College Women Research Articles

A Black feminist study of freedom, community care, and self-definition among Black college women attending predominantly White institutions.

A Black feminist study of freedom, community care, and self-definition among Black college women attending predominantly White institutions.

What can my body do for me? Guided body-functionality mirror gazing task improved college women’s body appreciation and body functionality orientation

Objective: Focusing on body functionality – what the body can do – may benefit women’s body image. This pilot study examined the effects of focusing on body functionality appreciation during an audio-guided mirror gazing task (F-MGT). Participants: 101 college women, M(SD)AGE = 19.49(1.31), were alternately assigned to F-MGT or a comparison with no guidance on how to examine the body, directed attention mirror gazing task (DA-MGT). Methods: Participants self-reported pre- and post-MGT body appreciation, state appearance satisfaction, and orientation to and satisfaction with physical functionality. Results: Group interactions were significant for body appreciation and functionality orientation. DA-MGT decreased body appreciation from pre- to post-MGT; F-MGT did not change. There were no significant interactions in post-MGT state appearance satisfaction or functionality satisfaction, though state appearance satisfaction increased significantly in F-MGT. Conclusions: Integrating body functionality may buffer against harmful effects of mirror gazing. Given F-MGT’s brevity, additional work must assess its potential as an intervention technique.

129 Horse-human interactions during group psychotherapy sessions

Incorporation of equine into mental health treatment continues to gain increased attention globally; however, there is a paucity of data quantifying behavioral interactions between humans and horses during these sessions. Therefore, the objective of this study was to quantify horse and human interactions during group psychotherapy sessions incorporating equine. Five college-aged women with anxiety took part in 7 weekly 90-min group psychotherapy sessions incorporating equine at a university. The group was facilitated by a licensed mental health counselor and equine specialist, with the same 3 equine partners throughout the 7 weeks. Sessions were videotaped and 4 of the sessions randomly selected for behavior coding. Ethograms of mutually exclusive human and horse behaviors were created and broadly categorized into non-aggressive interactions, aggressive interactions, and non-interaction behaviors. Thirty-second scan sampling was used to record behaviors by one trained observer throughout thestudy for a total of 640 time points. Behavior observations began when humans entered the arena and stopped when they exited. Means percentages of non-aggressive interactions and non-interactions were evaluated via t-test with differences set at P < 0.05. Humans and horses spent significantly more time (P = 0.01) engaged in non-interaction (58%) than in non-aggressive interaction behaviors (42%). No aggressive interactions were recorded. The most frequently observed interaction was “standing interaction” (i.e., horse or human standing within arm's reach of a human or horse, respectively). Further work is needed to identify the optimal quantity of horse and human interactions during psychotherapy sessions. Additionally, elucidating the role of these interactions in the treatment process is essential to support the practice of incorporating equine into mental health services.

Preliminary Efficacy of a Web-Based Alcohol and Emotion Regulation Intervention on Intimate Partner Aggression Among College Women.

Intimate partner aggression (IPA), encompassing psychological and physical aggression, is a public health concern due to its high rates among young adults. Research and theory connect heavy drinking and emotion regulation (ER) difficulties to IPA and highlight their potential role in reducing IPA. A web-based intervention combining alcohol reduction strategies with ER skills demonstrated initial efficacy at reducing heavy drinking and improving ER abilities among college women with sexual assault victimization histories. The present study represents a secondary analysis of this brief web-based intervention to evaluate its preliminary efficacy on IPA. The sample comprised 200 heavy drinking college women with histories of sexual assault victimization randomized to an assessment only control or the intervention consisting of 14 brief online alcohol reduction and ER skill building modules administered daily over a two-week period. The analytic sample included 103 women who reported their psychological and physical IPA at both the 1- and 6-month follow-up surveys. After controlling for alcohol use, repeated measures mixed models examining changes from baseline to 6-month follow-up by condition revealed a significant time-by-intervention interaction effect on psychological IPA. Women who received the intervention had a significant decrease in psychological IPA from baseline to 6-month follow-up; there was no change in psychological IPA among women in the control condition. There was no significant effect of the intervention on physical IPA. Reducing alcohol use and improving ER skills may be beneficial in helping women cope with relational conflict, thereby decreasing their use of psychological IPA.

Comparing Perception of Sexual Intent and the Use of Sexual Coercion in Men and Women College Students

ABSTRACT Despite research showing that many college men and women have experienced misperception of their friendliness as sexual intent, such research has focused on this type of misperception only as a correlate of men’s sexual aggression. In fact, regardless of methodology used many researchers seem to suggest women do not misperceive men’s sexual intent, and in some instances may actually under-perceive it. We used a hypothetical scenario to determine whether men (n = 324) and women (n = 689) college students perceived similar sexual intent from a character who is not the same gender as they are, as depicted in a story about a man and woman on a “date.” Our results revealed that men and women in our sample reported similar levels of perceived sexual intent on the part of the character with a different gender as described in the scenario, even after that character clearly indicated to the partner that they “think they do not want to have sex.” In addition, the perceived level of the character’s sexual intent as solicited in response to this scenario design was related to sexual coercion intentions among both men and women (though it appears more strongly related among men), and these relationships remained even after controlling for other known correlates of sexual coercion (e.g., rape myth acceptance, level of sexual arousal). Implications for the study of misperception and its origins are discussed.

Social Media Influence on Pakistani Youth’s Linguistic Expressions: A Predictive Study of Resultant Changes

Social media has taken over our lives in this era of technology and globalization in many ways. Among many other impacts on the users, the language choices, and expressions, mostly preferred by youth, are manipulated and affected by such online platforms. With this in view, this research seeks to understand how social media has transformed the language expressions of young Pakistanis. It also focuses on the possible resultant changes in linguistic choices made by youth after being influenced by social media. Data was collected through previous papers to discover the research gaps, and an online survey/questionnaire was administered to fulfil this study's goal. Fifty participants were randomly selected from five educational institutions in Sialkot, Pakistan (Govt. College Women University, NISA College, University of Management and Technology, University of Central Punjab, and Govt. Murray Graduate College). The data was critically, qualitatively, and quantitatively evaluated and analyzed. Furthermore, the research findings have shown that social media language dominates youngsters' linguistic expressions in several ways. A shift could be observed from using the alphabet to signs and symbols impacting the youth's academic and formal linguistic expression in educational institutes.

Reviewer Acknowledgements for World Journal of English Language, Vol. 13, No. 4

World Journal of English Language wishes to acknowledge the following individuals for their assistance with peer review of manuscripts for this issue. Their help and contributions in maintaining the quality of the journal are greatly appreciated.World Journal of English Language is recruiting reviewers for the journal. If you are interested in becoming a reviewer, we welcome you to join us. Please contact us for the application form at: wjel@sciedupress.comReviewers for Volume 13, Number 4Acep Unang Rahayu, Poltekpar NHI Bandung, IndonesiaAtyaf Hasan Ibrahim, University of Diyala, IraqAyman Khafaga, Suez Canal University, EgyptFatma Abusrewel, The University of Tripoli, LibyaFridrik Dulaj, University Fehmi Agani Gjakova, AlbaniaJergen Jel A. Cinco- Labaria, Western Philippines University, PhilippinesKanthimathi Krishnasamy, Shrimathi Devkunvar Nanalal Bhatt Vaishnav College for Women, IndiaMaria Isabel Maldonado Garcia, University of the Punjab, PakistanMuhammed Ibrahim Hamood, University of Mosul, IraqMusa Saleh, Qimam Al-Ulum Institute for Languages, Saudi ArabiaNuriadi Nuriadi, University of Mataram, IndonesiaOmsalma Ahmed, University of Hail, Saudi ArabiaÖzkanal, Ümit, Eskisehir Osmangazi University, Turkey

‘I spend lots of time on my appearance’: unpacking Chinese academic women’s gendered subjectivities through the lens of bodily performance

ABSTRACT Through the use of photovoice interviews as a research method and drawing on Butler's performativity theory, this article investigates the performative constitution of the subjectivities of three academic women in Chinese non-elite universities by unpacking the multiple meanings of their aesthetic experiences. The study reveals that these women emphasized their bodily performance in the workplace, paying particular attention to their physical appearance, including dressing and using make-up, to explicitly perform their femininity. In this study, academic women’s gendered subjectivities are produced by repetitive performative feminine bodies under the control of wider regulatory forces in terms of gender norms and institutional discourses. Our findings suggest that gender norms of beauty in the Chinese context have a profound impact on the three Chinese academic women’s choice of dress and appearance management. We conclude that (i) femininity matters during the process of academic women’s gendered subjectivity construction in the Chinese academic context; and ii) multiple and sometimes contradictory wider regulatory forces within and beyond the academia shape Chinese academic women’s bodily performance and, therefore, produce academic women’s gendered subjectivities.

Body Image, Self-Objectification, and Appearance Maintenance Among College-Aged Women

Introduction: Perceptions about one’s body can have a significant impact on social activities, quality of life, and overall psychological well-being. Women by far bear the brunt of negative psychological outcomes associated with poor body image. Little is known about the investment in appearance maintenance behaviors that women may engage to attain an idealized body standard. The current study investigated the connection between self-objectification, body image, and the time and money women invest in their appearance. Methods: 450 college-aged (M= 20.23) women completed an online survey that assessed self-objectification, body image, and appearance maintenance (e.g., non-hygienic grooming) behaviors. Results: Higher self-objectification scores were significantly correlated with body dissatisfaction (r = .41, p &lt; .001). Self-objectification was also correlated with the amount of time (r = .17, p &lt; .001) and money (r = .21, p &lt; .001) that women invested in grooming. These associations suggest that women who engage in self-objectification tend to spend more time and money on appearance. There was also a significant association between grooming and body dysphoria (r = .11, p = .039). Conclusions: Overall, these findings provide initial support that women who self-objectify invest more time and money in their appearance and tend to have fewer positive feelings towards their bodies.

“I Just Wasn’t Thinking”: Strategic Ambiguity and Women’s Accounts of Unprotected Sex

ABSTRACT Heterosexual university students continue to endorse sexual scripts that preference men’s desire and sustain gendered power imbalances in sexual relationships and encounters, leading women to risk pregnancy by engaging in unprotected sex. Because young women also endorse norms encouraging them to protect themselves and their partners from unintended pregnancy, women are caught in a bind between two often competing norms. We conducted semi-structured individual interviews with university women (n = 45) to examine how they navigate these competing norms. We found that women explained risky contraceptive decisions by saying they “just weren’t thinking,” thus employing strategic ambiguity, or vague language used to maintain social status, to navigate between competing norms. Our findings suggest that women were actually thinking about risks and making calculated decisions in the moment which often privileged men, putting themselves at risk and sometimes causing distress. To save face, women presented the idea that they “just weren’t thinking” in different ways that conformed to traditional notions of romance and sexuality: being in the moment, love and trust for their partner, and deferring to the perceived or actual wishes of men. We conclude that there is a need to promote and achieve affirmative sexuality which includes women feeling empowered to express their own sexual needs – whether that be consent or refusal, contraception, pleasure, or all of these.

Sexual Scripts and Sexual Consent: Gender Stereotypes, Music-Media Messages, and Sexual Consent Expectancies Among College Men and Women.

The pervasiveness of sexual assault among college women prompted examination of college students' sexual-consent expectancies using sexual scripting theory as a framework. We aimed to understand how personal beliefs, experiences with sexual violence, and dominant cultural gendered sexual scripts in music media inform sexual-consent expectancies among a sample of primarily White heterosexual college students at a northwestern university (n = 364). Participants viewed music videos with sexual and objectifying content and reported their perceptions of how women were portrayed. Linear mixed modeling with Maximum Likelihood with interactions by biological sex revealed associations between past sexual victimization and lower expectancies to adhere to a sexual partner's consent wishes. Men with a history of perpetrating sexual violence had lower expectancies to ask for consent, and women with more traditional sexual stereotypes had lower expectancies to seek consent or refuse unwanted sex. Having lower expectancies to adhere to a partner's consent wishes was associated with holding more traditional sexual stereotypes for both men and women. Participants who perceived women as powerlessness in viewed music videos had lower expectancies to ask for consent from a sexual partner, to refuse unwanted sexual advances, and to adhere to a decision regarding sexual consent. Through the lens of sexual scripting theory, results advance understanding of how the intersection of biological sex, experiences of sexual violence, gendered beliefs, and cultural scripts in music media inform young adults' sexual expectancies and potential for sexual risk. Implications for prevention include addressing gendered sexual scripts to reduce ambiguity around sexual consent among college students. Media-based interventions are discussed as a strategy toward this end.

Knowledge about COVID-19 and Perception of the Role of Media Among Non-Medical Students

Objective: The study aimed to determine the knowledge about disease and perception of the role of media regarding COVID-19 among non-medical students.Study Design: Cross-sectional analytical study.Place and Duration of Study: This study was conducted in educational institutions of Punjab including University of Lahore, National University of Science and Technology, COMSATS University, Forman Christian College University, University of Management and Technology, Punjab University, GC University Faisalabad, The University of Agriculture Faisalabad, University of Engineering &amp; Technology, University of Central Punjab, Islamia University Bahawalpur and Lahore College of Women University from June 2021 to November 2021.Materials and Methods: Using the convenience sampling technique, a sample of 400 non-medical students was included in the study. A self-constructed pre-tested questionnaire was used to collect data. Data was entered and analyzed in SPSS version 23. Independent t-test and ANOVA were applied to find the association between variables. A p-value of ≤ 0.05 was considered statistically significant.Results: Mean age of participants was 21.45± 2.16 years. About 38.7% used three or more sources of information. The most reliable source of media (37.75%) was social media updates. About 77.5% of participants used mass media daily and an increase in social media usage was reported by 88% of participants. The mean score related to knowledge was 14.09±4.5 out of 20. A statistically significant difference was found in the knowledge score of groups based upon sources of information (p = &lt;0.001), communication practices (p = &lt;0.001), gender (p=0.01), reported an increase in social media usage (p=0.04) and habit of seeking medical advice from media influences (p =0.05). The majority of participants agreed that media is creating awareness but also increasing fear and anxiety. Conclusion: Respondents had good knowledge about COVID-19. Gender, information sources, communication practices, increase in media usage and taking medical advice from media influenced the knowledge. Participants agreed that media is creating awareness but also increasing fear and anxiety. &#x0D;

Sexting in a post-feminist society: Balancing agentic empowerment and the sexual double standard

This article uses qualitative data to examine sexting practices as a form of empowered agentic behavior for young women within the context of American collegiate hookup culture. Focus group data from a diverse sample of American college women (n = 22; 18 % white) demonstrates their engagement with the sexual double standard and choices about sexting. Situating sexting within cultural narratives emerging from hookup culture and post-feminism, young women appear to receive contradictory messages that complicate their decision-making. Young women are simultaneously exposed to hookup culture, which promotes the expectations of sexual experimentation and self-objectification in college, as well as post-feminist ideologies encouraging them to freely enact their sexual choices. The juxtaposition of these discourses becomes complicated by lived experiences with the double standard, where women see gender-based obstacles in their decision-making that do not extend to their male peers. For these young women of color, the sexual double standard operates prominently in their decisions, so they make choices to protect their privacy, reputation, and relationships while choosing to engage in sexting.

Latent class analysis of college women's motivations for engaging in same‐sex performativity

AbstractSame‐sex performativity (SSP), or public performances of sexuality (e.g., kissing) between women who identify as heterosexual, is a relatively common relational experience among college‐aged women. Identifying patterns of women's motivations for engaging in SSP can elucidate the heterogeneity among women's social and sexual behaviors during a critical developmental period (i.e., college). We used latent class analysis to identify classes of heterosexual undergraduate women who engaged in SSP (N = 282). We identified three classes of motivational patterns: Other‐Motivated (i.e., notably motivated by male attention, wanting to shock others, wanting to bond, and social pressure), Ambiguously Motivated (i.e., most motivated by alcohol and fun, but minimally motivated overall), and Sexually Motivated (i.e., notably motivated by sexual desire and sexual experimentation). We then examined how class membership was associated with variables related to participants' evaluation of their SSP experience, self and identity, sexuality, and heterosexism. Classes significantly differed in SSP evaluations, as well as in certain facets of self and identity and sexuality (i.e., sorority membership and same‐sex desire). These data provide evidence of substantial complexity in the characterizations of women who engage in SSP. We discuss the implications of the relationship between motivational patterns and women's evaluations of the SSP experience.

Academic leadership during the time of crisis: Success story of implementation success from traditional to online mode of education in a low-resource context

The beginning of 2020 was marked by the spread of the COVID-19 virus, which led to a global response in terms of lockdown measures by several countries and landed academics to offer online settings for teaching, research, and administrative activities. The situation led universities to respond quickly and effectively to address the needs of teachers, staff, students, and society. This study provides an overview of Active Implementation Frameworks (AIFs) adopted by a public-sector women’s university to overcome the hurdles due to the pandemic lockdown. The study provides evidence that AIFs are effective for implementing evidence-based models by promoting the development and deployment of innovations through implementation teams in a resource-constraint setting. The result of AIFs adoption by the university was the closure of the academic year on time along with global recognition of the university’s efforts during the pandemic by World Universities with Real Impact 2020. Fatima Jinnah Women University was ranked in the top 50 in crisis management category. This recognition is a testimony to the application of best practices for transforming higher education to not only survive but thrive in uncertain times and serves as a roadmap for public-sector universities to adapt to their contextual realities.

CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT: OBSERVING KEY COMPONENTS OF PRE-SERVICE TEACHER DURING LESSON PLAN PRACTICAL

The classroom is the focal point of any educational environment since it is an essential aspect of schools where both students and teachers engage to transmit information in accordance with the aims and objectives of societal education policy. Additionally, effective teaching and learning are the focus of the classroom management. Therefore, it is crucial for teachers to be aware about classroom management techniques. The objective of the study was to investigate key components of classroom management by pre-service during lesson plan practical. The data in this research were collected by using interviews. This study involved 15 pre-service teachers of Women University Multan, University of Education Lahore Multan Campus and Bahauddin Zakariya University Multan who experienced teaching during their teaching practice in the school. A semi-structured interview form consisting of two closed ended questions and three open-ended questions had been used as the data collection tool. The results of the study indicated different classroom management strategies such as making lesson Plan, classroom management planning, discipline, enforcing rules, proactive classroom and use verbal and nonverbal communication are among the factors considered in this respect are key components of classroom management during lesson plan practical that impact both pre-service teachers’ and students’ performance during teaching practicum. Finally, the study recommends that pre-service teachers should be given access to in-service training, conferences, and events to familiarize themselves with important classroom management techniques.

Body, eating, and exercise comparison orientation measure (BEECOM): Cross-cultural adaptation and psychometric properties among Brazilian female university students

The Body, Eating, and Exercise Comparison Orientation Measure (BEECOM) is an instrument that aims to quantify behaviors related to social comparison, specifically comparisons related to the body, eating and exercise, and was originally developed using a nonclinical population of American university women. The objective of this study was to perform a cross-cultural adaptation and verify the psychometric qualities of the BEECOM for young Brazilian adult women aged 18–35 years. In the present study, the cross-cultural adaptation of the instrument was performed through its translation, back-translation and evaluation by the target population. The instrument proved to be easy to understand among young women. Then, the psychometric qualities of the instrument were evaluated using a sample of 716 women (Mage = 22.47 ± 3.10). Exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis demonstrated the presence of three factors and satisfactory adjustment indexes. The BEECOM presented an invariant measurement across white vs. nonwhite and physically active vs. non-active individuals. In addition, the instrument showed adequate reliability and convergent validity. In conclusion, the BEECOM is a useful tool to evaluate social comparison behaviors related to eating disorders and body image in young Brazilian female adults, enabling further research on these constructs and supporting the development of preventive strategies.

Interprofessional collaboration in maternity care

African Journal of Midwifery and Women's HealthVol. 17, No. 2 EditorialInterprofessional collaboration in maternity careUnice GoshomiUnice GoshomiCorrespondence to:E-mail Address: [email protected]Social Sciences, Women's University in Africa, Harare, ZimbabweSearch for more papers by this authorUnice GoshomiPublished Online:16 Jun 2023https://doi.org/10.12968/ajmw.2023.0019AboutSectionsView articleView Full TextPDF/EPUB ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InEmail View article References Behruzi R, Klam S, Dehertog M et al.. Understanding factors affecting collaboration between midwives and other health care professionals in a birth center and its affiliated Quebec hospital: a case study. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth. 2017;17(1):1–4. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12884-017-1381-x Crossref, Google ScholarCharalambous C, Rampton B. Language learning, identity, and intercultural communication in contexts of conflict and insecurity. In: Jackson J (ed). The Routledge handbook of language and intercultural communication. Abingdon, Oxfordshire: Routledge; 2020 Crossref, Google ScholarKruk ME, Gage AD, Arsenault C et al.. High-quality health systems in the sustainable development goals era: time for a revolution. Lancet Glob Health. 2018;6(11):e1196–e1252. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2214-109X(18)30386-3 Crossref, Google Scholar FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails 2 April 2023Volume 17Issue 2ISSN (online): 2052-4293 Metrics History Published online 16 June 2023 Published in print 2 April 2023 Information© MA Healthcare LimitedPDF download

Interprofessional Hand Blessing.

Suzanne Scheller, MSN, RN, CNE, is an associate clinical professor at Texas Women's University Nelda C. Stark College of Nursing in Houston, TX, and director of RISHI's Power of Nursing program at Pure Healthcare in Dayton, OH. Jayne Jennings Dunlap, DNP, APRN, FNP-C, CNE, is a practicing family nurse practitioner and an assistant clinical professor at Texas Women's University Nelda C. Stark College of Nursing in Houston, TX. Barbara Baudler, MSN, RN, is an associate clinical professor and associate coordinator of the Nursing Honors Program at Texas Women's University Nelda C. Stark College of Nursing in Houston, TX. Her research interests include nursing education, leadership competency, and transition into practice. The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Affective Responses to Fitness Testing in College-Aged Women

Physical inactivity is common among women and a quarter of college-aged women are classified as overweight or obese, making this population an important target for obesity prevention. Fitness testing is commonplace, and practitioners can hold an underlying belief that discrepancies will promote positive responses. However, little research has examined the affective responses to fitness testing in adults. The purpose of this study was to assess the affective responses to common fitness testing, while examining relationships to physical self to help elucidate why some respond to such testing and others do not. Forty-eight college-aged women were presented with their discrepancy from a normative standard across six fitness tests. Findings support previous conceptualizations on discrepancies and affective responses, in that greater negative discrepancies from normative standards were associated with greater changes in negative feeling states. In addition, the results suggest that only certain discrepancies pose a threat to perceived satisfaction with one’s physical self (i.e., self-concept)—mainly though subdomains related to body appearance and aerobic fitness. In other words, the greater the perceived satisfaction of self, the greater negative emotional response was experienced to the specific test discrepancy. The notation of “threats” to important domains of self-concept might help explain why fitness testing that alerts individuals where they are discrepant produce behavioral changes in some but not others. Professionals should consider the impact of providing fitness test discrepancies on negative affective responses, with the possible impact on motivation and future behavior choices to reduce the discrepancy.