their experiences as difficult and sometimes burdensome, rather than stressful. Included in this research exploration is a discussion of effective strategies students employ to manage acculturative stress at home and in school and how educators and school-based mental health providers can provide support.

Master of Arts (MA), Bowling Green State University, 2021, Cross-Cultural, International Education

This study examines the challenges and experiences of first-generation higher education immigrant students in the United States (US) in order to understand how they form their perspectives regarding higher education in the US. The study documents students' perspectives through analysis of data situated within their immigrant higher education experience and challenges. Based on a phenomenological approach, the study focuses on a sample of seven university students who are first-generation immigrants. Berry's (2005) acculturation theory and Ogbu's (1981) cultural ecological model help frame the study within the discussion of the immigrant students' perspectives through their explained challenges and experiences. The findings of this study are presented through specific themes describing the students' personal challenges and experiences followed by an analysis of the same themes. These findings underscore language, education system, socio-cultural and economic issues faced by immigrant students. 

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2021, Nursing

In the United States (US)-Mexico border region there is a disparity in cesarean birth rates among Hispanic women. Hispanic women have higher rates of cesarean birth than their non-Hispanic counterparts despite overall lower US cesarean rates. Cesarean birth is associated with increased complications compared to vaginal birth, putting these women and infants at disproportionate risk. In accordance with the Hispanic Health Paradox, researchers have found that Hispanic women have worse birth outcomes (such as preterm birth) the longer they reside in the US. Very few studies have focused on odds of cesarean birth in relation to acculturation level among Hispanic women. Guided by J.W. Berry's Theoretical Framework of Acculturation, the aims of this study are to 1) examine the direct effects of cultural and biopsychosocial factors on birth mode in Mexican American women, 2) investigate the degree to which maternal biopsychosocial factors mediate relationships among cultural factors and birth mode, and 3) investigate the moderating effect of healthcare environment (delivery facility) and socioeconomic position (insurance type) on relationships among cultural and biopsychosocial factors and birth mode (cesarean or vaginal). A correlational design was used in this dissertation to complete a secondary analysis of data from a parent study entitled, Psychoneuroimmunology: Preterm birth in Hispanics (2R01NR007891; Principal Investigator [PI] R. Jeanne Ruiz, 2007). Analyses included descriptive statistics, bivariate relationships, multivariable logistic regression, mediation, and moderation analyses. The dissertation study sample included 244 women. After controlling for parity in logistic regression analysis, significant direct relationships remained between acculturative stress, pre-pregnancy BMI, discrimination, and insurance type in relation to birth mode. More Spanish language related acculturative stress, discrimination, and higher BMI increased the odds of cesarean birth. (open full item for complete abstract)

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2021, Music

The cultural Somali population has been growing within the American education system (Hassan & Smith, 2017), yet this population has largely been absent in secondary music programs. The purpose of this case study was to explore the perceptions of Somali-American community leaders and families about school music participation. The study focused on a school district in a suburban community in Ohio. The central question was: How do members of the Somali community perceive school music? Sub questions included: What types of music experiences do Somali families have? How do Somali families participate in music outside of school? What are Somali-American community members' perception of public school music? The seven participants were between 20-50 years of age and were either refugees or children of refugees from Somalia. They completed verbal interviews or a written questionnaire and were available for questions following the transcription of interviews. Data was analyzed through lenses of acculturation theories including assimilation (Portes & Rumbaut, 2001), group acculturation pathways (Sam & Berry, 2010), and religious impact on individual and group acculturation (Warner, 2007). The themes emerging from data included coexistence of culture and religion, generational divides, musical repertoire, responsibility, and belonging/identity. Participants expressed that although Somali culture supports music, the religious interpretations that some Somali families follow deters them from participating in certain music activities. For example, they viewed the typical repertoire of school music as not adhering to Somali family religious and cultural values and thus, considered participation in school music as being not always acceptable. Participants also referred to differences in age/generation as a factor that influences music participation As age increases, religious conservatism that perceives music participation as unacceptable increases. However, they also believe (open full item for complete abstract)