Master of Science, The Ohio State University, 2022, Genetic Counseling

Although many clinical genetic testing laboratories collect race, ethnicity, and ancestry (REA) information, there are documented issues inherent to the process. Obtaining a better understanding of clinical genetic testing laboratory practices surrounding REA data provides an opportunity to better understand how they contribute to and mitigate social inequities in genetic medicine. To investigate current REA data practices, this study aimed to characterize clinical genetic testing laboratory REA data collection, use, and storage practices as reported by laboratory employees. Participants (n=57) completed a survey addressing current collection, use, and storage practices, as well as opinions regarding REA data. Most laboratories reportedly collect (95%, n=41), use (82%, n=33), and store (71%, n=34) REA data. REA data collection and use varies in relation to test type, clinical specialty, admixed ancestry, and collection source. All (100%, 10/10) employees who perform variant interpretation (VI) report inclusion of population-based criteria in their VI protocol, but only half use REA data in VI very frequently (50%, 4/8), while half use it very infrequently (50%, 4/8). Participants had a greater endorsing than refuting opinion about the need for improved REA data practices (67%, 24/36) and transparency (38%, 13/34). Nearly half of participants reported REA data practices contribute to systemic racism (41%, 13/42) and healthcare inequities (47%, 14/30). Most participants reported it is the responsibility of laboratories to assess their REA data practices (70%, 21/30) and expressed at least some willingness to contribute to developing REA data practice guidelines (45%, 13/29). Quantifiably characterizing laboratory practices via employee reports builds opportunities for research further identifying factors exacerbating and mitigating any contributions REA data practices make to systemic issues, and may aid in the development of REA data practice guidelines.

PhD, University of Cincinnati, 2011, Education, Criminal Justice, and Human Services: Educational Studies

This dissertation examines the origin, evolution, facility, and effectiveness of Anti-racism and Whiteness Theory to eradicate racism in the United States during the last decade, 2000 - 2010. During the founding of the country, a sense of civic responsibility, and moralized manifest destiny sanctioned land conquest and enslavement of Africans for the achievement of personal gain. Society justified subjugating Africans into chattel slavery, considering color and cultural difference as confirmation and rationale to discriminate. Today, the U.S. Constitution prohibits discrimination and society at-large disapproves racist acts and behavior. Nonetheless, racist incidents continue. While undeniably, the issue of race in America is still a serious concern, many suggest civil rights and affirmative action redresses divide society, advancing one group, over others. Today, as civil rights, and affirmative action recipients, African Americans make up a significant number of the middle class, whereas whites, in contrast, comprise a considerable number of a middle class that is shrinking, from an economic recession, caused in part by globalization and the country's transformation from industry to service. Conversely, the black underclass increases, as a result, of loss of unskilled work sent to overseas countries paying lower salaries, deficient labor laws, and environmental protections. Obfuscating the dialectical relationship existing between race and class, special interest groups incite and infuse racist rhetoric, to augment their own self-serving interest. Consequently, race baiting occurs to keep racism alive, preventing empowerment of a unified bi-racial group's capacity to pressure political leaders to address the needs of the working and middle classes, over the interest of the wealthy. It is in this way that the capacities of anti-racist systems to eradicate racism are negated.

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Bowling Green State University, 2010, Communication Studies

This study examines the embedded nature of whiteness in the use of racial and ethnic categories on U.S. census forms. Specifically, this study focuses on people's perceptions of racial and ethnic categories, how those categories have been historically used on U.S. census forms, and the relationship between this discourse on racial and ethnic categories and elements of whiteness. Like (Nobles, 2000), in this study, I argue that the rhetorical construction of race and ethnicity on census forms is not a trivial matter since the way that we structure these words and categories significantly influences how we understand them. Thus, this study practices critical rhetoric (McKerrow, 1989) and employs the use of critical race theory (Delgado & Stefanic, 2001) to investigate the relationship between the 20 counter narratives and the larger master narrative about racial and ethnic categorization in this country. Throughout this dissertation, I use Omi and Winant's (1994) racial formation and racial projects to highlight several themes that emerge in the master narrative and counter narratives. By focusing on these themes, this analysis explores past, present, and future racial projects that may emerge in relation to the use of racial and ethnic categories on census forms and elements of whiteness.

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Bowling Green State University, 2006, American Culture Studies/Ethnic Studies

Baseball, in one form or another, has existed in the United States for well over one hundred years, and during that time it has become an important part of the nation's history and culture. Because of its long–standing presence, baseball has helped to create and maintain national sensibilities on a variety of topics, including race, class, gender, and sexuality through the use of symbolism and imagery. This study will utilize elements from Black Feminist Thought, Critical Race Theory (CRT), and Latina/o Critical Theory (LatCrit) to explore white privilege as well as the ways in which power relationships are structured by the axes of race, ethnicity, class, gender, nationality, and sexuality within Major League Baseball (MLB). Relying on textual analysis as well as Susan Birrell and Mary McDonald's notion of reading sport critically, this dissertation analyzes the cultural meanings of four salient moments from the 1995 through the 2005 season to determine their cultural meanings which in turn will illustrate the persistence of racism, sexism, heterosexism, etc., in MLB and American culture overall. The four moments include the 1998 home–run chase between Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa, the focus on Mike Piazza's and Kazuhiro Tadano's sexual orientation, Alex Rodriguez's contract worth approximately $25 million annually for ten years, and Barry Bonds' record–breaking seasons from 2001 through 2005. This study asks the questions: how does each incident illuminate the different ways in which power operates in MLB; how do the ways in which power operates amidst these events help to create and maintain national sensibilities regarding race, class, gender construction, sexual orientation, nationality, and age; and how is the operation of power in MLB made visible or rendered invisible by the media in their handling of each incident?

MA, Kent State University, 2024, College of Arts and Sciences / Department of Sociology and Criminology

Feeling a sense of belonging positively impacts many facets of life, including educational and professional outcomes. For college students, a strong sense of belonging can influence their career paths and intentions to stay in college. However, women and racial/ethnic minorities often struggle with belonging in computing, which can diminish their desire to stay in the field. Existing research on belonging in college emphasizes the role of faculty and peers in promoting belonging, yet few studies have examined the relative impact of these different type of relationships. Furthermore, I could not find any studies that have examined the relative importance of faculty versus peer relationships for belonging within the field of computing. My thesis aims to fill this gap by exploring how relationships with faculty and peers uniquely impact students' sense of belonging, self-efficacy, and, in turn, their persistence intentions in computing. Additionally, I evaluate how these processes are moderated by students' gender and racial/ethnic identities. I find that for the overall sample, positive relationships with faculty have a greater direct impact on students' sense of belonging in computing and computing self-efficacy than relationships with peers. In addition, I find that positive relationships with faculty also have a greater indirect impact on students' computing persistence intentions than do positive relationships with peers. While these results are generally replicated across students of varying gender and racial/ethnic identities, there are some notable exceptions. This research increases our knowledge of how faculty and peer relationships impact students' feelings of belonging, self-efficacy, and, in turn, persistence in a field of study. It also helps inform future interventions to broaden participation in computing by highlighting the relative importance of faculty relationships for marginalized students.

Master of Arts, The Ohio State University, 2024, Sociology

Recent cohorts are more likely to identify as bisexual than ever before, surpassing those identifying as gay or lesbian. Moreover, bisexual people make up nearly 50 percent of the sexual minority population and are the fastest-growing sexual minority group in the U.S. today. Despite the growing population of bisexual people, there are significant gaps in our understanding of bisexual people's identity formation and development. Drawing on a queer theory approach and in-depth interview data from 25 bisexual-identified young adults, I ask the following research questions: 1) How do bisexual young adults gain an understanding of their sexuality? And 2) How do bisexual young adults understand their sexuality in the context of other identities such as race/ ethnicity and gender identity? Results suggest that for the participants in my study, seeing and interacting with queer people, spaces, and media, provided them representation to draw from. Queer people, spaces, and media all served as exposing mechanisms for the bisexual people I spoke with, allowing them to discover and form their own sexual identity based on the representation provided. Through examining sexual identity within the context of intersecting dimensions of identity such as race/ ethnicity, gender identity, and relationship context, this thesis informs discussions surrounding identity for bisexual young adults, highlighting the distinctive experiences of bisexual young adults.

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2024, Sociology

How do sociologists conceptualize race and ethnicity? How have they defined and assessed these concepts historically, and what has changed over time? What about the social processes that lead to each concept: racism (race), ethnocentrism (ethnicity), and nationalism (nation)? Should sociologists focus on conceptualizing the processes over the classificatory schema, and if so, is there one process more influential than the others? These questions are addressed in the first chapter. What makes systemic racism systemic, and what is white supremacy? What does a sociological model of systemic racism look like at multiple levels (global, world regional, national) that accounts for both the mechanisms and manifestations of systemic racism? These questions are addressed in the second chapter. Finally, how long has systemic racism been identifiable in historical time? In other words, when and where did systemic racism originate? Is it even worthwhile to investigate systemic racism's origins? What does sociology have to gain by incorporating pre-modern racisms into its conceptualizations of systemic racism? These questions and more are addressed in the third chapter. I close with a meditation on the social construct of ancestry as well as the state categories that organize much of the racial inequality literature in sociology today.

Doctor of Education (Educational Leadership), Youngstown State University, 2024, Department of Teacher Education and Leadership Studies

This dissertation investigates biocultural diversity index scores for 470 schools in Central Indiana from 2010 to 2020 while simultaneously examining racial and ethnic disparities between schools and their local communities. Indiana Department of Education and U.S. Census Bureau data was utilized to analyze changes in biocultural diversity, variations among school types, and school-community diversity relationship. Biocultural diversity index scores increased consistently from 0.36 in 2010 to 0.41 in 2020. Traditional public schools consistently scored higher (0.38 in 2010, 0.42 in 2020), while charter schools (0.37 in 2010, 0.41 in 2020) and non-public schools (0.24 in 2010, 0.35 in 2020) displayed lower scores. Traditional public schools maintained a small positive diversity differential (3% in 2010, 2% in 2020) compared to local communities. Charter and non-public schools were less diverse than their local communities with non-public schools improving from 16% less in 2010 to 11% in 2020 and charter schools improving from 20% less in 2010 to 16% in 2020. Practical implications for policymakers include informed strategies to promote diversity and equity within the educational landscape. The study acknowledges limitations and emphasizes the dynamic nature of biocultural diversity, urging continued consideration in educational policy and practice.

Master of Arts (MA), Bowling Green State University, 2022, Sociology

Greater longevity increases the potential share of later life that individuals spend as a parent or grandparent (Margolis 2016; Margolis and Verdery 2019; Wachter 1997). Moreover, increases in marital instability raise the possibility that stepparents and step-grandparents may become an important role for many older adults. Although prior research has demonstrated that step-parenthood and step-grandparenthood are more common among non-Hispanic Black individuals (Yahirun, Park, and Seltzer 2018), we know less about how these roles vary across racial/ethnic groups. Using data from the 2015-2017 Add Health Parent Study (AHPS), this study examines racial/ethnic differences in step- versus biological parent support of adult children and grandchildren. Specifically, the study assesses instrumental support from parents to their adult children who are also parents, and thus offers a measure of indirect support to grandchildren. Additional analyses examine direct grandparent to grandchild support via anticipated childcare availability. Findings from this study suggest that biological parent families provide more instrumental support to adult children with activities such as childcare, errands, transportation, chores, or hands-on care in the past 12 months compared to stepparent families. Moreover, among individuals who did provide instrumental support to their adult child, the hours spent providing support were greater in biological parent families than stepparent families. However, race/ethnicity moderates the relationship between stepfamily structure and hours of instrumental support, such that the step- biological gap is smaller for Hispanic families compared to non-Hispanic White families. Furthermore, the additional analysis found that step-grandparents are less likely to anticipate helping their grandchild “a great deal” in the next 12 months. Findings from this study contribute to the broader literature on family complexity and racial/ethnic differences across kinship (open full item for complete abstract)

Doctor of Education , University of Dayton, 2022, Educational Leadership

The lived experiences of both students and teachers impact the classroom environment and there is undoubtedly a cultural influence on these experiences. As role models and leaders of the classroom, teachers have a duty to increase awareness of their own cultures as well as the cultures of their students. This study focuses on teacher perceptions of cultural competence and the impact on student relationships, classroom practices, and the school environment. Focus groups and a phenomenological approach were utilized to gather qualitative data from educators across the United States. A desire to develop cultural competency, a want for curricular integration of such, and a need for enhanced training through system wide initiatives to promote development of cultural competence emerged as themes.

Master of Arts, Miami University, 2022, Psychology

Autism Spectrum Disorder is characterized by an impaired ability to take other people's perspectives, which is known as theory of mind. However, little is known about how theory of mind exhibits itself in autistic children of color and how parents foster their child's developmental skills in communities of color. In this study, two interviews were created to assess how parents appraise their child's developmental skills and help their child grow: a perspective-teaching interview and a general developmental skills interview. Four families participated in the study; three children were African American or mixed, while one had an Asian mother. Parents were asked how their child exhibited various developmental skills and how they helped their child with those milestones. Parents pointed at similar delays in theory of mind and other developmental skills, such as turn-taking and reading faces. They also provided similar strategies to teach those abilities, such as modeling and reinforcements. Several insights and common themes were found regarding autistic behaviors their children expressed and how those affected their parenting experiences. These findings allow for a better understanding of parents' experiences raising autistic children of color; future research could expand on their stories and create interventions tailored to these underrepresented communities.

PhD, University of Cincinnati, 2022, Education, Criminal Justice, and Human Services: Criminal Justice

The goal of the Sentencing Reform Act of 1984 was to eliminate (or at the very least reduce) extralegal disparities in federal sentencing outcomes, including those based on race/ethnicity and district. Despite this goal, post-guideline research demonstrates that racial/ethnic minorities continue to receive harsher sentences than Whites and some districts continue to sentence harsher than others (net of relevant factors). Although past works have acknowledged these persistent extralegal differences, extant works have devoted surprisingly little attention to how these disparities have shifted over time. This is a particularly important “gap” in the literature given the sweeping changes to the federal criminal justice system (and the United States more broadly) since the implementation of the federal sentencing guidelines in 1987. Explicitly, since guideline implementation there have been numerous legal (e.g., Supreme Court decisions, pieces of legislation), priority (e.g., waning focus on drugs, increased focus on immigration), and societal changes (e.g., rising minority populations, shifting drug epidemics) which have implications for racial/ethnic- and district-based disparity. To this end, the goal of this dissertation is to answer two questions. First, how has the influence of defendant race/ethnicity on federal sentencing outcomes changed over time? Second, how have the effects of district, and district-level predictors, on federal sentencing outcomes changed over time? To answer these questions, I combine numerous publicly available datasets at the case-, district-, and time-level. At the case-level, I use 19 consecutive years (1998 to 2016) of federal sentencing data from the USSC Monitoring of Federal Criminal Sentences (MFCS) data series. At the district-level, I use data from the Administrative Office of the United States Courts, United States Census Bureau, and MIT Election Data and Science Lab. Meanwhile, at the time-level, I use the MFC (open full item for complete abstract)

Master of Science, The Ohio State University, 2022, Genetic Counseling

Background: Race, ethnicity, and ancestry (REA) are distinct terms that are often used interchangeably to refer to ascribed social identities. Within the medical setting, REA is commonly collected as demographic information with race and ethnicity being frequently used as surrogates for ancestral background. Currently, patient- or provider-reported REA is being used in biomedical and healthcare research instead of genetic ancestry, which is scientifically interpreted. The utilization of patient- or provider-reported REA in the clinical interpretation of potentially disease-associated variants may result in inaccurate risk assessment. Genetic counselors (GCs) often collect patient-reported REA as part of the pedigree construction process. Methods for obtaining patient-reported REA are currently not well characterized. This study aims to do the following: determine the proportion of genetic counselors who currently collect patient-reported REA during routine genetic counseling encounters, characterize how genetic counselors ask their patients about REA, and describe the characteristics of genetic counselors that do collect REA information as well as those that do not. An additional exploratory aim of investigating whether or not genetic counselors can determine race, ethnicity, and ancestry emerged during survey construction. Methods: 239 board-certified genetic counselors were recruited by electronic means to complete a 20-question online survey assessing GCs' perception of race, ethnicity, and ancestry, the current practices of GCs, and the demographics of GCs. Data regarding GCs' REA perception, current practices, and demographics were analyzed using descriptive statistics and chi-squared tests. Statistical analysis was not significant. Results: More participants ask patients for ancestry data (93%) in comparison to ethnicity (65%) or race data (40%). 75% of participants collect REA data from patients directly. Phrases and/or terms associated with “ethnicity”, “cou (open full item for complete abstract)

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2022, Public Health

Asian-Americans and Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islanders (NHOPIs) experience health and healthcare disparities compared to their white counterparts. In both communities, which are often jointly described as Asian-American Pacific Islanders (AAPIs), college students represent a vulnerable subpopulation in regard to mental health outcomes and healthcare. Unfortunately, relatively little is known about the mental health outcomes and experiences of Asian-American and NHOPI undergraduate students. This dissertation sought to evaluate how race, gender, and the intersection of the two affect the mental health outcomes and lived experiences of Asian-American and NHOPI undergraduate students. Three separate, but interconnected, studies using both qualitative and quantitative methods were completed. First, a secondary data analysis of the Healthy Minds dataset (2018-2019) provided a characterization of depression, anxiety, and psychological well-being outcomes for Asian-American and NHOPI undergraduate students across the United States. Second, a qualitative semi-structured interview study was conducted among Asian-American undergraduate students; this allowed me to explore and analyze their lived experiences of filial piety and how it intersected with mental health, race, gender, and other macro-level factors. Finally, a cross-sectional quantitative survey of Asian-American and white undergraduate students was launched. This survey was developed using survey input from research experts in public health, survey methodology, and/or Asian-American health and input from focus groups with Asian-American undergraduates. The survey collected information on filial piety and mental health to determine how race, gender, and the intersection of the two impacted filial piety, depression, anxiety, and psychological well-being. This research had three main conclusions. First, the mental health outcomes of AAPI undergraduate students are heterogenous. Differences between Asian-Amer (open full item for complete abstract)

Doctor of Philosophy, Case Western Reserve University, 2022, Psychology

Approximately 11-20% of school aged US children are estimated to have mental health problems. Despite their impairment and associated societal cost, these concerns are largely untreated. Although it is known that children from disadvantaged backgrounds, especially those who have experienced adverse childhood events (ACEs), tend to have higher rates of psychological symptoms and lesser rates of treatment utilization, few models exist that consider the complex interplay of factors that to date have only been examined independently of one another. To address this knowledge gap, data from the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) regarding 5899 US children ages 6 though 17 were used in the present study through structural equation modeling to look at the interrelationships between income, ACEs, internalizing/externalizing symptoms, and mental health service use based on the Andersen Behavioral Model. The hypothesized model was first tested with an overall sample of all 5899 target children and then examined using multigroup comparison by race. Good model fit was observed across the entire sample as well as with three of the four racial/ethnicity groups, suggesting that the model generalizes across race and ethnicity. Nevertheless, differences in the magnitude of several hypothesized pathways were found during comparison of racial/ethnic groups, suggesting unique differences between certain racial/ethnic backgrounds, which are further discussed.

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

Racial inequality in hiring, wages, evaluations, and promotions is a prominent issue in the contemporary United States. Prior research demonstrates implicit biases advantage White job candidates over equally qualified job candidates from other racial groups. Other research finds individuals exert cognitive effort to rationalize and justify racial disparities in ways that reproduce inequality. This project explores the interplay between unconscious and cognitive processes in relation to job candidate selection. I use a mixed-methods experimental design that collects evaluations, neurological measurements, and qualitative interviews. Participants review a pair of resumes that signal race/ethnicity and work ability (i.e. work skill score—a work skill score is a tool used by companies around the nation to diversify their hiring practices). Neurological methods are used to investigate that assumption of status characteristic theory that more implicit and cognitive attention is given to resumes when status information is inconsistent. Qualitative interviews are used to observe how decisions are rationalized using colorblind and ignorance frames as found in race/ethnicity research. My findings suggest status-relevant information is not universally aggregated into individuals' evaluations of others as status characteristics theory predicts. Instead, the results of this study are comparable to recent race/ethnicity research that reveals how high status (White) individuals ignore, reject, or incorporate information in ways to maintain the (racial) status quo. The results of this study also demonstrate how incongruence between individuals' behavioral action and cognitive rationalizations may reproduce racial inequality. If the goal is to reduce racial inequalities, future research must examine interventions and mechanisms that simultaneously address behavioral and cognitive outcomes.

Master of Arts (MA), Bowling Green State University, 2021, American Culture Studies

The marketing of DNA ancestry tests plays a major role in circulating ideas about how the public should interpret DNA test results, the way DNA connects us to people around the world, and the connections between race, ethnicity, nationality, genetics, and ancestry. This thesis contributes to the literature on DNA ancestry testing marketing by examining themes not thoroughly explored in previous studies: ancestry travel and DNA tests as anti-racist tools. Through a textual analysis of Ancestry, 23andMe, and MyHeritage DNA television advertisements, I analyze how these advertisements represent travel based on one's DNA ancestry test, how populations and regions around the world are represented, how race, ethnicity, and nationality are discussed, and how the root causes of racism are defined. My analysis is informed by critiques of DNA tests made by scholars in ethnic studies, biology, anthropology, and science and technology studies who argue that by taking it as a given that race and ethnicity have meaning at a genetic level, genetic scientists participate in the geneticization of race. I argue that these advertisements represent ancestry travel as journeys of self-discovery where the traveler connects with others through consumption practices. The populations the traveler visits are represented without specificity and are shown in positions of service to the traveler. By promoting the idea that DNA tests are objective arbiters of belonging, these advertisements redefine race, ethnicity, and nationality as labels that describe one's genetic ancestry and remove the agency from communities to decide who is and is not a member of their community. These advertisements promote the idea that there is a genetic component to race and ethnicity and suggest that contemporary inequalities along racial and ethnic lines are a product of innate genetic difference as opposed to historical and political processes. Thus, these ads circulate ideas that echo early 20th century (open full item for complete abstract)

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

Many policymakers seek to improve mathematics proficiency and to reduce achievement gaps across ethnic groups in the United States. This study examines the relationship between parental involvement, self-efficacy, and mathematics achievement in middle school within a multiethnic school district in the United States Midwest region. A total of 454 students participated in a survey over the course of a school year. The survey was meant to investigate the interaction and perceptions of parental involvement, self-efficacy, and school achievement within the school's system across the various ethnic groups. I used Pearson correlations to analyze the data to determine if a statistically significant relationship exists between parental involvement and mathematics achievement, parental involvement and self-efficacy, and self-efficacy and mathematics achievement. Similarly, descriptive statistics and ANOVA were utilized to analyze student perceptions of these variables and differences across ethnic groups. Findings indicate that a significant relationship exists between parental involvement and self-efficacy. Similarly, a significant relationship exists between self-efficacy and mathematics achievement. However, no significant relationship exists between parental involvement and mathematics achievement. Results also showed that White students demonstrated the highest level of mathematics performance, while Black students demonstrated the least level of mathematics performance. Meanwhile, Black students showed the highest parental involvement perceptions while Multiethnic students expressed the lowest parental involvement perception. The students' perception of self-efficacy was low across the ethnic groups.

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

Objective: Although cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) has established efficacy in the treatment of depression, studies of CBT have largely been composed of White Americans (Horrell, 2008). Researchers have suggested that there is need for greater attention to cultural competence among therapists and to adapting treatments for specific minority populations (e.g., Miranda, Chung, et al., 2003). However, non-adapted treatments remain much more widely used and have more often been the focus of dissemination efforts. Whether the process of change or efficacy differs among ethnic/racial minority patients requires further study. To help address these issues, I completed two studies. For study 1, the aim was to examine whether there are differences in the therapeutic processes and outcomes observed in CBT between ethnic/racial nonminority and minority patients, including those of African, Asian, and Hispanic/Latino descent. The aim of study 2 was to investigate differences in therapists' clinical decision-making and personalization of treatment when working with minority (viz., African American) vs. nonminority patients. Methods: For study 1, I drew data from three prior studies for a combined sample of 253 patients who had participated in CBT for depression (47 minority and 206 nonminority patients). Observers' ratings of therapist adherence (to cognitive and behavioral methods) and alliance were available for the early sessions of each patient. Depressive symptoms were assessed at the start of each session. I examined the relation between minority status and variables of interest (i.e., symptoms, dropout rates, and process variables). I also created and included propensity scores in the models to adjust for the confounding effects of pre-treatment variables. For study 2, a sample of 218 therapists participated in an online experiment testing clinical decision-making using clinical case vignettes. Each therapist received the same vignettes, but images displayed with th (open full item for complete abstract)

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Bowling Green State University, 2021, Sociology

There is a broad consensus among demographers and immigration scholars that adult immigrants are more likely to transition to marriage, and tend to marry a member of the same race than native-born adult Americans. What remains unknown in the literature, however, is whether the marriage patterns of the children of these immigrants are different from their peers with native-born parents. This is an important research question because the marriages of today's children of immigrants have implications on the future diversity and family forms of the American society. Using discrete-time multilevel methods, ordinary least square regression models, and data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health, this dissertation identifies novel patterns of first marriage among children of immigrants. Specifically, the dissertation comprises three main research goals each of which forms an analytic chapter. In the first empirical chapter, I estimated the likelihood of entry into first marriage among children of immigrants relative to children of nonimmigrants. In this chapter, I provide evidence that suggests that children of immigrants have diverging first marriage trajectories that depend on the group of native-born Americans that immigrant-origin young adults are compared to. For example, most children of immigrants have lower chances of marrying when they are compared to children of native-born whites. At the same time, the likelihood of entry into marriage for some children of immigrants are higher than their co-racial/ethnic peers with native-born parents. The chapter highlights and suggests cultural norms as salient in explaining whether or not children of immigrants marry. In the second analytic chapter, I address patterns of racial assortative mating among children of immigrants and nonimmigrants. That is, I examine whether children of immigrants (compared to nonimmigrants) are more likely to marry a member of the same race or marry someone of a diff (open full item for complete abstract)