UMD Theses and Dissertations
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Item ACCULTURATION AS CONGRUENCE-DISCREPANCY BETWEEN FRAMES OF REFERENCE: POLYNOMIAL REGRESSION AND RESPONSE SURFACE ANALYSIS(2020) Lu, Yun; Kivlighan, Dennis M; Miller, Matthew J; Counseling and Personnel Services; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)The primary aim of this study was to apply the Self-Discrepancy Theory (Higgins, 1987) to the examination of acculturation orientations for Asian/Asian American populations in the Unites States. This theoretical application defines one’s acculturation orientation as cognitive representations of cultural participation and value adoption on actual, ideal and normative planes. Actual acculturation is an individual’s perception of their current cultural orientation; Ideal acculturation is the cultural orientation someone ideally would like to have; Normative acculturation is the cultural orientation that one believes one should have based on expectations of mainstream society and one’s ethnic community. I further postulated that the discrepancy between actual/ideal and actual/normative acculturation orientations would predict psychological outcomes including depressive symptoms, life satisfaction and belongingness. A 16-item scale, the Measure of Ideal and Normative Acculturation (MINA) was developed to measure acculturation on ideal, actual and normative planes. Polynomial regression and response surface analysis was used to comprehensively examine the relationship between acculturation orientation congruence-discrepancy and psychological outcomes. The main findings suggest that a) discrepancy between acculturation planes was prevalent among participants; c) Under conditions of congruence, higher ethnic culture orientation predicted lower depressive symptoms and higher belongingness; d) Discrepancy between actual and ideal ethnic culture orientations predicted negative outcomes including depressive symptoms, lower life satisfaction and lower belongingness; e) Discrepancy between actual U.S. orientation and perceived normative expectation by one’s ethnic community predicted depressive symptoms, whereas congruence predicted belongingness; f) Greater discrepancy between ideal/actual U.S. culture orientations was associated with both positive (higher belongingness) and negative (higher depressive symptoms) psychological outcomes. Implications and limitations were discussed.Item Dietary Quality and Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in US Asian Indian Populations(2017) Pandya, Amisha; Mehta, Mira; Nutrition; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)Asian Indians (AIs) have Type 2 Diabetes (T2DM) at extraordinarily high rates, and it is associated with higher central adiposity, lower lean muscle mass to fat ratios and insulin resistance. Associations between diabetes status and dietary quality, physical activity, acculturation and demographic characteristics were investigated in a convenience sample of older Gujaratis residing in Maryland. Diagnostic cut-offs, acculturation, physical activity and dietary assessment tools used were validated for South Asian populations. Results showed that pre-diabetics and diabetics had lower diet quality than non-diabetics, and anthropometric measurements except BMI varied significantly by diabetes status. Vegetarians consumed less protein and fat than non-vegetarians. Most participants self-identified as bicultural, but Asian (traditional) values were associated with lower dietary quality. Females were universally responsible for cooking, suggesting control over dietary consumption that could impact diabetes status. Evidence-based education with a focus on diet quality could improve management of T2DM in this high-risk population.Item CHINESE GRADUATE INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS’ CULTURAL ADJUSTMENT IN THE US: A QUALITATIVE INVESTIGATION(2017) Lu, Yun; Miller, Matthew J; Counseling and Personnel Services; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)Chinese international students are the largest and fastest growing international student body on US campuses (Open Door Report, 2016). This study used the consensual qualitative research method (CQR; Hill, Thompson, & Williams, 1997; Hill, 2012) to capture the complexity of the challenges and growth Chinese graduate international student may experience adjusting to their lives in the US in the current sociopolitical context. Nine participants (6 females; 3 males) enrolled in graduate programs from various disciplines were interviewed about their perceptions of the sociopolitical environment, cultural adjustment expectations and experiences, and social support systems. Findings revealed an on-going evaluative process where participants negotiated their expectations with cultural adjustment changes in multiple life areas to achieve a subjective sense of satisfaction and well-being. Findings have implications for professionals working with CIS to help them mitigate the negative impact of internationalized oppression and develop a more individualized and realistic sense of purpose.Item Acculturation and BMI among Chinese, Korean and Vietnamese Adults in Maryland(2011) Chen, Lu; Lee, Sunmin; Carter-Pokras, Olivia D; Epidemiology and Biostatistics; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)Objective: To examine the relationship between acculturation and BMI among Asian Americans. Methods: Data of 847 Chinese, Korean and Vietnamese recruited for a health education program in Maryland were included. Acculturation was measured by the short version of Suinn-Lew Asian Self-Identity Acculturation Scale (SL-ASIA) and its individual components. Height and weight were measured by trained staff. Multiple linear regression was used to estimate the parameters of acculturation variables. Results: After adjusting for confounders, SL-ASIA (β=0.71, 95% CI: 0.15, 1.26), having education in the U.S (β=0.56, 95% CI: 0.01, 1.11), younger age of arrival (0-5 years: β=3.32, 95% CI: 1.84, 4.80, 6-10 years: β=1.55, 95% CI: 0.02, 3.07) and equal preference of Asian/American food in restaurants (β=0.92, 95% CI 0.38, 1.46) were associated with BMI. The association between acculturation and BMI was stronger among men than women, and weakest among Vietnamese. Conclusion: Acculturation is moderately associated with BMI among Asian Americans.Item WELL-BEING AND NEGATIVE MOOD OF SOUTH ASIAN AMERICAN COLLEGE STUDENTS: CONTRIBUTIONS OF ADULT ATTACHMENT, ACCULTURATION, AND RACIAL IDENTITY(2008-07-08) Patel, Sheetal; O'Brien, Karen M; Counseling and Personnel Services; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)Traditional psychological theories of development (e.g., attachment theory) have been criticized for their inability to fully explain well-being and negative mental health outcomes in ethnic and racial minority populations (Rothbaum, Weisz, Pott, Miyake, & Morelli, 2000; Wang & Mallinckrodt, 2006). Specifically, the intersection of developmental theories and salient sociocultural variables in predicting the well-being of Asian Americans has not been well elucidated, as little research has been conducted in this area. Yet, the need for understanding the mechanisms underlying the well-being of Asian Americans has been rising as the Asian American population is the fastest growing racial/ethnic group in the United States (Zhou, 2004). The goal of this study was to extend knowledge regarding the applicability of attachment theory using a cross-cultural lens. Specifically, this study examined the joint contributions of a traditional developmental theory and sociocultural variables to better understand optimal development and well-being among South Asian Americans. This study advanced knowledge by finding that for South Asian American college students, adult attachment, acculturation and racial identity account for robust variance in the prediction of self-esteem, anxious mood, and depressed mood. Adult attachment, acculturation and racial identity accounted for variance in self-esteem, and more specifically, avoidant attachment, anxious attachment, and racial identity's internalization accounted for unique variance in self-esteem. The variance in anxious mood was accounted for by adult attachment, acculturation, and racial identity, with racial identity's conformity status accounting for unique variance in anxious mood. Finally, adult attachment, acculturation and racial identity accounted for variance in depressed mood. Implications for research and practice are discussed.Item Enculturation and Acculturation of television use among Asian Indians in the U.S.(2008-04-18) Somani, Indira Satyanarayan; Heider, Don; Journalism; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)This study explored how a cohort of Asian Indians who migrated to the U.S. nearly 40 years ago have become acculturated to watching Indian television via the satellite dish. The study used the integrative communication theory and how two concepts of the theory relate to adaptation: enculturation, the process of socialization individuals undergo in their native culture; and acculturation, the process in which newcomers acquire some, but not all, aspects of their new host culture (Kim, 2001). Oral history interviews were conducted with 10 couples who migrated to the U.S. between 1960 and 1972 in the Washington Metro area to understand their media use over the past 40 years and why they watch Indian television via the satellite dish. The study produced findings that described how these Asian Indians used American television to acculturate to the U.S.; as well as how this cohort learned the act of watching television. Another finding was that the portrayal of India and Indian culture in American media was stereotypical. The third finding showed described how these Asian Indians maintained their sense of Indian culture through using other forms of media and cultural practices. The fourth finding demonstrated how Asian Indians discovered a new way to stay connected to their culture, particularly in real time as they watched Indian programming via the satellite dish. The fifth finding was that this cohort used American television as a filter through which they judged Indian television. Overall, these Asian Indians were found to believe Indian programming was copying Western culture. The study concluded with analysis of how this cohort changed its media habits as media technology itself changed over time. The study showed how diasporic communities form through media use, as well as how audiences also become fragmented and individualized in their choice of media. It uncovered the ways how these Asian Indians became skilled television viewers and could distinguish between good and bad programming.Item ECOLOGICAL DETERMINANTS OF PARENTING PRACTICES AMONG LATIN AMERICAN AND CARIBBEAN MOTHERS OF ADOLESCENTS: FINDINGS FROM THE NEW IMMIGRANT SURVEY(2007-08-02) Edmond, Yanique M.; Randolph, Suzanne M; Family Studies; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)Latin American and Caribbean immigrants are the fastest growing immigrants in the United States. Prior studies suggest that Latin American and Caribbean immigrant families in the U.S. face a number of risk factors including poverty, linguistic barriers, and mental health problems. Growing concern exists about the factors affecting the development of Latino and Caribbean immigrant adolescents. Moreover, a separate literature indicates that new immigrant Latin American and Caribbean families may face particular challenges in parenting their children within a new environment. Few studies include Latina and Caribbean mothers of adolescents; or examine the influence of various contextual factors on the parenting behavior of new immigrants. This study addresses these limitations through the use of a cultural-ecological framework to explore the relationship between three selected ecological factors and parenting practices of Latina and Caribbean immigrant mothers of early and late adolescents. Data are drawn from a subset of 415 Latina and Caribbean mothers of an adolescent child age 10 to 17 in the New Immigrant Survey (NIS-2003). Multiple linear regression analyses were conducted to examine hypothesized models testing the relationship between maternal acculturation, extended-family coresidence, and religious involvement and parenting practices. After controlling for demographic characteristics, the findings revealed that one measure of maternal acculturation, years of U.S. residence, was related to lower use of cognitive stimulating activities and strict punishment discipline, as well as less parental school involvement. A second measure of maternal acculturation, English proficiency, was associated with lower use of cognitive stimulating activities, but greater parental school involvement. Greater maternal religious involvement was related to less emotional support, less parental school involvement, and more cognitive stimulation. All three ecological factors were unrelated to positive control discipline. The findings also revealed differences among adjustee mothers and new-arrival mothers. Implications for research and culturally appropriate interventions for Latin American and Caribbean families and their children are discussed.Item The Relationship of Self-Perceived Leadership Style and Acculturation of Latinas in the U.S. Army(2004-11-04) Zoppi, Irene M.; Kivlighan, Dennis M.; Education Policy, and Leadership; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)ABSTRACT Title of dissertation: THE RELATIONSHIP OF SELF-PERCEIVED LEADERSHIP STYLE AND ACCULTURATION OF LATINAS IN THE U.S. ARMY. Irene M. Zoppi, Doctor of Philosophy, 2004 Dissertation directed by: Professor Dennis M. Kivlighan, Jr. Department of Counseling and Personnel Services The purpose of this research study was to examine the relationship of self-perceived leadership, acculturation and individualistic/collectivistic behaviors in Latino women leaders. Using a canonical correlational design, the study aimed at investigating how acculturation and individualistic/collectivistic behaviors relate to leadership of 524 Latina U.S. Army active duty officers with a participation rate of 72%. The study used a quantitative, descriptive, and exploratory research approach to answer the following research questions: What are Latino women's self-perceptions of their leadership style? How does acculturation relate to leadership? What is the relationship between acculturation and Latino women's self-perceptions of their leadership style? What is the relationship of individualism/collectivism on the relationship between leadership and acculturation? How does individualism and collectivism relate to Latino women's self-perceptions of their leadership style? Correlational and t-test analyses were performed to compare the study's findings with those reported in previous research based on samples drawn from the MLQ. Correlation coefficients were computed to examine the relationship among demographic, leadership, acculturation, and individualism/collectivism variables. A canonical correlation was used to investigate the relationship between the set of variables of leadership and acculturation, acculturation and individualism/collectivism. Results indicated that the factor structure of the scales previously reported from Anglo cultures did fit the data from the Latina sample. These Latina officers, however, reported higher levels of transformational and lower levels of transactional leadership than normative samples. Significant canonical correlations were found among the variables under investigation that showed two types of canonical roots: Latina Collectivist and Active Transformational Leadership and Marginalized Individualistic and Passive Transactional Leadership. The Latina Collectivist and Active Transformational Leadership root was composed of the following variables: Latino Orientation, Horizontal and Vertical Collectivism, Idealized Influence (Behavior), Inspirational Motivation, Contingent Reward, Idealized Consideration, Intellectual Stimulation, Idealized Influence (Attributed), Laissez-Faire Leadership, and Management-by-Exception (Active). The Marginalized Individualistic and Passive Transactional Leadership root was composed of the following variables: Anglo Marginality, Latino Marginality, Latino/Hispanic Marginality, Horizontal and Vertical Individualism, Laissez-Faire Leadership, Intellectual Stimulation, Management-by-Exception (Active) and Management-by-Exception (Passive). Findings confirm Bass and Avolio (2004) contention that collectivist cultures nurture transformational leadership. Implications, limitations, and directions for future research were discussed.