Doctor of Education, Ashland University, 2014, College of Education

This study explores the racial attitudes and preferences among 164 children between three and seven years of age. The study is a partial replication of the Clark and Clark (1958) Doll Test which concluded that segregation, along with prejudice and discrimination, caused feelings of inferiority and self-hatred in African-American children. Significant changes to the original doll test are introduced in the current study. This study is based on an embedded mixed method design which utilizes Chi-square, cross-tabulations, and free-choice interviewing. The data were analyzed in response to research questions designed to test the racial attitudes and racial preferences of the participants. The findings of this study concluded that the participants can identify and have an awareness of racial differences, show doll preference, and display positive self-image. Qualitative themes that emerged from the research concluded that the participants liked the doll that looked most like them (or a family member), had a skin tone they liked, or was pretty. Themes associated with why participants did not like the doll that looked like them included skin tone and miscellaneous responses such as facial features and because the doll did not resemble the child's doll at home. The findings of this study are compared to the results from the Clark and Clark (1958) Doll Test.

Committee: Judy Alston Ph.D. (Committee Chair); Rosaire Ifedi Ed.D. (Committee Member); Sunny Munn Ph.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Developmental Psychology; Early Childhood Education; Educational Psychology; Social Psychology

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Ohio University, 2013, Higher Education (Education)

In a time when higher education accountability is increasing, it is essential that institutions, no matter their mission and purpose, produce higher rates of retention, persistence and graduation. Funding remains a scarce resource; therefore, more institutions with lower success rates are being closely scrutinized. In that context, a debate continues concerning the relevance of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). HBCUs are not just "Black Colleges" only serving Black students, but institutions that have evolved into providing service students no matter their racial or cultural background. This research study employed qualitative inquiry as a means to examine the experiences of nine White students who attended two HBCUs in the Midwest: Central State University and Kentucky State University. As temporary minorities, these White students shared that their HBCU experience has provided a wonderful educational and social opportunity where they were able to receive one-on-one attention from their faculty members, engage closely with staff, and develop connections with their peers. Although these HBCUs do not offer programs specifically targeted for minority students, the participants felt that they mattered to their institution and that being temporary minorities allowed for them to gain personal racial understanding and deeper insight into race related issues. Findings from this study showed that the success rates of White students at these HBCUs exceeded those of overall student rates. However, it was noted that these students did not receive active outreach from these institutions. It was concluded that HBCUs must be inclusive in their recruitment practices in order to appeal to non-African American students. Students of all races may see HBCUs as possible college options if the institutions actively reach out to them. As HBCU relevance is being questioned, these institutions must take an active stance as to whether they will rest on an identit (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Peter Mather (Committee Chair); Laura Harrison (Committee Member); Marybeth Gasman (Committee Member); Francis Godwyll (Committee Member) Subjects: Higher Education Administration

Master of Arts, The Ohio State University, 2013, EDU Policy and Leadership

The purpose of this constructivist narrative study was to explore how Asian American student leaders of ethnic student organizations (ESOs) experience their ethnic and racial identities in the context of their ESO and the classroom. The primary research questions guiding this study were: (a) How do Asian American student leaders of ESOs experience and make sense of their ethnic and racial identities within the context of their involvement with their ESO; (b) How do Asian American student leaders of ESOs experience and make sense of their ethnic and racial identities within the classroom? Data collection included semi-structured interviews with six participants. Data was analyzed through Clandinin and Connelly's (2000) three dimensional narrative inquiry space for elements of interaction, continuity, and situation. Restories of each participants' narrative were presented. Findings from this study include: (1) Complex and varied understandings and negotiations of ethnic and racial identities within the ESO context; and (2) Salience of ethnic and racial identity in the classroom associated with negative, challenging, and positive experiences.

Committee: Susan Jones (Advisor); Tatiana Suspitsyna (Committee Member) Subjects: Asian American Studies; Education; Higher Education; Higher Education Administration

Ph.D., Antioch University, 2025, Leadership and Change

This study focuses on the lived experiences of seasoned White facilitators of racial equity workshops to understand how they navigate the complexity of occupying a White racial identity while working to challenge the belief systems of white supremacy ingrained in themselves and others. Through applying Critical Race Theory as a framework to grounded theory methodology, this study examined whiteness as a sensitizing concept in micro, meso, and macro levels of analysis, situating this dissertation in the theoretical exploration of the multifaceted and pervasive nature of whiteness. Much of the research on racial equity work examines White participants in nascent stages of engagement, concentrating on the external behavior and impact of White race talk during conversations about race and racism. Applying dimensional analysis to 18 in-depth interviews of White facilitators, whose experience in racial equity work ranged from 7 to over 30 years, this study identified two co-core, interrelated dimensions of engaging on a learning journey to embrace the both/and. In addition to these co-core dimensions, four primary dimensions depicting the phenomenon of whiteness emerged from the findings: colluding with whiteness, stirring whiteness, unraveling whiteness, and interrupting whiteness. Through analysis of these findings, this study presents four theoretical propositions and a theoretical model representing variations of the social processes White facilitators move through to interrupt whiteness in themselves and others. The methodological exploration used in this study provides an opportunity to explore the fullness of what it means to be White and engage in racial equity efforts, potentially contributing to the literature on utilizing grounded theory as a process to explore social justice efforts. This dissertation is available in open access at AURA (https://aura.antioch.edu) and OhioLINK ETD Center (https://etd.ohiolink.edu).

Committee: Harriet Schwartz PhD (Committee Chair); Lemuel Watson EdD (Committee Member); Maureen Walker PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: American Studies; Behavioral Sciences; History; Political Science; Social Psychology; Social Research; Social Structure; Sociology

Ph.D., Antioch University, 2024, Antioch Seattle: Counselor Education & Supervision

Supporting the development of an antiracist identity in counselors could facilitate change toward equity, justice, and opportunity within the counseling profession and increase awareness of white counselors in working with clients of color. Understanding obstacles to and enablers of antiracist attitudes in white women counselors holds the potential to bring change to the profession as a whole, given their position in the majority. This quantitative study used instruments to assess white racial affects of white fear, anger, and guilt along with antiracist self-efficacy as influencing antiracist accountability in a sample of white women counselors in the United States (N = 64). White fear was shown to have a moderate inverse relationship with antiracist accountability, and white anger was demonstrated to have a moderate positive relationship with antiracist accountability. White guilt did not show a statistically significant influence. Both white fear and white anger were mediated by antiracist self-efficacy, and a strong positive relationship was shown between antiracist self-efficacy and antiracist accountability. Implications for the counseling profession, the practice of counseling, and counselor education are presented. This dissertation is available in open access at AURA (https://aura.antioch.edu) and OhioLINK ETD Center (https://etd.ohiolink.edu).

Committee: Shawn Patrick (Committee Chair); Stephanie Thorson-Olesen (Committee Member); Katherine Fort (Committee Member) Subjects: Behavioral Sciences; Counseling Education; Mental Health

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), University of Dayton, 2024, Educational Leadership

This study explored what motivates White male tenured faculty to increase their cultural competence. The purpose of the research was to provide deeper insight into white male faculty's motivation to increase their cultural competence. Critical qualitative research methodology was the chosen methodology with a critical theory and critical ethnographic framework. Fourteen White male tenured faculty volunteered to participate in sixty-minute semi-structured Zoom interviews. Participants responded to five questions exploring their journey with cultural competence ranging from experiences in their childhood to school both pre-k thru twelfth grade to experiences as a faculty member. Findings revealed several themes important to development of cultural competence, which can positively influence student learning. Identified motivating themes include childhood experiences and identity development, call to become an educator, experiences of Whiteness in higher education as well as approaches to inclusive excellence on campus, and an individual love of learning. Embedded in the research findings are also strong support for college student experiential learning opportunities. Insights gleaned from this research can have a direct influence on the design of future learning programs and how best to develop White faculty cultural competence to support inclusive excellence.

Committee: Pamela Cross Young (Committee Chair) Subjects: Educational Leadership

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2024, Social Work

Despite the attention and commitments made toward anti-racist and anti-oppressive practices within social work systems, there is a dearth of research examining student development of such competencies. Using ecological systems theory as an investigative framework, this study examined factors and processes involved in anti-oppressive skills development among White social work students. The psychosocial costs of racism to Whites (PCRW), racial identity development and intergroup contact theories were used to select potential predictive factors and generate hypotheses. An explanatory sequential mixed-methodology was used to address research questions by integrating quantitative and qualitative methodologies throughout data collection and analysis phases of the project. Participants were recruited from Master of Social Work (MSW) programs by targeting institutions within the midwestern United States. The study sample comprised of 186 White MSW students from programs across 18 states. Most participants were female (65%) full-time students (58%) between 18 to 29 years of age (64%). Cluster analysis was used to classify students into White racial affect orientation (PCRW) types characterizing their emotional reactions toward people of color using combinations of measures for White empathy, White guilt, and White fear. The majority of participants aligned with the Insensitive and afraid (30%) or the Fearful guilt (26%) types describing their reactions to people of color and racism with differences observed across gender, ethnicity, program year, and student academic status. Hierarchical linear regression analyses were used to evaluate associations between anti-oppressive competencies and predictive factors across levels of an ecological system. Reliable predictors of anti-oppressive competencies included White empathy (B = .348, t = 5.91, p = <.001), reflective processes (B = .274, t = 3.07, p =.002), White Fragility (B = -.200, t = -2.94, p = .004), White fear (B = -.1 (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Mo Yee Lee (Committee Chair); Steven Stone-Sabali (Committee Member); Njeri Kagotho (Committee Member) Subjects: Social Work

PhD, University of Cincinnati, 2023, Education, Criminal Justice, and Human Services: Counselor Education

Multicultural competency is a requirement for counselors and among White counselors this involves understanding racial identity and its development as this impacts their clinical work with Black clients. The purpose of this study was to explore White counselors' racial identity development and gain an understanding of how this impacts the development of the therapeutic relationship with Black clients through a phenomenological qualitative research study. Three research questions guided the focus of this study. Prior to this research study, there was no literature exploring White racial identity and the impact it has the development of a therapeutic relationship with Black clients. Seven White female counselors licensed in Ohio who provide counseling to Black clients participated in the study. Semi-structured interviews were used to collect the data. Braun and Clarke's (2006) six-phase thematic analysis framework were used for this phenomenological study. Helms (1984; 1990; 1995) White Racial Identity Model was the framework used to analyze the data, which provided four evolving themes. The findings demonstrated the need for greater cultural competency and racial identity development among White counselors to provide competent counseling to Black clients. The information obtained from this study has the capability to better the counseling profession, spark changes in training and education for White counselors to understand their racial identity and its impact on clinical work with Black clients, and generate more competent counselors to provide counseling to Black clients through the future advocacy and unification of educational requirements and continuing education requirements for licensed counselors.

Committee: Andrew Wood Ph.D. (Committee Chair); Antar Tichavakunda Ph.D. (Committee Member); Rachel Saunders Ph.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Counseling Education

Master of Education (MEd), Bowling Green State University, 2023, Curriculum and Teaching

While Asian American social studies scholars have explored issues related to curriculum and Asian American students' and teachers' needs (An, 2020, 2022; Gao, 2020; Rodriguez, 2019), none have yet examined Asian American adoptees. Asian American adoptees' racial and ethnic identity development journeys are qualitatively different from those of their non-adopted Asian American peers (Baden et al., 2012), so culturally responsive social studies instruction might look different for them than it would for their non-adopted peers. To begin to fill the gap, this study explored the central research question, “How do Asian American adoptees perceive the relationship between their social studies experiences and their own racial and ethnic identity development?” It also explored two sub-questions: 1) “How do Asian American adoptees identify with their own ethnic groups?” and 2) “How do Asian American adoptees identify with a broader Asian American racial identity?” This study operated from three theoretical frameworks: Baden et al.'s reculturation (2012), Phinney's three-stage ethnic identity formation (1989, 1993), and culturally responsive and relevant pedagogy (Gay, 2002; Ladson-Billings, 1995). Using an instrumental case study that also drew on phenomenology, this study utilized data from semi-structured interviews with five participants, all Asian American adoptees. Findings suggested that social studies' role in the participants' racial and ethnic identity development journeys was minimal. Overall, the participants experienced social studies instruction that presented a narrow picture of Asian American history and reinforced the master narrative. To be more fulfilling to their ethnic and racial identities, participants wanted more instructional time to be spent on Asian and Asian American history, lessons taught on their birth countries' histories and cultures, and lessons that expanded outside of token, conflict-based events. Participants conceptualized connecti (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Nancy Patterson Ph.D. (Committee Chair); Hyeyoung Bang Ph.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Education

Doctor of Philosophy, University of Toledo, 2023, Educational Psychology

Black young adults not only experience the same difficulties and discomfort when developing an identity as all young adults, but they are also tasked with reconciling their identity within the context of race. Racial identity development (RID) and the role it plays in the life outcomes of Black young adults is a well-researched area of focus within education. Equally important to the development of identities for Black students is the curricula they are taught, which is less studied. The problem addressed in this study is the way in which stereotypical depictions and representations of Black people within the K-12 curricula impact how young Black college students conceptualize their RID. The current study examines how Black young adult college students describe their experiences with the K-12 curricula, view their RID, and discover if negative experiences with the K-12 curricula exacerbates a negative view of racial identity. This study used a convergent mixed methods research design by interviewing students (n = 15) and surveying their racial identity (n = 38) at a public metropolitan, research-intensive University. The quantitative data showed that significant positive relationships were found between centrality, private regard, and nationalist subscales on the MIBI-T. The qualitative data yielded several important findings. Participants shared that several factors including curricular content as well as relationships and interactions with the school environment and their teachers either positively promoted their RID, or acted as threats to their RID. This study discusses findings that include educational factors that impact students' conception of, and feelings toward their racial identity, as well as the saliency and meaning that Black young adult college students attach to their Black identity.

Committee: Lisa Pescara-Kovach (Committee Chair); Jennifer L Martin (Committee Member); Michael D Toland (Committee Member); Vicki Dagostino-Kalniz (Committee Member) Subjects: African Americans; Black Studies; Curricula; Education; Educational Psychology; Educational Theory

PHD, Kent State University, 2023, College of Education, Health and Human Services / School of Foundations, Leadership and Administration

This constructivist grounded theory study conceptualized how White women educated at Jesuit colleges and universities and engaged in racial justice ally behavior developed their identities as White women and racial justice allies. Nine participants from six different Jesuit universities engaged with the researcher through two interviews and a written reflection. A model of identity development was constructed utilizing Charmaz's (2014) constructivist grounded theory data collection and analysis methodologies, along with critical and feminist perspectives. The constructed model focuses the processes associated with development of four salient identities—White, woman, White woman, and racial justice ally. Specifically, these developmental processes are characterized as evolving identity as White, defining identity as a woman, integrating identity as a White woman, and choosing identity as a racial justice ally. Within this model, development progresses through subprocesses characterized as subprocesses of reflection or action that give meaning to the identity development experiences. The model also considers the influence of family, community, education, and faith and the influences of the current events and the Jesuit higher education context. This study and the resulting model of identity development contribute to the scholarship of the identity development of White women and racial justice allies while offering implications for and critiques of the role of institutional context in these developmental processes.

Committee: Christa Porter (Committee Chair) Subjects: Higher Education Administration

Doctor of Philosophy, University of Toledo, 2022, Educational Theory and Social Foundations

The field of education has long identified a need for culturally responsive educators due to significant racial and cultural mismatch between k-12 students and their teachers; the fact that racially and culturally marginalized students have negative social and academic outcomes when their teachers are not culturally responsive; and that most preservice teachers are not prepared to be culturally responsive. Given that few researchers have considered the relationship between the programs' racial climate and their capacity to best prepare student, this study employed hierarchical linear modeling to uncover the extent to which teacher preparation programs' racial climates are associated with preservice teachers' racial identity, and consequently their preparation to be culturally responsive. Analysis of quantitative data collected through preservice teacher surveys revealed several principal findings, which suggest not only that the vast majority of White preservice teachers are underprepared for cultural responsiveness, but also that teacher preparation programs' capacity to prepare preservice teachers to be culturally responsiveness may be delimited by the quality of coursework they offer, low student participation in organized intergroup interactions, and a lack of faculty racial diversity.

Committee: Edward Janak (Committee Co-Chair); Revathy Kumar (Committee Co-Chair); Jud Laughter (Committee Chair); Dale Snauwaert (Committee Chair) Subjects: Educational Psychology; Educational Theory; Multicultural Education; Social Structure; Teacher Education

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2022, Social Work

Multiracial people are the fastest growing demographic in the U.S., with the largest concentration under the age of 18 (U.S. Census Bureau, 2021). Despite this, research about racial identity for multiracial adolescents is limited, especially research that takes a strengths-based approach. Racial identity has traditionally been thought of as a set monoracial point of resolution; but racial identity for multiracial youth is more nuanced, as their racial identity is more fluid, can change in different contexts or stages of life (Joseph & Briscoe-Smith, 2021), and some choose to forgo identifying with a racial grouping altogether (Renn, 2008), making measuring racial identity through traditional models or measures challenging for this demographic. Given this reality, this study takes a Critical Multiracial Theory (MultiCrit) frame to study and understand multiracial youth, which highlights the salience and importance of the combination of racial identities a multiracial person holds varying situationally as well as across time, and the importance of centering multiracial youth and their lived experiences (Harris, 2016). The study also utilizes the findings of Williams et al. (2020)'s model of racial identity development across the lifespan, which highlights “personal meaning making” of race as the outcome of racial identity development, instead of a set, most salient racial identity checkbox like previous models. In this study, responses from a national sample of multiracial eighth-grade students and their parents on the National Center for Education Statistics' Early Childhood Learning Survey were analyzed through univariate, bivariate, and multivariate analyses in an exploratory cross-sectional quantitative study. Students' responses on social-emotional learning (SEL) constructs and a self-concept questionnaire, in combination with parents' responses on parent-child relationship constructs provided insight into how SEL affects self-concept, how the parent-c (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Camille Quinn (Committee Chair); Mo-Yee Lee (Committee Member); Dionne Blue (Committee Member); Marc Johnston-Guerrero (Committee Member); Carla Curtis (Committee Member) Subjects: Education; Social Work

Doctor of Philosophy, Miami University, 2019, Educational Leadership

Transracial Asian American adoptee collegians, who for the purposes of this study are Asian Americans raised in and by White adoptive families, are largely absent within college student development and higher education research. Much of the literature on Asian American racial identity referenced in higher education foregrounds familial, ethnic, and cultural factors in racial identity development, which may not resonate with or apply to transracial Asian American adoptees. The purpose of this study was to examine how transracial Asian American adoptees describe and make sense of their race in college and explore how power shapes participants' constructions of race. To do this, I conducted a poststructural narrative study using Thinking with Theory as my data analysis strategy. I interviewed 12 transracial Asian American adoptee collegians, completing two interviews with each participant. By “plugging in” and iteratively moving between transcript data, Anzaldua's (1987) Borderlands/La Frontera: The New Mestiza, Trenka's (2003) memoir The Language of Blood, and my own researcher positionality as a transracial Asian American adoptee and adoption scholar, I explored the ways that Border Theory and Trenka's articulation of “neither, nor, both, between,” opened new meanings and understandings for how transracial Asian American adoptees describe and make sense of their race in college. Participants' narratives reveal the breadth and nuance of transracial Asian American adoptee collegians' racialized experiences and perspectives. I also identified four emerging assemblages (collections of experiences) across and between participants' narratives, which indicate that participants experienced feeling: (1) Neither Asian, (2) Nor White, (3) Both Model Minority and Perpetual Foreigner, and (4) Between Races. These assemblages demonstrate how transracial Asian American adoptees push the boundaries of who is and is not considered legitimately Asian; challenge the limits (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Stephen Quaye (Committee Chair); Elisa Abes (Committee Member); David Pérez II (Committee Member); Yu-Fang Cho (Committee Member) Subjects: Educational Leadership; Higher Education

Doctor of Philosophy in Urban Education, Cleveland State University, 2017, College of Education and Human Services

Concerns regarding teacher recruitment and teacher retention among African American teachers continue to illustrate the difficulty in diversifying the teacher population. At the same time, African American teachers currently working in urban schools must successfully find strategies to engage urban youth, who face inequitable educational opportunities. Such realities can be challenging to African American teachers, who have also experienced structural oppression, as they are expected to conform to the educational ideologies and strategies of dominant, white society. As such, the personal and professional experiences of African American teachers working within urban schools will not only influence their on-going identity, but will also influence his or her beliefs and teacher pedagogy. To this end, research must be employed that explores how specific experiences, context, and one's racial/ethnic identity influences the on-going development of African American teacher identity. This study explored the different experiences of African American teachers; specifically how biographical and professional experiences influenced the ongoing identity development, beliefs, and pedagogy of the African American teacher. To understand the experiences of African American teachers within this study, a narrative approach will be employed. Through narrative methodology, the various ways in which people context, and history influenced the development of identity, beliefs, and pedagogy are examined. Findings revealed that participant's experiences with navigating through oppressive educational institutions, is the material used to counter and disrupt institutional racism in the schools where they now teach. Additionally, participants utilized personal experiences and knowledge of their student's culture and community, to influence their social and academic development. The identity, pedagogy, and beliefs of participants reflect ongoing development, as (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Brian Harper Ph.D. (Committee Chair); Anne Galletta Ph.D. (Committee Co-Chair); Tachelle Banks Ph.D. (Committee Member); Frederick Hampton Ph.D. (Committee Member); Huey-Li Li Ph.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: African Americans; Education; Gender

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2016, City and Regional Planning

The planning field has a long history of intersecting with, contributing to and addressing issues of social, racial and geographic equity, from the late 19th century work of Jacob Riis and Jane Addams to contemporary movements such as progressive regionalism and environmental justice. Planning has had a conflicted history in engaging issues of equity and racial or social inclusion, with the profession at times being at the forefront of social justice issues, and at others acting as an accomplice in many of the most discriminatory urban policies in 20th century American history. While planning has often served the needs of marginalized groups, racial discrimination has been interwoven with various aspects of planning practice and policy throughout the 20th century. The model of sustainable development, which has become dominant in planning practice in the past two decades, presents a vision for balancing economic development, environmental protection and social equity, known as the three “e's” of sustainable development. By the late 2000s the principles of sustainability have made their way into the thinking of many federal agencies. The Department of Housing and Urban Development's Sustainable Communities' Initiative (SCI), introduced by the Obama Administration, sought to take these principles and translate them to practice at a scale not previously attempted in the United States. HUD invested more than $200 million in seventy- four regions across the U.S. who received three- year regional sustainable development planning grants. The planning initiatives were intended to better coordinate housing and transportation while supporting more sustainable and equitable land use, infrastructure, and zoning decisions. SCI included a strong equity and fair housing mandate, introduced new equity planning and fair housing tools, and provided extensive support for equity planning in the program. My research examines the experience of forty- five regional planning grantees (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Jennifer Evans-Cowley PhD (Committee Chair); Jill Clark PhD (Committee Member); Rachel Kleit PhD (Committee Member); Bernadette Hanlon PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: African American Studies; Architecture; Area Planning and Development; Black Studies; Environmental Health; Environmental Justice; Environmental Studies; Ethnic Studies; Geography; Legal Studies; Native American Studies; Public Health; Public Policy; Sustainability; Transportation Planning; Urban Planning

EdD, University of Cincinnati, 2001, Education : Counselor Education

Changing population trends and the diversification of the United States population have prompted mental health professionals to reevaluate the efficacy of strategies and approaches used in counseling. The heavy focus of research on Blacks of lower socioeconiomic status raises serious questions about generalizing findings to all African Americans without regard for possible intra-racial differences. This study explored whether upwardly-mobile, African American women's satisfaction of counseling methods, counselor ethnicity, and racial composition of counseling group membership was associated with their level of racial identity. One hundred and twenty three African American women completed a survey using the Client Satisfaction Questionnaire-8 to rate their anticipated satisfaction of a specifically described counseling service. Participants also completed the Black Racial Identity Research Scale Revised. Results revealed that racial identity did not influence satisfaction on any of the variables investigated. There was a significant difference between anticipated satisfaction with a Black counselor and a White counselor. There were no significant differences between anticipated satisfaction of individual counseling and group counseling or between racially heterogeneous and racially homogeneous counseling group memberships. Findings of this study underscore previous research stating that African Americans prefer same-race counselors. The results also suggest that the type of counseling and composition of counseling groups may not be as salient to African American women as counselor-client racial similarity. Implications of this research suggest that the visual and physical presence of African American counselors within mental health and counseling agencies could make professional counseling more attractive, accessible, and credible for African American women. In addition, counselor-client racial matching may also reverse the underutilization of mental health services (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Dr. Robert Conyne (Advisor) Subjects: Education, Guidance and Counseling

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2010, EDU Policy and Leadership

Prospective teachers bring to the classroom "interpretations of students and their communities, and their location within a hierarchical society that are informed heavily by assumptions about race and ethnicity" (Sleeter, 2005, p. 243). In his research on student-teacher relationships, Oates (2003) found these assumptions "strongly undermine academic performance," specifically for African-American students (p. 520). How do prospective teachers believe their encounters with racism shape their past, present, and future experiences in teaching, learning, and interactions with others? How do prospective teachers make meaning of their encounters with racism? These were the primary questions addressed in this study. The researcher interviewed eleven prospective teachers in an urban education focused Middle Childhood Masters of Education Program at a large Midwestern university. The findings revealed the interview to be the first time participants discussed these encounters and reflected on the assumptions they hold regarding their students. The findings also demonstrate that the current teacher education curriculum does not provide prospective teachers with the opportunity to understand and challenge these assumptions. The primary recommendation of this study is a reconceptualization of the racial framework through which prospective teachers construct racism. The significance of this study is to present narrative evidence to support the necessity of curriculum reform in teacher education in respect to preparing prospective teachers for teaching students of diversity and to guide the development of teacher education curriculum to more accurately reflect the needs of the changing demographics of P-12 students.

Committee: Beverly Gordon PhD (Advisor); Adrienne Dixson PhD (Committee Member); Sebnem Cilesiz PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Curricula; Teacher Education

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Ohio University, 2012, Curriculum and Instruction (Education)

The purpose of this dissertation was to examine the experiences of African American seventh-grade male students in an Afrocentric school located in Columbus, Ohio. This school's curriculum was based on the principles of Nguzo Saba and Ma'at from an African-centered perspective. The researcher investigated how these principles influenced the self-concept of African American seventh-grade male students based on the principles of Nguzo Saba, self-esteem based on the principles of Ma'at, and how both sets of principles influenced racial identity development. It was presumed that these principles assisted African American students in becoming well-rounded and grounded in their ancestral history, culture, values, and traditions, thus developing a positive sense of self. Although there had been numerous studies in the field of Afrocentric education, there was a lack of research that had examined the principles of Nguzo Saba and Ma'at together, which served as a foundation for Afrocentric education, or its influence on African American students, particularly adolescent male students. This was a qualitative research approach, specifically, a phenomenological case study, which was limited in scope to African American seventh-grade male students. The researcher employed qualitative methods of documentation and school observation. These included two focus groups of African American seventh-grade male students and interviews with their teachers, the school's principals, council of elders/committee members, and parents. There were three streams of classes: all males, all females, males and females; observations focused on the stream of all-male classes. Data were collected over a nine-month period. The data collected were analyzed in comparison to literature reviewed. The study used Cross' 1971 racial-identity model and Delgado and Stefancic's 2001 critical-race theory as the frameworks. The purpose was to examine the particular stage to which participants usually related in d (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Francis Godwyll PhD (Advisor); Eric Jackson (Committee Member); Adah Randolph-Ward (Committee Member); Frans Doppen (Committee Member) Subjects: African American Studies; African Americans; Behavioral Psychology; Black Studies; Curriculum Development; Education; Ethnic Studies; Middle School Education; Multicultural Education; Pedagogy; Teacher Education; Teaching

Master of Arts (M.A.), University of Dayton, 2012, Psychology, Clinical

Research shows that there is a lack of documentation and understanding in the area of racial-ethnic identity (REI) development. One of the main concerns is that there is no widely accepted or used measurement for this developing construct in children. The purposes of this study were to examine (1) if the assessment of activity preferences and racial model influence can represent REI in elementary and middle school children; (2) if participation in cultural programming (CP) is associated with children's REI and their feelings toward member of their racial-ethnic group; and (3) if REI scores relate to cross-racial acceptance. To accomplish this, three measures (the Activity Preference, Racial Model Influence, and Cross-Racial Acceptance Tasks) were developed and presented, via PowerPoint presentation, to two treatment and four comparison groups comprised of 144 Black second-, third-, sixth-, and seventh-grade students who attended two neighboring predominately Black Dayton public elementary schools. The treatment groups participated in African dance and drumming workshops. Pre- and post-test data were obtained and comparisons between participating and non-participating students were made. Results support the notions that (1) REI in younger children may be absent or in an early developmental stage; and (2) overall, there is no relationship between REI scores and cross-race inclusion. Limitations of the study are discussed and future directions suggest that future studies include more sensitive measures and a stronger CP variable. Further, If REI develops in children, then the present approach to measuring REI could be useful in exploring an important component of children's social and emotional development.

Committee: Ronald Katsuyama PhD (Committee Chair); Melissa Layman-Guadalupe PhD (Committee Member); Jack Ling PhD (Committee Member); Roger Reeb PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Black Studies; Developmental Psychology; Ethnic Studies