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Graduate Students’ Experience and Perceptions of Campus Climate and Racial Pressure
No full textUniversities and colleges are making broader efforts to recruit and retain minorities to make their campuses more representative of America’s demographic makeup. However, there still remain gaps in college enrollment between racial and ethnic minority (REM) students and White students in the education pipeline. There are multiple cultural and personal factors that prohibit REM students from enrolling in or completing post-secondary education, including campus climate. In regards to retention, studies have found that racial and ethnic minorities have reported negative experiences with campus climate. The purpose of this study was two-fold. The study explored two different related research questions through a mixed method research design. In the quantitative design of the study, the research attempted to understand graduate students’ perception and experiences of campus climate as measured by the Cultural Attitudes and Climate Questionnaire (CACQ). In addition, the study explored whether collective self-esteem contributed to graduate student’s experience and perception of their campus climate. Based on the findings of the first phase of the study, the second phase of the study explored how racial ethnic minority students perceived and experienced racial pressure on their campus.
The quantitative study used archival data from surveys from 209 professional and graduate students (77% female) from a health profession campus in a predominantly White institution. The survey asked about students’ experiences and perceptions of campus climate across ten factors: Racial Tension, Cross Cultural Comfort, Diversity Awareness, Racial Pressure, Fair Treatment, Faculty Racism, Respect for Other Cultures, Lack of Support, Comfort with Own Culture, and Overall Satisfaction. Participants were also asked to complete a collective self-esteem scale. Standard multiple regressions were used to assess which factors influence positive and negative experiences with campus climate. Results from the standard multiple regressions for both of these aims demonstrated that racial tension, faculty racism, and lack of support were the strongest predictors of negative experiences amongst all students, R = .64 R2 = .41, F(4, 204) = 35.75, p \u3c .001. The findings also confirmed that the strongest predictors of positive experiences and perceptions of campus climate were fair treatment and respect for other cultures, R = .69 R2 = .34, F(5, 203) = 21.01, p \u3c .001. Multivariate analyses of variance (MANOVA) were used to compare differences between REM students, biracial students, and White students’ experiences with their campus climate and the factors related to campus climate and found a significant difference regarding perceived racial pressure between REM students and White students, F(2, 205) = 6.02, p = .003, partial eta squared (ηp2) = .06. A Pearson product-moment correlation coefficient was used to assess the relationship between graduate student’s overall satisfaction with their campus climate and their Collective Self-Esteem and a small correlation between the two variables was found, r(207) = .28, p \u3c .001.
To get a better understanding of graduate students’ experiences with racial pressure and to complement the quantitative findings of the study, the author recruited 20 graduate students to participate in one of three focus groups and shared their perceptions and experiences of racial pressure on their campus climate. The data was transcribed, organized and analyzed using Atlas.ti software by two researchers. Three overarching themes emerged from the data and were central in the evaluation and development of racial pressure on campus: (1) definition of racial pressure (2) experiences of racial pressure on campus, and (3) feelings and reactions to racial pressure. Consequently, these themes produced several subthemes regarding pressures students experienced which included expectations to represent their own culture in a favorable manner, assimilation into the dominant culture, minimizing characteristics of one’s racial ethnic culture, presence of White pedagogy, pressure to succeed, alienation, and guilt.
This study contributes to the literature on experiences and perceptions of campus climate for graduate students. It also contributes towards the literature on racial pressure experiences in education. Findings indicate that REM graduate students perceive and experience racial pressure differently than White graduate students. Racial pressure has contributed to additional feelings of isolation and guilt REM graduate students’ experience on campus. The present study also indicates that exploring how students in higher education experience campus climate might provide insight into additional challenges and barriers that REM students experience on their campus and highlights how academia may still be embedded into perspectives of White culture
Differences in Triggers of Jealousy among Heterosexual, Gay, and Lesbian Adults: The Case of Offline and Online Infidelity
No full textThe study examined the differences in the cues that trigger jealousy (emotional and sexual infidelity) between individuals in monogamous romantic relationships where the option for biological reproduction is present (opposite-gender relationships) and individuals who endorse being in monogamous romantic relationships where biological reproduction is not an option (same-gender relationships) and if any differences found were consistent across offline and online infidelities. Additionally, the study examined differences in triggers of jealousy across online and offline infidelities among heterosexual, gay, and lesbian individuals in monogamous romantic relationships. Lastly, the study examined if gender differences in jealousy due to the type of infidelity consistently found in offline infidelity research and in research on online infidelity holds true (e.g., men are more likely to be triggered by sexual infidelity when compared to women and women are more likely to be triggered by emotional infidelity when compared to men). This study was a partial replication of Groothof, Dijkstra, and Barelds’ (2009) study, which examined male and female’s responses to emotional and sexual infidelity over the internet. Participants (n = 269) completed a demographic questionnaire, a social media use questionnaire, and an infidelity scenario questionnaire. The infidelity questionnaire consisted of six different offline and online infidelity scenarios. Significant differences in cues that trigger jealousy were found between participants in monogamous romantic opposite-gender and monogamous romantic same-gender relationships. Participants in opposite-gender relationship were more triggered by sexual infidelity when compared to participants in same-gender relationships and vice versa. No significant differences in cues that trigger jealousy were found among participants who identified as heterosexual, gay, lesbian, and other. However, participants who identified as heterosexual chose sexual infidelity as more distressing when compared to non-heterosexual participants. Consistent with previous research, gender differences in cues that trigger jealous were found among male and female participants, with male participants more like to choose sexual infidelity as triggering when compared to female participants, and vice versa. Despite these differences, emotional infidelity appeared to be more triggering of jealousy among all participants and across all infidelity scenarios
The Role of Religiosity, Spirituality, and Peer Support in the Promotion of Resilience in Gender Diverse Youth
No full textCurrent literature on transgender and gender diverse youth (TGDY) emphasizes the prevalence of risk factors (Stieglitz, 2010). For example, compared to same-aged cisgender peers, TGDY youth have higher levels of depression, anxiety, suicidal ideation, history of suicide attempts, self-harm, and inpatient psychiatric stays (Reisner et al., 2015). Resilience [positive adaptation following threat to adaptation] is a construct that has been less frequently studied with this population. The aim of the current study was to examine the role of religiosity and spirituality in the promotion of resilience for the TGDY population. A group of 162 TGDY youth participants (ages 14-23), were recruited through social media platforms (e.g., Tumblr, Twitter, etc.) to anonymously complete an online self-report questionnaire about religiosity, spirituality, and resilience factors. A regression model utilizing study variables (e.g. religiosity, spirituality, peer support, peer attachment) on resilience was found to be significant. Peer attachment variables (e.g., degree of mutual trust, communication, extent of alienation) and peer support variables (e.g. appraisal, tangible, belonging) each significantly contributed to the variance in overall resilience scores. Specifically, peer attachment, perceived peer support, degree of mutual trust, communication, and extent of alienation each significantly contributing to variance in resilience. Spirituality variables (e.g. individual, contextual, environment, transcendental) were found to be significant predictors of resilience, with environmental spirituality significantly contributing to variance seen within the measure of an individual’s overall resilience. Results demonstrated that varying levels of resilience (overall, individual, interpersonal, contextual) were impacted differentially by religiosity, spirituality, peer support, and peer attachment. Therefore, resilience in TGDY may be promoted across different contexts and future research should continue to examine how religiosity and spirituality impacts TGDY across a variety of contexts. This information can be utilized to cultivate promotive factors for TGDY youth through intervention/prevention. In addition, results may provide religious or spiritual organizations with practical information about how to be more inclusive
The Role of Social Media in the Relationship Between Social Anxiety and Treatment-Seeking
No full textSocial Anxiety Disorder (SAD) is one of the most common anxiety disorders diagnosed in the United States of America, but despite effective treatment options, only 5-25% of individuals that meet criteria receive treatment. Although some barriers to treatment have been identified for this population, there is limited research on the attitudinal barriers, such as stigma and health literacy, and what factors affect these barriers. One area of interest for this population is how social media use may help or hinder wellbeing. Current research has not shown a clear relationship in either direction. The aim of this study was to explore the relationship between social anxiety symptoms, type of social media use, and attitudes towards seeking mental health treatment. Ninety-five adults who identified as having symptoms of social anxiety were recruited through social media platforms and completed an anonymous online self-report questionnaire about social anxiety symptoms, attitudes towards seeking mental health treatment, and a Facebook use questionnaire developed for the purposes of this study (SIAS-6, SPS-6, IASMHS). Individuals with low or high symptom severity reported more positive attitudes towards mental health treatment than those with moderate severity. Passive Facebook use did not moderate this relationship. Demographic variables were also analyzed as moderators; race, gender, sexual orientation, and age did not moderate the relationship. Based on these results, it is clear that more research is needed to identify contributing factors to the low treatment rate for this population. Suggestions for further research include exploring active internet use in this population, exploring other social media platforms that allow for anonymity, and using a control group without social anxiety to confirm that this pattern is unique to this population
Keywords: social anxiety, social phobia, social media, Facebook, passive internet use, treatment-seeking, attitudes towards treatment-seeking
Factor Analysis of the Academic Behavior Checklist
No full textThe Academic Behavior Checklist (ABC) is a self-report inventory designed to measure study skills and student ownership of learning at both the high school and the college levels. The primary purpose of the ABC is to provide students with an opportunity to change through the improvement of their study skills, habits, and attitudes. Six hundred and four students from two disparate high schools in the Pacific Northwest completed the measure. Each school provided the students’ GPAs and attendance records. The following study examined the underlying factors which the ABC measures
Mitigating the Antecedents of Sports-Related Injury Through Yoga
No full textInjury risk among athletes is an epidemic. The psychological and physical loads imposed on athletes through psychosocial stressors and training regimens significantly increase athletes’ injury risk. This feasibility study assessed whether a 10-week yoga intervention could be implemented successfully and mitigate antecedents of sports injury. Using a prospective, non-experimental design, 31 male soccer players attending a college in the Pacific Northwest enrolled in the intervention. The Recovery-Stress Questionnaire for Athletes (RESTQ-Sport) and Psychological and Physical Stress Indicator (PPSI) were completed at 3 time-points before and after the yoga intervention. The RESTQ-Sport scales, identified as strongest predictors for injury, were hypothesized to be mitigated through yoga. Two stress-related scales were significant in the hypothesized direction: Injury and Fatigue. The general recovery scale General Well-Being was significant at one time-point, but in the opposite direction as hypothesized. No PPSI scales were significant; however, 13 of 15 subscales moved in the opposite direction as hypothesized. Positive findings are discussed and explanations for unexpected changes are explored, along with study limitations. Results suggest that yoga can be successfully integrated into the athletic program of soccer players and provisionally support the potential of a yoga intervention to mitigate two significant antecedents of injury, namely, injury and fatigue
