A critical paradox? Predictors of latino students' sense of belonging in college.

Data from the Diverse Democracy Project Study, a national longitudinal study of 1st-year students enrolled in 4-year public research universities who were followed into their 2nd year of college, were used to explore background characteristics and college experiences associated with Latino students' sense of belonging. A framework including perceptual and behavioral dimensions of campus climate was used to organize the analysis. The direct or indirect effects of positive diversity experiences, perceptions of a hostile racial/ethnic climate, other perceptions and behaviors regarding college experiences, and immigrant status on sense of belonging were examined. Structural equation modeling analyses revealed that measures of positive diversity experiences and engagement in the campus community were positively associated with sense of belonging and with perceptions of a hostile racial/ethnic climate. Being a 2nd-generation immigrant was negatively and indirectly related to sense of belonging. These findings indicate that Latino students find a sense of belonging in a more complex, paradoxical way than traditional theories of college transition would imply. Effectively measuring relationships among campus climate indicators for various racial/ethnic groups may require more sophisticated methodological approaches. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Color-blind racial attitudes, social dominance orientation, racial-ethnic group membership and college students' perceptions of campus climate.

Racial-ethnic group membership, color-blind racial attitudes (i.e., unawareness of racial privilege, institutional discrimination, and blatant racial issues), and social dominance orientation were used to predict perceptions of campus climate in general and specifically for people of color among a sample of 144 undergraduate, graduate, and professional students at a predominately White university. Results indicate that after controlling for racial-ethnic minority status, perceptions of "general campus climate" (GCC) and "racial-ethnic campus climate" (RECC) are predicted by color-blind racial attitudes. Post hoc analyses indicated that unawareness of racial privilege partially mediated the relationship between race and RECC and fully mediated the relationship between race and GCC. Individuals with higher levels of color-blind racial attitudes tend to perceive the campus climate more positively. Implications for research, training and practice are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

An exploratory examination of the associations among racial and ethnic discrimination, racial climate, and trauma-related symptoms in a college student population.

In this study, we examined the association among perceptions of racial and/or ethnic discrimination, racial climate, and trauma-related symptoms among 289 racially diverse college undergraduates. Study measures included the Perceived Stress Scale, the Perceived Ethnic Discrimination Questionnaire, the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist—Civilian Version, and the Racial Climate Scale. Results of a multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) indicated that Asian and Black students reported more frequent experiences of discrimination than did White students. Additionally, the MANOVA indicated that Black students perceived the campus racial climate as being more negative than did White and Asian students. A hierarchical regression analysis showed that when controlling for generic life stress, perceptions of discrimination contributed an additional 10% of variance in trauma-related symptoms for Black students, and racial climate contributed an additional 7% of variance in trauma symptoms for Asian students. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

First impressions count: Ethnic/racial and lesbian/gay/bisexual content of professional psychology application materials.

This article will help you learn about using application materials as one way to attract incoming ethnic/racial and lesbian/gay/bisexual (LGB) minority graduate students. Such materials are often an applicant's first exposure to psychology programs and are typically overlooked as tools to be used to communicate multicultural information. The authors demonstrate that professional psychology training programs approved by the American Psychological Association that have application packets with more ethnic/racial and LGB content have significantly higher numbers of ethnic/racial minority students. The data from this study also indicate that programs are making small gains in using application packages to communicate ethnic/racial minority concerns and almost never mention LGB-related issues. Recommendations are offered to help professional psychology programs make better use of application materials to attract greater numbers of ethnic/racial and LGB minority students. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Liberal and conservative political ideology, experiences of harassment, and perceptions of campus climate.

The purpose of this study was to examine the relations among racial-ethnic group membership, political ideology (i.e., conservative and liberal), and perceptions of general campus climate (GCC) and of campus climate for racial-ethnic minorities (RECC). One hundred and thirty-six (136) undergraduate, graduate, and professional students participated in this study at a large public Midwestern university. A series of multivariate analyses of variance, hierarchical regressions, and mediation analyses were conducted. Findings indicated that Whites endorsed more positive perceptions of campus climate, reported fewer experiences of racial-ethnic harassment, and endorsed less liberal political ideological beliefs than people of color. No racial differences in conservative ideology emerged. After controlling for racial-ethnic group membership, results showed that experiences of racial-ethnic harassment predicted both GCC and RECC, whereas conservative ideology only predicted RECC. Post hoc analyses demonstrated that experiences of racial-ethnic harassment fully mediated the relationship between racial-ethnic group membership and GCC, but only partially mediated the relationship between racial-ethnic group membership and RECC. Neither conservative nor liberal ideologies were significant mediators. Implications for future research and practice are provided. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Diverse faculty in STEM fields: Attitudes, performance, and fair treatment.

In an attempt to address concerns regarding the experiences of academic faculty who are members of often-marginalized groups (e.g., women and ethnic/racial minorities), a climate survey of faculty members at a large public university was developed as part of a larger effort to improve aspects of the policies, procedures, and work climate. Multivariate analysis of variance revealed differences in performance-related variables and equality of treatment for women and racial/ethnic minorities working in the STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) fields. Women in STEM fields and racial/ethnic minority non-STEM faculty generally reported more negative experiences, while ethnically diverse STEM faculty generally reported more positive experiences. The differential composition of the racial/ethnic minority STEM and non-STEM groups is thought to explain the discrepant findings between these 2 groups. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Factorial invariance of a campus climate measure across race, gender, and student classification.

Invariance analyses using multigroup confirmatory factor analysis were conducted to test a model of campus climate perceptions for its equivalence in a combined sample of 2,634 undergraduate and graduate university students across race, gender, and student status. Results suggested that a multidimensional model of campus climate comprised of psychological and behavioral climate dimensions appears to be supported for both undergraduate and graduate students across race/ethnicity and gender. Nonequivalence of factor loadings seen in all three invariance comparisons indicated that relationships between items and the underlying factors differed in magnitude on some climate dimensions between males and females, White and ethnic minority students, and graduate versus undergraduate students. Implications for future climate measurement and higher education policy and practice are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Transparency and trust as antecedents to perceptions of commitment to stated diversity goals.

Student perceptions of their university's commitment to its stated diversity goals impact important outcomes on campus. Perceptions that the university is committed to its stated diversity goals decreases perceptions of racial tensions on campus, while perceptions that the university is not committed to its stated diversity goals causes a host of negative outcomes for students, including higher perceptions of hostility and discrimination. Using a sample of 360 students at a small university, the current study addresses the relationships between trust, breach of obligations, transparency, and perceptions of the university's commitment to stated diversity goals. Results indicate that transparency and trust are important to building and maintaining the perception that the university is committed to its stated diversity goals. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

What college students really think about ethnic student organizations.

In this study, the authors examined European, Hispanic, and African American college students' attitudes toward ethnic student organizations (ESOs). Based on data from Study 1 (N = 750), it was found that students across ethnic groups expressed uncertainty about whether ESOs were beneficial/necessary, fair/acceptable, and about their interest in joining an ESO. As a group, Hispanic and African American students did not believe that ESOs contributed to racial or ethnic separatism on campus, whereas European Americans expressed uncertainty about that possibility. In Study 2, a separate sample of students (N = 631) was randomly assigned to read the mission statement of a White, Hispanic, or African American ESO. Consistent with asymmetry theory, students in general judged the White American ESO as significantly less beneficial/necessary, less fair/acceptable, and as contributing more to racial/ethnic separatism than the Hispanic and African American ESOs. European, Hispanic, and African American students viewed their own ESO most favorably, although European American students were more consistent in their appraisals of ESOs irrespective of the ethnic focus of the ESO. Implications of these findings are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Racial(ized) Identity, Ethnic Identity, and Afrocentric Values: Conceptual and Methodological Challenges in Understanding African American Identity.

A survey of the literature reveals that there is conceptual confusion and inconsistent and sometimes inappropriate usage of the terms racial identity, ethnic identity, and Afrocentric values. This study explored the extent to which Black racial(ized) identity attitudes were related to ethnic identity and Afrocentric cultural values. Two hundred and one African American college students attending a predominantly White university or a historically Black university completed the Cross Racial Identity Scale (B. J. Vandiver et al., 2000), the Nadanolitization Scale (J. Taylor & C. Grundy, 1996), the Multigroup Ethnic Identity Measure (J. S. Phinney, 1992), and the Africentrism Scale (C. Grills & D. Longshore, 1996). Results of a canonical correlation indicated 2 significant orthogonal roots that were labeled a nonracialized ethnic identity and a racialized ethnic identity. The results suggest important similarities and differences among the various identity constructs. Implications for racial and ethnic identity research and Afrocentric research are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The prejudiced personality, racism, and anti-Semitism: the PR scale forty years later

The relationship of prejudiced personality traits with racism and anti-Semitism was examined with 150 Asian American and White university students. The Prejudice (PR) scale, composed of 32 items from the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory, was administered along with the McConahay racism scale and the Selznick and Steinberg Anti-Semitism scale. Results indicated that for Whites, the PR scale was significantly correlated with old-fashioned and modern racism and anti-Semitism, replicating Gough's 1951 study (Gough, 1951b) with the PR scale. However, no such relationship was observed for the Asian American group. This suggests that personality traits of prejudicial attitudes may be relatively stable for Whites but may not be related to outgroup bias for other racial or ethnic groups.     

Participation in formal and informal campus diversity experiences: Effects on students' racial democratic beliefs.

The authors examined the influence of participation in formal campus diversity experiences (e.g., courses and workshops) and interracial friendships on 2 specific democratic racial beliefs among a racially diverse sample of freshmen (N = 589). Using separate path analyses for each outcome, the authors examined the effects of diversity experiences and friendships on universal diverse orientation (UDO) and color-blind racial ideology over the course of an academic year. While controlling for sex and entrance attitudes, the authors found support across racial groups for models predicting UDO and racial color-blindness. Furthermore, participation in formal diversity experiences and interracial friendships mediated a number of the associations. The authors also tested 2 causal mediation models examining the influence of 1 racial belief at entrance on the other racial belief at follow-up (e.g., UDO at entrance on racial color-blindness at follow-up) and found that the model predicting color-blind racial ideology provided an adequate fit to the data for White, Black, and Latino/a students; participation in formal diversity experiences mediated this association among White students. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Individualistic and collectivistic worldviews: Implications for understanding perceptions of racial discrimination in African Americans and British Caribbean Americans.

Cultural worldviews and perceived racial discrimination were examined among Americans (n = 106) and British Caribbean Americans (n = 95), both of African descent, who were recruited through university student organizations, community organizations, and snowball sampling. Consistent with public perceptions of differences in the experience of race among these 2 groups, multiple regression analyses revealed African Americans were more likely than British Caribbean Americans to perceive racial discrimination in the United States. In addition, a cultural worldview focus on individuality and equality (i.e., horizontal individualism) moderated the relationship between ethnic group and perceived racial discrimination. British Caribbean Americans who endorsed greater agreement with horizontal individualism were less likely to perceive racial discrimination. The same worldview was unrelated to African Americans' perceptions of racial discrimination. The results are discussed with respect to within-group heterogeneity among persons of African descent. Implications for counseling persons of African descent and future research directions are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Beyond bilingualism: Social psychological studies of French Immersion Programs in Canada.

Reviews social psychological studies of immersion programs in Canada with reference to 2 issues: (1) bilingualism, ethnic identity, and intergroup perceptions; and (2) attitudinal and motivational factors and 2nd language use in bilingual settings. It is concluded that 2nd language learning in immersion programs is associated with social psychologically significant outcomes that are related to fairly specific aspects of the immersion experience. More specifically, it has been found that immersion students are not likely to experience a loss of ethnic identity with respect to their home culture and that they develop a greater sense of similarity to French Canadians. Immersion students express more positive attitudes toward the use of French than do nonimmersion students, and they report using French more often than nonimmersion students in a number of situations. The social psychological outcomes of immersion are discussed in terms of possible intergroup and motivational factors. (French abstract) (40 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Measurement and assessment in campus climate research: A scientific imperative.

This article provides a brief introduction to this special issue of the Journal of Diversity in Higher Education on "Measurement and Assessment in Campus Climate Research." As institutions across the country seek to increase structural diversity, campus climate has become an integral component on diversity initiatives. In the face of ongoing attacks against diversity efforts, campus climate researchers will be under increasing scrutiny and pressure to provide evidence for the validity of their findings. To date, there has been little attention in the scholarly literature regarding the quality of methods of measurement and assessment in campus climate research. This special issue provides a set of five articles addressing important issues in this important area of inquiry. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Stenosis complications in digestive surgery: a histomorphological contribution. Comparison of mechanical and manual sutures]

Breast feeding a new baby is a special challenge for college students and university employees. Although success is usually associated with availability of support from the community, little is known about the social context for breast feeding on campus. Personal breast feeding experiences, beliefs about outcomes of breast-feeding and bottle feeding, attitudes toward breast feeding and bottle feeding, and regard for appropriateness of various settings for breast feeding in the campus community were investigated. One hundred seven students, faculty, staff, and administrators at a North Central state university participated in the study. Almost all reported at least one personal breast-feeding experience. Benefits of breast feeding over bottle feeding were acknowledged; however, the university community regarded both feeding methods favorably and saw practical advantages to bottle feeding. Personal spaces, such as infant home or family car, were regarded as more appropriate for breast feeding than public settings. Implications for promotion, support, and protection of breast feeding on campus are discussed.     

University environment as a mediator of Latino ethnic identity and persistence attitudes.

The authors examined whether the perception of the university environment mediated the relationship between ethnic identity and persistence attitudes of Latino college students. Participants were 175 Latino college students who attended a primarily White university. The results supported the hypothesized mediating role of the university environment. Higher Latino ethnic identity was associated with perceiving a more negative university environment and feeling less committed to finishing college. In turn, perception of a negative college environment was associated with feeling less committed to finishing college. When perception of the university environment was removed, no significant relationship was found between ethnic identity and persistence attitudes, indicating that it is the perceived context that influences Latino college students' persistence attitudes. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Adolescents' reference-group choices, self-esteem, and adjustment.

330 Black, Hispanic, Asian, and White high school students reported their reference-group label as mainstream, bicultural, or strongly ethnically identified. Compared with other groups, White students were significantly more likely to be mainstream. Across ethnic groups, students reporting a strong ethnic identification held attitudes that were significantly more separatist, reported more ethnic pride, engaged in less cross-ethnic contact out of school, reported more cross-ethnic conflict, and used English significantly less often than other reference groups. Reference-group label was not associated with significant ethnic differences in self-esteem, social competence, or grade point average (GPA). The generational status of minority students is discussed as a potential influence mediating the impact of reference group on adjustment. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

University climate perceptions by black and white students.

Studied the perceptions of university climate of 138 black and 730 white undergraduates. Factor analyses of a 115-item university climate questionnaire were performed in racial subgroups. 5 factors were extracted for whites and 6 for blacks. 2 racism factors appeared in the black sample, while only 1 racism factor appeared in the white sample. There were consistent and significant differences on the factor scales between the 2 races, with blacks perceiving the university climate more negatively. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)