non-Hispanic Students Research Articles

The influence of COVID-19 science views, risk perceptions, and group membership on socioscientific decisions

ABSTRACT The COVID-19 pandemic revealed how much the science education community has yet to understand about myriad variables that impact accurately informed socioscientific issue decision-making. Toward that end, this study investigated 415 university biology students’ COVID-19 behaviours and opinions regarding how COVID-19 mandates might be associated with their views about COVID-19 science and scientists, risk perceptions, race/ethnicity, gender, and political orientation. Science-supported actions and mandate support were more highly exhibited by Asian and Black non-Hispanic and Hispanic students compared to White non-Hispanic students. Science supported actions and mandate support were also significantly associated with increased COVID-19 risk perceptions and knowledge and confidence about COVID-19 science. Higher levels of political conservatism was significantly associated with lower levels of COVID-19 mitigating actions and mandate support. Political orientation appeared to mediate the relationship between views about COVID-19 science, COVID-19 actions, and mandate support. These and other findings demonstrate that cognitive and sociocultural factors associated with socioscientific decision-making are complex and vary across contexts. An implication of this study is that efforts to promote a pragmatic science literacy for accurately informed SSI decision-making will require multivariate and synergistic approaches.

Predictability of Personality Traits and Perfectionism Types on Test Anxiety in College Students

This research was to understand how personality and perfectionism traits function together to affect test anxiety in college students. We compared personality, perfectionism, and test anxiety scores between male and female students and between Hispanic and non-Hispanic students. Our results showed significant differences in emotional stability, rigid perfectionism, self-critical perfectionism, and overall test anxiety. Regression and correlation analyses were used to assess the relationships between the Big Five Personality, the Big Three Perfectionism, and test anxiety. These factors collectively accounted for significant amounts of variance in test anxiety scores (33% - 65%). Comparison analyses were performed to determine whether there were prediction differences by sex and ethnicity. Female students’ test anxiety was significantly predicted by self-critical perfectionism, extraversion, and emotional stability, the same could not be said for male students. We share some limited findings regarding the male students in our sample but stop short of claiming that personality and perfectionism traits are not predictive of test anxiety in the population due to much smaller representation relative to female students. In our group of Hispanic students, self-critical perfectionism, rigid perfectionism, extraversion, and emotional stability all provided unique prediction of test anxiety. Non-Hispanic students’ test anxiety was predicted by self-critical perfectionism, extraversion, and emotional stability; however, narcissistic perfectionism emerged as a significant predictor only for this group. If universities are concerned with implementing effective initiatives for support of student learning and success, it is imperative that intentional consideration of the impact of non-cognitive skills and intersectional identities be considered.

Identifying the Needs of a Diverse Cohort and Engagement Opportunities That Foster a Sense of Belonging at a Hispanic-Serving Doctoral Program

ABSTRACT This mixed method study assessed the perceptions of health professional graduate students on a sense of belonging and evaluated the engagement experiences valued most in a graduate program across three domains of belonging, academics and diversity, equity and inclusion. Hispanic students valued building professional relationships with faculty and mentors more than non-Hispanic students while non-Hispanic students valued opportunities to discuss race relations outside the classroom. Belonging at the graduate level in health professional programs is distinct from undergraduate programs because of new expectations of developing into entry level clinicians. This study showed that Hispanic students significantly valued building connections with mentors, faculty and staff, identifying a need of continued supportive mentoring relationships within this population at the graduate level. Implications of these findings across the available literature are discussed.

Course outcomes and academic characteristics of Hispanic nursing students

Equity in student success is a valued objective of nursing programs. Prior research has identified a complex array of potential barriers to success among Hispanic nursing students.This retrospective comparative cohort study (N = 27,853) examined course outcomes (including course failures, drops, and withdrawals), academic variables, and demographics among Hispanic and non-Hispanic students enrolled in a large online accelerated RN-to-BSN nursing program from 2010 to 2019.Hispanic students had a significantly higher use of financial aid and had a significantly higher number of course withdrawals and failures than non-Hispanic students. There were no significant differences between Hispanic and non-Hispanic students in number of course drops.Identifying course behaviors and associated characteristics specific to Hispanic students may allow nursing programs to identify and intervene in areas of concern that may impact student success and improve student equity.

Importance of Academic Legacy on Student Success in First- and Second-Semester General Chemistry

This investigation sought to elucidate the influence of students' academic legacy on their prior knowledge and course outcomes providing crucial insights for educators who teach general chemistry. This six-semester analysis involved 6,914 students enrolled in classes across nine Texas universities. Explored were personal circumstances associated with students' successes and failures that influenced performance in on- and off-sequence, first- and second-semester general chemistry (Chem 1 and Chem 2). Students' academic legacy based on their categorization as first generation (neither grandparent nor parent/guardian with a 4-year bachelor's degree), second generation (at least one grandparent or parent/guardian with a bachelor's degree), or third generation (at least one grandparent and at least one parent/guardian hold a bachelor's degree) was investigated. Of the students in the dataset 33.8% (<i>n</i> = 2,340) self-identified as Hispanic. Results for Hispanic and non-Hispanic students indicated that first-generation students struggled more with Chem 1 and Chem 2 than students in the other two legacy groups. As students' academic legacy extended, they were more apt to succeed in general chemistry. Second- and third-generation students demonstrated stronger prior high-school chemistry backgrounds and were enrolled in more advanced mathematics courses. As expected, students with stronger academic backgrounds in chemistry and mathematics scored higher on the diagnostic MUST (Math-Up Skills Test), had greater self-efficacy relative to their preparation to succeed, and reported fewer paid work hours. First-generation students on the average entered with lower diagnostic MUST scores, felt less prepared to succeed, and disclosed a greater need to be employed.

Promoting diversity and inclusion in social work doctoral programs through mentoring: perceptions and advice from BIPOC students

ABSTRACT Social work doctoral programs help shape the future leaders of the profession, but the climate of doctoral programs may not be equally welcoming to all students. This study explores the perspectives of students who are Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) regarding their programs’ diversity and inclusion and mentoring practices. The online survey of 183 social work doctoral students uses a mixed methods approach to compare perspectives of BIPOC students and White non-Hispanic students. The study found disparities in feeling safe and welcome and scholarly productivity, and highlights the importance of holistic mentoring, improved mentor training, and genuine allyship.

What Moves the Needle on DFW Rates and Student Success in General Chemistry? A Quarter-Century Perspective

Second-term general chemistry is a key gateway course at our institution for a variety of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) majors. Herein, we examine data on DFW% (i.e., % of D and F grades and withdrawals) in our general chemistry courses over roughly a quarter-century period, focusing on sections taught by the authors. The data are discussed in light of changes in curriculum, pedagogy, and assessments, which included introduction of recitation sections, classroom response systems (clickers), and online homework, restructuring of course content into a modular format, followed by a redesign of the course modules along an anchoring concepts scheme, introduction of the flipped classroom, and introduction of regular low-stakes quizzing. We find that the lowest DFW%, roughly 5%, occurs in classrooms combining an active learning pedagogy, core concepts curriculum, and low-stakes assessments with instructor intervention. Trends in the DFW populations are examined for White, non-Hispanic students, first-generation students, and by binary gender. We find that women are increasingly underrepresented in the DFW population, which may reflect the recent incorporation of lower stakes assessments. To the degree that our lowest DFW rates are consistent with that found by other researchers using different but related approaches, these may represent a baseline target for DFW rates in general chemistry II. Finally, while a trend toward lower DFW rates is found for both general chemistry I and II, the follow-on course, organic chemistry I, shows an inverse trend, which emphasizes the need for larger scale reform.

The Impact of Peer-Led Team Learning (PLTL) on the Life of a Latina

As a Latina at a Hispanic Serving Institution, I joined the Peer-Led Team Learning (PLTL) program at the University of Texas at El Paso to overcome my language insecurity, gain confidence, persevere, and become a more successful student. Peer leading has helped me boost my confidence, gain better communication and time management skills, learn to work under pressure, manage difficult situations, and improve my ability to work with diverse students. In addition, it increased my sense of responsibility. The PLTL program is advantageous for both students and Peer Leaders alike because each group learns from the other while overcoming challenges together. Peer Leaders learn to communicate effectively while allowing space and time for students to make mistakes, collaborate with one another, and learn through engaging activities. As a Latina Peer Leader, I was also able to foster collaboration between Hispanic and non-Hispanic students, promoting inclusion in a friendly workshop environment that promoted high participation.

College students’ sense of belonging in times of disruption: prospective changes from before to during the COVID-19 pandemic

ABSTRACT The current study examined whether college students’ sense of belonging changed following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants were 252 (66.7% female) first- and second-year college students at a large public university in the United States. It was hypothesized that students would report a decrease in their sense of belonging from before to during the pandemic. It was also hypothesized that female students and racial-ethnic minority students, respectively, would report steeper declines in their sense of belonging compared to their male peers and to their White, non-Hispanic peers. Repeated-measures data were analyzed using a multilevel modeling framework to test for mean differences in students’ levels of belonging from pre-COVID to during-COVID periods. No direct change in students’ sense of belonging was detected. Moderation results indicated that sense of belonging decreased significantly over time for racial-ethnic minority students but not for White, non-Hispanic students. The findings encourage higher education researchers and practitioners to consider the unique experiences of racial-ethnic minority college students during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.

Access to eye care and prevalence of refractive error and eye conditions at a high school–based eye clinic in southeastern Michigan

To analyze clinical and demographic data from a twice monthly optometrist-run comprehensive eye program at a high school in a community with high rates of poverty. Students received comprehensive eye examinations. We collected demographic and ocular data on 429 initial visits from February 2015 to July 2019. Follow-up visits were excluded. The average student age was 14.2 ± 2.7 years. Of the total, 55.7% were female, 59.7% were Black, and 61.7% had Medicaid. Of the total, 70.2% had a previous eye examination, 60.8% had worn glasses previously, and 24.1% still wore glasses. Hispanic students were less likely than non-Hispanic students to have had a prior eye examination (59.1% vs 75.3% [P = 0.022]) or worn glasses (47.8% vs 63.8% [P= 0.035]). Black students had significantly worse presenting visual acuity in the better seeing eye than White students (logMAR 0.22 vs 0.13 [P = 0.0004]). Of the 256 Black students, 62.7% had improvement of two or more lines, compared with 42.9% of White students (P = 0.01). Of the students who participated, 74.0% received glasses following their examination, and 21 required referrals to ophthalmologists, of whom 13 attended the appointment. The high school-based clinic identified high rates of uncorrected refractive error, highlighting the benefit of a school-based eye clinic in a population with high rates of poverty. There were concerning racial and ethnic disparities in prior eye care.

Adolescent Body Mass Index and Exposure to Peers with Overweight and Obesity: A Structural Equation Model Approach to Longitudinal Network Data.

Purpose: Considerable evidence has shown that social networks influence a wide variety of health behaviors. This study investigates whether having friends with overweight/obesity in one's social network (network exposure) can predict changes in body mass index (BMI) throughout high school in a diverse urban population of students. Methods: Racially and ethnically diverse students from five high schools in Los Angeles County were surveyed at four time points throughout high school from 2010 to 2013 (N = 2091). Surveys included questions on students' social networks, demographics, and health-related information. BMI and weight categories were calculated for all students who provided height and weight information (∼50%). A latent growth curve model was used to assess the growth trajectory of BMI and the time-varying effect of network exposure to friends with overweight/obesity while controlling for demographic covariates. Results: Hispanic students had a significantly higher initial BMI compared with non-Hispanic students (p < 0.01). There was a significant positive slope for time on BMI growth (p < 0.01). Greater personal network exposure to friends with overweight/obesity was associated with a significant 0.65-point average increase in BMI (p < 0.05) at the first follow-up time point (T2) and a significant 0.62-point average increase in BMI (p < 0.01) at the last follow-up (T4) while controlling for covariates. Conclusions: Using structural equation modeling to understand the relationship between BMI and social networks, we found that increased network exposure to peers with overweight/obesity is associated with higher individual BMI, demonstrating that friendships may influence adolescents' weight status over time.

The relationship between debt aversion and college enrollment by gender, race, and ethnicity: a propensity scoring approach

ABSTRACT Borrowing has become increasingly central to U.S. students’ college financing choices. However, concerns about indebtedness may serve as a barrier to attaining a college degree for many students, particularly women and Black and Hispanic students. This study explores the determinants and heterogeneous impacts of debt aversion, or aversion to borrowing for college. I use a propensity score matching strategy to estimate the relationship between debt aversion and the college enrolment and financing choices of high school students while controlling for confounding variables such as students’ pecuniary valuation of college, college preparedness, and family background. More debt-averse students borrow less than other students if they enroll in college and generally attend lower cost colleges. Women and Black students are more likely on average to report moderate debt aversion than other students. Strong debt aversion is associated with lower college enrollment only for men and white, non-Hispanic students, and highly debt-averse women tend to report lower borrowing relative to the control group than similarly situated men. The results point to the need for a combination of robust college counseling in high schools and readily accessible income-based repayment programs.

Everyday Discrimination and Mental Health Symptoms Among Hispanic and Non-Hispanic Students of Color Attending a Hispanic Serving Institution.

Purpose: Discriminationas a unique psychosocial stressordisproportionately affects the mental health of communities of color as a function of systems of power and oppression. The increasing population of Hispanic undergraduates nationally warrants the importance of understanding the impact of discrimination on the mental health of students within Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs), which enroll the most Hispanic students across the nation. This study investigated differences in the relationship between discrimination and mental health symptoms among Hispanic and non-Hispanic students of color (SoC) to better contextualize student experiences within an HSI setting.Methods: This study included 244 SoC (meanage=21.52, standard deviation=2.64; 65% Hispanic/Latinx; 76% female) attending a small private Liberal Arts HSI in Southern California. Participants responded to measures assessing everyday discrimination, depressive symptoms, and anxiety symptoms. Moderation analyses were performed to examine the moderating role of race/ethnicity on the relationship between everyday discrimination and mental health symptoms among Hispanic and non-Hispanic SoC.Results: Both groups generally reported similar levels of everyday discrimination and mental health symptoms. Moderation analyses indicated that, after accounting for covariates, everyday discrimination was associated with more depressive and anxiety symptoms, with race/ethnicity moderating this relationship. A moderation effect was detected among respondents reporting high levels of everyday discrimination wherein Hispanic participants endorsed significantly greater depressive and anxiety symptoms.Conclusion: Findings suggest that within this HSI, Hispanic students may be at greater risk of adverse mental health outcomes compared to non-Hispanic SoC when exposed to high levels of everyday discrimination.

Students at Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSI) in Texas and New Mexico: An In-Depth Profile of Their Backgrounds, Commitments, and Perspectives

Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSI) educate nearly two-thirds of the Hispanic/Latinx students who attend college. Yet little is known about the student populations they serve. Findings from two NSF-funded surveys completed with students at 14 HSIs in Texas and New Mexico in 2018 and four HSIs in TX in 2019 are presented. The combined sample was 1,293 students. A description of the backgrounds, commitments, experiences, and preferences of students at HSIs and differences found between responses from Hispanic/Latinx and non-Hispanic students are discussed. Primary topic areas are demographics, first-generation student standing, cultural orientation, primary language and fluency in Spanish, family and work commitments, relationship status, family support, living arrangements, means of financing college, course load, STEM identity, annual income of household of origin and of personal household, locus of control orientation, familism, and experience in college. The result is a thorough and up-to-date profile of the HSI student population in TX and NM. Statistical analysis revealed multiple significant differences between Hispanic/Latinx and non-Hispanic students attending the HSIs and the presence of several significant predictors for forms of activity and patterns of commitment. The findings are immediately applicable to process, program, student support, and instructional planning, implementation, and evaluation for over 120 HSIs in the region and, by extension, to hundreds more across the United States.

Music Education Opportunities in Ohio K–12 Public and Charter Schools

The purpose of this study was to examine which Ohio schools offered curricular music courses and the rates at which students participated in those courses. The analysis involved descriptive statistics, analysis of variance, logistic regression, and partially nested multilevel modeling using data from the Ohio Department of Education ( N = 3,222 schools). The investigation revealed that charter schools offered music courses far less often than public schools. However, in charter schools that did offer music, students participated at higher rates than those in public schools. Nearly all public schools featured music classes. The exception was high schools in the highest poverty urban neighborhoods, 31% of which had no curricular music. Students identified as Black, Hispanic, or indigenous were more likely to attend schools without music programs. Elementary students enrolled in an average of 1.00 music classes per year, whereas middle and high school students enrolled in 0.67 and 0.35 music classes per year, respectively. Suburban districts saw the greatest decline in music participation as students progressed to high school. Urban schools with greater percentages of white, non-Hispanic students had higher music enrollment rates.

Knowledge, Perceptions, and Uptake of the Human Papillomavirus Vaccine in a Sample of US High School Adolescents.

To assess high school students' knowledge and perceptions of human papillomavirus (HPV) and HPV vaccines and evaluate high school students' self-reported uptake of the HPV vaccine. This was an observational, descriptive study using a 44-question survey. Participants were ninth grade students in a Colorado public school district. The survey was administered as part of a health education course. Ninety-two surveys were included in the analysis. Demographic characteristics included 64/92 (69.6%) male and 55/92 (59.8%) Hispanic/Latino students. There was no difference between males and females regarding self-reported vaccination status. Non-Hispanic students were 71.6% less likely to have received the HPV vaccine than Hispanic students (OR 0.284; 95% CI, 0.088-0.920; p = 0.036). The average score on the knowledge section was 42.7% with a standard deviation of 22.6%. When assessing students' perceptions, 71/92 (77.2%) disagreed or strongly disagreed that they felt at risk for getting an HPV infection. There was no significant difference between males and females regarding awareness of the HPV vaccine (p = 0.14). More than half of students (58.7%) did not know if they had received the HPV vaccine. HPV vaccine awareness was low and many students did not know if they had received the HPV vaccine. Ninth grade students did not have accurate knowledge of HPV and HPV vaccines and this study presents opportunities for increased education.

Suicidal Ideation and Behaviors Among High School Students - Youth Risk Behavior Survey, United States, 2019.

Suicide is the second leading cause of death among high school-aged youths 14–18 years after unintentional injuries. This report summarizes data regarding suicidal ideation (i.e., seriously considered suicide) and behaviors (i.e., made a suicide plan, attempted suicide, and made a suicide attempt requiring medical treatment) from CDC’s 2019 Youth Risk Behavior Survey. Results are reported overall and by sex, grade, race/ethnicity, sexual identity, and sex of sexual contacts, overall and within sex groups. Trends in suicide attempts during 2009–2019 are also reported by sex, race/ethnicity, and grade. During 2009–2019, prevalence of suicide attempts increased overall and among female, non-Hispanic white, non-Hispanic black, and 12th-grade students. Data from 2019 reflect substantial differences by demographics regarding suicidal ideation and behaviors. For example, during 2019, a total of 18.8% of students reported having seriously considered suicide, with prevalence estimates highest among females (24.1%); white non-Hispanic students (19.1%); students who reported having sex with persons of the same sex or with both sexes (54.2%); and students who identified as lesbian, gay, or bisexual (46.8%). Among all students, 8.9% reported having attempted suicide, with prevalence estimates highest among females (11.0%); black non-Hispanic students (11.8%); students who reported having sex with persons of the same sex or with both sexes (30.3%); and students who identified as lesbian, gay, or bisexual (23.4%). Comprehensive suicide prevention can address these differences and reduce prevalence of suicidal ideation and behaviors by implementing programs, practices, and policies that prevent suicide (e.g., parenting programs), supporting persons currently at risk (e.g., psychotherapy), preventing reattempts (e.g., emergency department follow-up), and attending to persons who have lost a friend or loved one to suicide.

Perceptions of School Uniforms in Relation to Socioeconomic Statuses

The purpose of this study was to examine any relationships between students’ perceptions of the effects of school uniforms and student socioeconomic status. A survey was administered to 182 students in a charter school to gather perception information, and a separate survey was administered to parents to gather socioeconomic status information. An examination of individual survey items revealed older students were more likely to report that school uniforms help to reduce bullying and teasing, and some students of high socioeconomic status reported that uniforms help reduce arguments with parents about clothing. Student responses on 10 survey items were grouped into one factor called School Climate, reflecting student perceptions on how uniforms affect the school’s climate. Analyses revealed no significant relationships between the School Climate factor and socioeconomic status. However, Hispanic students reported a significantly more positive response overall than non-Hispanic students. These findings suggest students of various socioeconomic status perceive school uniforms similarly, but older students could be more likely to associate uniforms with a reduction in bullying.

The Influence of Stafford Load Debtload on Persistence Among Historically Underserved Populations at a Hispanic Serving Institution

This study presents a mixed methods explanatory analysis of the influence of Stafford loan debtload on persistence among underserved populations attending a Hispanic Serving Institution in the Southwest of the United States. Using data from cohort 2010, fall to fall persistence was examined to assess if debtload was related to persistence for all full-time, first-time undergraduate students based on demographic characteristics. Additionally, in-depth interviews were conducted on undergraduate students during fall 2017 to gain a better understanding of their experiences with debtload and if it played into their persistence decisions. Results of the study revealed statistically significant relationships between debtload and persistence for all first-time, full-time undergraduate students, White non-Hispanic students, Hispanic students, male students, female students, students from low and medium annual household incomes, as well as for first-generation and continuing generation students. Further, low debt was a predictor of non-persistence for each of these groups of students. The findings from the qualitative study showed how debtload influenced students’ persistence decisions. Overall, findings suggest that the threshold of debt is extremely low for these particular students attending a Hispanic Serving Institution.

Prevalence of Electronic Cigarette Use Among Adolescents in New Jersey and Association With Social Factors

Use of electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) is high among adolescents, but the extent to which the JUUL e-cigarette brand accounts for the high prevalence has not been explored using population-based surveys. To examine e-cigarette and JUUL use among adolescents in New Jersey. Survey study using data from the 2018 New Jersey Youth Tobacco Survey, a cross-sectional statewide representative survey of tobacco use. The survey was school based and sampled New Jersey students in grades 9 to 12. Use of tobacco products; JUUL as first tobacco product tried; exposure to JUUL at school; number of friends perceived as JUUL users; liking or following a tobacco brand on social media; and buying or receiving tobacco-branded merchandise. Prevalence ratio (PR) for current and frequent e-cigarette use, inclusive of JUUL. In this sample of 4183 adolescents, respondents were 49.6% female and 49.6% non-Hispanic white. Students were evenly distributed across grades 9 through 12. Overall, the estimate for current use of e-cigarettes inclusive of JUUL was higher (24.2%; 95% CI, 22.5%-25.9%) compared with current use assessed by use of e-cigarettes only (17.8%; 95% CI, 16.4%-19.4%) or JUUL use only (21.3%; 95% CI, 19.7%-23.0%). Divergence in e-cigarette use estimates was higher for certain subgroups, including female respondents and non-Hispanic black respondents. Also, 88.8% (95% CI, 86.6%-91.1%) of current e-cigarette users reported JUUL as a brand they used. Hispanic students (PR, 0.78; 95% CI, 0.69-0.89) and non-Hispanic students of other races (PR, 0.64; 95% CI, 0.51-0.81) were significantly less likely than non-Hispanic white students to be current e-cigarette users, and students in 12th grade were more likely than those in 9th grade to be current users (PR, 1.29; 95% CI, 1.11-1.48). Current e-cigarette use was positively associated with current use of other tobacco products (PR, 2.57; 95% CI, 2.24-2.95), endorsing a tobacco brand on social media (PR, 1.43; 95% CI, 1.19-1.72), having tobacco-branded merchandise (PR, 1.70; 95% CI, 1.46-1.97), having close friends who used JUUL (PR, 3.81; 95% CI, 3.17-4.58), and seeing JUUL used on school grounds (PR, 1.43; 95% CI, 1.24-1.65). Estimates of prevalence were greater when modeling frequent use. This study found that prevalence of current and frequent e-cigarette use among adolescents was higher when inclusive of JUUL use, and JUUL was by far the most common e-cigarette brand used, providing support for inclusion of brand-specific questions when assessing e-cigarette use. The results also identify characteristics of adolescents who may be more likely to use e-cigarettes.