Renee V. Galliher - US grants

The overall goal of the proposed project is to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the relational and interactional processes contributing to dating aggression among rural adolescent couples. In contrast to the majority of research examining adolescent dating aggression, the current study conceptualizes the couple as the unit of analysis and uses an observational methodology to assess adolescent couple members' own subjective understandings of their interactions. As part of a larger ongoing research plan, this study will also begin to examine the role of ethnicity in understanding communication patterns in adolescent couples and how they relate to dating aggression. A mediational model of dating aggression is proposed in which couple members' perceptions of their communication with their romantic partners mediate the association between family of origin variables and the report of aggression in the relationship. One hundred Euro-American and Latino adolescent couples who have been dating a minimum of four weeks will be recruited from high schools in rural western communities. Couple members will individually complete questionnaires assessing parent relationship qualities and conflict management strategies (both between parents and between participant couple members). In addition, couples will be videotaped having three brief conversations adapted from previous observational work with adolescent couples. Adolescents will then individually view and rate their own and their partners' behaviors using a video-recall procedure. The conversations will be divided into 20-second segments and couple members will rate themselves and their partners on several behavioral dimensions using Likert rating scales for each segment. Analyses will examine the nature of adolescent couple members' perceptions of their interaction and the associations among parent relational quality, couple communication, and dating aggression.

[unreadable] DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The overall goal of this project is to gain a more comprehensive understanding of culture and cultural identity influences on romantic relationship development for Mexican-American youth. The current project will answer questions about the roles of culture and cultural identity in understanding relationship development for Mexican-American youth in two phases. Phase 1 involves a broad examination of the associations among cultural factors and psychosocial and relationship adjustment in a sample of approximately 300 Mexican- American high school students. Students' self-reports of cultural identity development, acculturation, enculturation, and their experiences of prejudice and discrimination from dominant society members will be used to predict youths' adjustment in three important domains: school functioning (e.g., school performance and school belonging), psychological and behavioral health (e.g., depression, self-esteem, substance use), and relationship development (e.g., relationships with parents, peers, and romantic partners). Phase 1 will provide preliminary information about the impact of cultural factors in this particular population and will provide important information to local educators and policy makers in their efforts to improve services and maximize outcomes for Latino youth. Phase 2 of the proposed study involves repeated administration of the survey from Phase 1 to examine longitudinal associations among cultural factors, experiences of discrimination and adjustment. In addition, a sub-sample of participants from Phase 1 will be recruited for participation in a more intensive examination of romantic relationship processes for Mexican-American youth. Fifty adolescents will be recruited for a qualitative interview aimed at understanding adolescents' subjective understanding of the influence of culture and family on their behaviors, goals, and values in romantic relationships. In addition, fifty randomly selected adolescents who are currently involved in a romantic relationship will be invited to participate with their partner in a video-recall procedure designed to capture couple members' subjective views of their interactions during a problem solving conversation. With this combination of qualitative, observational, and survey methodologies, the current study will examine associations among cultural identity, acculturation, and relationship processes in Mexican-American adolescent romantic couples, examine associations among romantic relationship functioning and other indices of psychosocial adjustment, and gain a more sophisticated understanding of Mexican-American adolescents' subjective understandings of culture and its impact on relationship development and expectations. The proposed project is the first to use a multi-method, longitudinal strategy to examine the roles of cultural and cultural identity in the development of romantic relationships among Mexican American youth. Although research has begun to address the developmental importance of romantic experiences during adolescence, few studies have addressed cultural issues directly. Mexican Americans comprise the largest segment of the most rapidly growing ethnic group in the United States and understanding predictors of optimal psychosocial functioning and development in this prominent minority population is important. [unreadable] [unreadable] [unreadable]

The purpose of this work is to explore the career development and professional identity trajectories of a marginalized group to pursue a career in engineering. Degrees in engineering are an established pathway to a stable, well-paying career, but engineering has historically been predominantly a white, heterosexual, male dominated field. Thus, in order to develop a diverse and well-prepared engineering workforce, there is a critical need for additional research into educational experiences, as well as the professional and academic outcomes of marginalized students as they strive to become competent professionals in the workforce of tomorrow. Companies also stand to benefit from more inclusive environments, as diverse environments contribute significantly to improved engineering outcomes by promoting innovation.

Through a series of quantitative surveys and qualitative interviews, this project will first assess the prevalence of engineering disciplines as a career path for marginalized students (e.g., LGBTQ students), and investigate their personal and professional development trajectories across disciplines. In subsequent surveys, the researchers will explore in greater depth the professional and personal identity development experiences of the marginalized students, with specific focus on perceptions of inclusiveness vs. experiences of alienation/marginalization and barriers vs. supports for career development in engineering. This study will grow the knowledge in multiple fields, particularly psychology, engineering education, and various engineering disciplines. The results of this work will be shared with educators and engineers through professional societies, scholarly publications, and participation at conferences.

This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.