Sexual values among Latino youth: measurement development using a culturally based approach

Latino youth in the United States are at higher risk for negative sexual outcomes compared to their European American counterparts. Adherence to traditional sexual values may protect against or increase their risk. Past studies have generally utilized proxy measures, such as acculturation, to assess sexual values. The objective of the current study was to develop and test culturally based sexual values measures among Latino youth. Focus groups and qualitative interviews were conducted to generate themes related to sexual values. Six measures were developed: three related to gender role norms (Sexual Talk as Disrespectful, Satisfaction of Sexual Needs as Important, Female Virginity as Important) and three related to comfort regarding sexuality (Comfort with Sexual Communication, Sexual Comfort, and Sexual Self-Acceptance). The scales' psychometric properties were assessed in a sample of 694 sexually active young Latinos. Results indicate that these measures conformed to single-factor scales and displayed acceptable reliabilities. Correlations with conceptually related measures were in hypothesized directions. Findings suggest it is feasible to directly assess sexual values in a valid and reliable manner. The measures presented in the current article represent tools for such assessment.     

Occupational Therapy Services to Promote Occupational Performance,Performance Satisfaction,and Quality of Life in University Freshmen: A Pilot Study

Mental health impacts success for many university students. Occupational therapists can intervene during the transition to university to promote mental health. A 5-week, occupation-based group was provided to a group of freshmen university students to encourage short-term improvements in occupational performance (OP), performance satisfaction (PS), and quality of life (QOL). Statistically significant results were obtained for OP and PS (p < 0.05). However, no significant results were obtained when assessing QOL (p > 0.05). Further research, including long term follow-up, about the impact of occupation-based groups with transitioning freshmen is recommended.     

A longitudinal test of social cognitive career theory's academic persistence model among Latino/a and White men and women engineering students

This study tested Social Cognitive Career Theory's (SCCT) academic persistent model among engineering students from a longitudinal perspective and examined whether relations among the variables in the model differed between Whites and Latinos/as and between men and women engineering majors. Three hundred fifty engineering student participants (172 Latino/as; 155 Whites; 23 mixed race) who were attending a Hispanic-serving institution in the Southwest completed measures of math/science ACT, college GPA, engineering self-efficacy, engineering goals, and persistence. The academic persistence model within the engineering domain provided an excellent fit to the data. Significant group differences between women and men were found; however, there were no group differences across ethnicity. Implication for further research and interventions based on SCCT's academic persistence model are discussed in relation to academic persistence in engineering for women and Latinos/as.     

Both Risk and Reward are Processed Differently in Decisions Made Under Stress

Years of research show that stress influences cognition. Most of this research has focused on how stress affects memory and the hippocampus. However, stress impacts other regions involved in cognitive and emotional processing, including the prefrontal cortex, striatum, and insula. New research examining how stress affects decision processes reveals two consistent findings. First, acute stress enhances selection of previously rewarding outcomes but impairs selection of previously negative outcomes, possibly due to stress-induced changes in dopamine in reward-processing brain regions. Second, stress amplifies gender differences in strategies during risky decisions, with males taking more risk and females less risk under stress. These gender differences in behavior are associated with differences in activity in the insula and dorsal striatum, brain regions involved in computing risk and preparing to take action.     

Mercy as a Public Virtue

James F. Keenan defines mercy as “the willingness to enter the chaos of another.” Mercy thus defined, he argues, is the distinctive characteristic of Christian morality. This essay asserts that mercy is, in fact, a public virtue, one that can be affirmed across a broad range of religious and moral traditions. As a public virtue, mercy ought to shape both affective and effective responses to the Syrian refugee crisis in the United States.