Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Puerto Rican children'

Intimate partner violence [IPV] is a preventable and costly societal issue that has reached epidemic proportions. Women are often the victims of IPV, and millions of children are exposed to it annually. The purpose of this study was to explore experiences of Puerto Rican mothers and their perceptions of how IPV exposure may have impacted their children using resilience theory. Data were collected via audiotaped individual interviews with 9 Puerto Rican mothers who endured an array of escalating IPV, often exacerbated by the perpetrators use of alcohol or drugs, and had IPV-exposed children aged 6 -11 years. Data analysis integrated content and thematic procedures. Interview data was transcribed, read, audited and coded based on compelling statements, quotes, and sentences made by the participants. The coded clusters were further evaluated, reduced to significant statements, then grouped into themes that captured the essence of the participants lived experiences and of the group. The mothers separated because they feared for their lives and the effect of IPV on the children. Once separated the mothers felt isolated, lived in shelters which were unconducive to childrearing, and had challenges navigating the system. They perceived their IPV-exposed children exhibited a multitude of behaviors including PTSD but that most were showing signs of resilience. Their IPV was perpetrated by males who were mostly the biological fathers of their children who used controlling behaviors towards the kids. The potential positive social change impact of this study is to empower Puerto Rican mothers to disclose IPV and to better inform health care providers regarding the impact of IPV on children aged 6 -11 years in an effort to increase the health, well-being, and resiliency of this vulnerable population.

Children of Hispanic origin have the highest prevalence of asthma of all ethnic groups in the United States, especially Puerto Rican children, who have a prevalence of 12.9%. Treatment nonadherence has been identified as one contributing factor. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the reasons for nonadherence to the asthma treatment regimen among Puerto Rican children. Parents and health care providers of asthmatic children were interviewed regarding their beliefs about asthma as a disease, its effect on the child’s life, and their experience with asthma treatment. Two models served as the theoretical framework: the health belief model and the Institute of Medicine model framework for asthma disparities. Interview data were collected from 8 parents using a questionnaire, and a focus group was conducted with 3 health care professionals. Data were manually coded to identify emerging themes. Even though parents reported fear of asthma medications and medication side effects, none of the parents stopped the asthma treatment. Results also indicated that lack of education about asthma, asthma treatment, and asthma action plan was evident in 75% of the parents. None of the parents who migrated to the United States from Puerto Rico received education about asthma while living in Puerto Rico. Health care professionals reported that although parents are familiar with asthma, they do not understand that it is a chronic disease that requires daily treatment. Findings may be used to create an asthma education plan tailored to the needs of the Hispanic population.

The use of subtractive bilingual models in Puerto Rico may influence children's construction of social categorizations. There is a gap in the literature related to linguistics, ethnicity, and systems of education and acculturation of a majority group. The purpose of this multiple case study was to examine the influence of the language of instruction and teachers' communicative practices in private and public schools on first graders' ethnic identity construction in the municipality of San Juan, Puerto Rico. The conceptual framework of the study was based on Markus's unified theory of race and ethnicity, Berry's bidimensional model of acculturation, Tajfel and Turner's social identity theory, and Wimmer's ethnic boundaries multilevel process theory. The research questions concerned how teachers' communicative practices reflected and promoted children's construction of social categorizations, what roles teachers played in ethnic education, and the influences that shaped their cultural knowledge. Purposeful sampling was used to select 2 Spanish speaking and 2 English speaking classrooms form the municipality that could provide information to answer the research questions. Data were collected from classroom observations, structured interviews with teachers, analysis of classroom artifacts, and the use of Zea, Asner-Self, Birman, and Buki's Abbreviated Multidimensional Acculturation Scale. Data were coded and then categorized by theme. The findings of the study demonstrated that teachers' hybridized ethnicity is reflected in communicative practices that influenced children's construction of social categorizations. This study could serve to develop strong cultural awareness policies for education systems and for other countries at risk of losing their language and traditions.

Objectius: (1) Analitzar si la calidesa dels pares (CP) s'associa amb trastorns psiquiàtrics específics (ansietat, trastorn depressiu major (TDM), TDAH i trastorn de comportament disruptiu (TCD) (Estudi 1)) i consum d'alcohol, us de substàncies (US) sense alcohol, i qualsevol US (Estudi 2) en els nens de Puerto Rico. (2) Analitzar la influència de l'estructura familiar i les transicions en els trastorns psiquiàtrics infantils en aquesta població (Estudi 3). Mètodes: Els nens de Puerto Rico 5-13 anys d'edat en F1 que vivien al South Bronx (SB) i Puerto Rico (PR) (n=2.491), van ser seguits durant tres anys consecutius. Participants: L'estudi 1 utilitza tota la mostra (n=2.491); l'estudi 2 inclou únicament la població de 10 anys d'edat o més a F1 (n=1.085); l'estudi 3 inclou només els participants amb dades de les tres fases (n=2.142). Mesures: Els trastorns psiquiàtrics juvenils (TCD, ADHD, ansietat, TDM, trastorns interioritzats i exterioritzats i US) varen ser mesurats amb L'Entrevista Diagnòstica per a Nens-IV (DISC-IV). Anàlisi: Estudi 1 i 2: models lineals generalitzats mixtes van provar l'associació entre CP i trastorns psiquiàtrics, US i consum d'alcohol en els següents dos anys. Estudi 3: Anàlisi de regressió logística es van dur a terme en oder per examinar els factors que poden explicar com l'estructura familiar i les transicions poden estar relacionats amb trastorns psiquiàtrics infantils. Resultats: CP estava relacionat amb probabilitats més baixes de l'ansietat infantil, TDM, TDAH i TCD, US no alcohòliques i qualsevol US. No hi va haver diferències significatives entre els fills de pares (biològics o pas) que cohabiten o de pares solters en comparació amb els nens els pares biològics casats respecte a presencia de trastorns interioritzats i exterioritzats. En PR únicament, la transició d'una família de dos pares a una família amb un sol pare estava relacionat amb trastorns de interioritzats dels nens.
Objetivos: (1) Analizar si la calidez parental (CP) está asociado con trastornos psiquiátricos (Ansiedad, trastorno depresivo mayor (TDM), TDAH y trastorno del comportamiento disruptivo (TCD), (Estudio 1)), uso de alcohol, uso de sustancias (US) no alcohólicas y cualquier US (Estudio 2) en niños Puertorriqueños. (2) Examinar la influencia de la estructura familiar y las transiciones en los trastornos psiquiátricos infantiles en esta población (Estudio 3). Métodos: Se siguieron durante tres años consecutivos niños puertorriqueños de 5-13 años en la F1 residentes en el South Bronx (SB) y Puerto Rico (PR) (n=2.491). Participantes: El estudio 1 utilizó la muestra completa (n=2.491); En el estudio 2 sólo se incluyeron los jóvenes de 10 años o mayores (F1) (n=1.085); Y el estudio 3 sólo participantes con datos en las tres fases (n=2,142). Medidas: Se utilizó la Entrevista Diagnóstica para Niños-IV (DISC-IV) para evaluar los trastornos psiquiátricos infantiles (TCD, ADHD, ansiedad, TDM, trastornos de internalización, trastornos de externalización y US). Análisis: Estudio 1 y 2: Modelos lineales generalizados analizaron la asociación entre CP (F1) y trastornos psiquiátricos, US y consumo de alcohol en los próximos dos años ajustando por características demográficas y procesos familiares. Estudio 3: Análisis de regresión logística para examinar los factores que pueden explicar cómo la estructura familiar y las transiciones pueden estar relacionadas con trastornos psiquiátricos infantiles. Resultados: CP está asociado con menor probabilidad de sufrir ansiedad, TDM, ADHD y TCD (Estudio 1), US no alcohólicas y cualquier US (Estudio 2) a lo largo del tiempo. (Estudio 3). Tanto los trastornos interiorizados como los de exteriorizados no presentaron diferencias significativas entre los hijos de padres (biológicos o no biológicos) en cohabitación o de padres solteros en comparación con los hijos de padres biológicos casados. Sólo en PR, una transición (de familia de dos padres a familia monoparental) estaba asociado con los trastornos de internalización del niño.
Objectives: (1) To address whether parental warmth (PW) is associated with specific psychiatric disorders (anxiety, major depressive disorder (MDD), ADHD, and disruptive behavior disorder (DBD) (Study 1)) and youth alcohol use, non-alcohol substance use (SU), and any SU (Study 2) in Puerto Rican children and its changes over time. (2) To examine the influence of family structure and transitions on child psychiatric disorders in this population (Study 3). Methods: Puerto Rican children 5-13 years of age at W1 living in the South Bronx (SB) and Puerto Rico (PR) (n=2,491), were followed for three consecutive years. Participants: Study 1 used the entire sample (n=2,491); study 2 only included youth who were 10 years old or older at W1 (n=1,085); and study 3 only participants with data in the three waves (n=2,142). Measures: The Diagnostic Interview Schedule for Children-IV (DISC-IV) measured youth psychiatric disorders (DBD, ADHD, anxiety, MDD, internalizing disorders, externalizing disorders and SU). Analyses: Study 1 and 2: Generalized Linear Mixed models tested the association between PW (W1) and psychiatric disorders, SU and alcohol use in the next two years adjusting for demographic characteristics and family processes. Study 3: Logistic regression analyses to examine factors that may explain how family structure and transitions may be related to child psychiatric disorders. Results: Higher levels of PW were related to lower odds of child anxiety, MDD, ADHD and DBD (Study 1), using non-alcoholic substances and any SU (Study 2) over time. (Study 3) Both internalizing and externalizing disorders there were no significant differences between children of cohabiting (biological or step) parents or of single parents compared to children of married biological parents. In PR only, transitioning once from a two-parent family to a single-parent family was related to child internalizing disorders.

Thesis (Ed.D.)--Teachers College, Columbia University, 1994.
Typescript; issued also on microfilm. Sponsor: Margaret Terry Orr. Dissertation Committee: Francis A. J. Ianni. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 125-131).

Although researchers have focused a vast amount of research on Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) with diverse groups, few have addressed specific ethnic groups such as Puerto Ricans. This study explored the concerns of Puerto Rican mothers of children diagnosed with ADHD. This research addressed how factors such as acculturation and cultural beliefs within Bronfenbrenner's Ecological Systems Model impacted the process that Puerto Rican mother experienced while obtaining treatment for their children diagnosed with ADHD. Utilizing a qualitative research method and Bronfenbrenner's Ecological Model, the narratives of ten mothers of Puerto Rican descent with children between the ages of 7–11 were questioned. The questions consisted of semi-structured interviews to assess how culture and acculturation within an ecological system impacted the process of obtaining mental health services by Puerto Rican mother's children for their children diagnosed with ADHD.

The results yielded eight themes that were embedded within Bronfenbrenner's Ecological System's theory that emphasized the importance of how Puerto Rican culture and acculturation level impacted the process of obtaining services. The mothers narratives exposed the barriers and the fears they faced as Puerto Rican mothers with children diagnosed with ADHD within the Unites States. Recommendation supported the need to address the barriers and fears that Puerto Rican mothers faced as they sought treatment for their children diagnosed with ADHD. Future research suggest further exploration of this research to empower this population and enhance the process to obtain treatment.

KEYWORDS: attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, Puerto Ricans, acculturation,Bronfenbrenner's Ecological System Model, Latinos, treatment process, mothers

INTRODUCTION: Asthma is one of the most common chronic diseases in the United States, affecting the quality of life of at least 20 million Americans. Almost half of the affected (approximately 9.5 million) are children under the age of 18. While Hispanics overall (5.4%) had lower asthma prevalence compared to non-Hispanics (7.4%), those of Puerto Rican descent (14.5%) have a higher burden of asthma than those of Mexican descent (3.9%). AIM: The purpose of this study was to use data collected from a cohort of Puerto Rican infants born in New York City to examine associations between indoor pesticides use and wheeze and asthma in the first two years of life. The data were collected in a prospective birth cohort of Puerto Rican children born to mothers with a history of allergy or asthma. METHODS: Data analysis was conducted using SAS. Descriptive statistics were calculated and reported as percentages. Bivariate statistics were carried out to test independent associations. Logistic regression models for asthma and wheeze at each time point and generalized estimating equation (GEE) models (for wheeze at the end of the study period) were then created with adjustment of potential confounders. RESULTS: After controlling for confounders, no forms of pesticides were associated with wheeze using logistic regression and GEE. However, use of rodenticides at baseline yielded a hazardous relationship with asthma at two years of age (OR = 3.64, 95% CI = 1.26 - 10.52). DISCUSSION: The strong association with exposure to rodenticides at baseline reveals the importance of early life exposures, specifically those that occur prenatally or perinatally. Because rodenticide exposures have not been specifically identified as a possible risk factor in previous scientific literature, it is difficult to ascertain the mechanism behind exposure and asthma onset. Findings from this study and previous studies indicate that more research is needed to further elucidate the role of pesticides and physiological processes, specifically lung and immune system development, in children, especially those in highly allergenic environments.

This study examines the racial discourses of six and seven year old Puerto Rican children participating in small group literature circles over one academic year. The main research question is "How do Puerto Rican young children in a multiage classroom construct race through dialogue within the figured worlds of literature circles?"This study is based on teacher research qualitative research design, using methods and techniques from ethnography and case study research. This study describes the dialogue of 20 Puerto Rican children, during 4 literature circles. These were chosen as case studies to examine in depth student's racial ideological explorations. Data gathering methods included field notes from participant observation, audiotapes, videotapes, and transcripts.A detailed description and analysis of children's responses to literature, this study documents how young Puerto Rican children's ambiguity and inconsistent usages and meanings of racial terminologies to signify their worlds. Through emerging ideological discourses such as colorblindness and esentializing discourses, young children explore discomfort instead of neutral, inclusive and unifying racial constructions, along with racial harmony that celebrates goodwill and benevolence. Literature circles as figured worlds informed by Rosenblatt's reader-response theory and Holland, Lachicotte, Skinner and Cain (2003) social practice theory of identity, are proposed to be a space were racial identities form and reform, facilitating variable forms of racial talk.The findings of this research illustrate the importance of teacher research as one form of qualitative research to illustrate the complexity of children's racial talk aimed toward educational racial understandings and change. The importance of racial discourses in young children's racial explorations to signify their worlds.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Florida State University, 2004.
Advisor: Dr. Sandra Lewis, Florida State University, College of Education, Department of Special Education and Rehabilitation Counseling Services. Title and description from dissertation home page (viewed Sept. 22, 2004). Includes bibliographical references.

The clinical uses of hypnosis with children have been well documented in increasing numbers in the scientific literature. Past research have suggested a link between the capacity for absorption in fantasy and imaginative involvement, and the capacity to respond to hypnotic suggestions in adulthood. In the case of the uses of hypnotherapy with children, imaginative involvement has played a central role in attempting to predict which children would benefit from hypnosis as part of a therapeutic intervention. Recent research on hypnotic responding with adults have shown that expectancy about hypnotic responding does have an effect on responses to hypnotic suggestions. Expectancy has been proved to be an important situational factor that affects the subject's response to hypnotic suggestions. There were two purposes for this study; one was to assess various correlates of imaginative suggestibility in children while controlling for waking suggestibility. This replicated the study of Poulsen (2000) in which he investigated selected correlates of imaginative suggestibility in a sample of children from a clinical population, and determined to what extent children's responsiveness was due to waking suggestibility and how much was due to hypnotic suggestibility. The second purpose was to explore if there is a relationship between parents' expectancies of their children's responses to suggestibility and the actual responses of their children. The correlates chosen for this investigation were dissociative behavior, fantasy behavior, imaginative involvement, and parental expectancies. All have been critical in better understanding of what personality, behavioral and attitudinal characteristics predict hypnotic suggestibility in children. As predicted, vividness was significantly associated with both nonhypnotic and hypnotic suggestibility. Contrary to what was predicted, absorption did not correlate significantly with nonhypnotic suggestibility but did evidence a strong correlation with hypnotic suggestibility. Also contrary to what had been predicted, neither fantasy nor dissociation showed significant correlations with nonhypnotic or hypnotic suggestibility. As expected, parental expectancies did increase with hypnotic suggestibility, but they were not significantly associated with imaginative suggestibility (with and without induction) of the children. Nonhypnotic suggestibility accounted for most of the variance in hypnotizability. A significant correlation was found between nonhypnotic and hypnotic suggestibility, but none of the imaginative suggestibility variables were found to predict unique variance in hypnotizability when nonhypnotic suggestibility was controlled. Absorption and vividness accounted for 27% of the variance in hypnotizability, but did not obtained statistical significance. Similar to previous research, results of this study support the view of hypnotic responsiveness as reflecting a continuum of suggestibility. Finally, the implications of context and cultural differences when assessing nonhypnotic and hypnotic suggestibility in native Spanish-speaking children are discussed.

Studies with diverse populations including Caucasians, African-Americans, Asians, and Latinos have contributed important information about factors that may contribute to childhood obesity. However, the studies on Latino children have not examined how specific child and parent factors may be related to physical activity (PA) or sedentary behaviors (SB). Research investigations into these correlates or possible determinants of PA and SB in Latino children have only included children from Mexican American backgrounds. This dissertation consists of two studies designed to address the gaps in knowledge about these factors and their interaction with PA and SB in a specific group of Latino children. Data were obtained by direct evaluation of 75 children and their parents living on the Island of Puerto Rico. Objective measures, via accelerometry, were used to asses PA and SB, and questionnaires were used to obtain parental perceptions and beliefs about PA and SB. Child’s body composition was measured and used as a fitness component, along with a motor proficiency battery. Study 1 examined the relation between children’s fitness levels and level of motor skills, parental beliefs and perceptions of health status and children’s PA and SB. Results showed that time spent in SB and moderate to vigorous intensity PA (MVPA) was associated with parents’ intentions of reducing TV time and their perception of their child’s body weight. Study 2 undertook a more specific analysis of the mechanism(s) of these associations, specifically attempting to understand the possible moderation effect of certain constructs on the association between predictors of PA and SB. Results indicated that the strength of age as a predictor of MVPA and SB levels of Latino children may be moderated by the parent’s perception of influence, which in itself may be influenced by the parent’s level of education. Parental perceptions and intentions are modifiable factors, which suggests that working with the family is an important area to explore in future interventions to reduce obesity risk in this population.

This study explored Anglo-American and Puerto Rican teacher's perception of independence, attention and potential for achievement based on two sets of an Anglo-American and a Puerto Rican parent-child interaction. It was hypothesized that teachers would perceive this interaction in a manner that is consistent with their own cultural script and their expectations about a child's behavior. The study examined whether two samples of teachers perceive (a) the child to be independent or dependent, and (b) how they perceived the pattern of attention displayed by an Anglo-American and a Puerto Rican child. A sample of sixty teachers, thirty Puerto Rican and thirty Anglo-American teachers participated in this study. They were shown two 8 minute segments; one an Anglo-American and another of a Puerto Rican parent child interaction. Both set of teachers completed three questionnaires designed to capture their perceptions of independence, attention and potential for academic achievement. The first video portrayed the Anglo-American dyad and the second video with English subtitles the Puerto Rican dyad. Raters were asked to rate a set of 22 items for both questionnaires. The third questionnaire contained 25 questions; the last three were open questions designed in order to capture meaningful themes that reflected the behaviors observed. The results suggest that both sample of raters perceive certain behaviors in a different manner in both parent-child interactions when they are compared. Both samples perceived the Anglo-American mother's parenting style as allowing more independence, less controlling in the interaction and using less verbal directions and guidance or structure to the child. They differed in their interpretation and perception of the child's level of independence as workers and also in terms of the child's contribution in the decision making process. These findings seem to indicate that as the mother is more verbal or directive or in control of the interaction, the child would depend more on the mother's direction and guidance to be involve on the task. The raters also perceived a different pattern of attention management in both children. The Anglo-American teachers perceived the Anglo-American child as more focused than the Puerto Rican child while the Puerto Rican teachers perceived the Anglo-American child as more easily distracted. There seemed to be different perceptions about which parenting style encourages to pay attention to more than one thing at a time. Anglo-American teachers perceived the Anglo-American mother as the one encouraging this skill, while Puerto Rican teachers thought that both parenting style encourage this skill. Anglo-American teachers were more likely to indicate that the Anglo-American mother would influence achievement more positively than the Puerto Rican mother. Many of the responses suggest that the Anglo-American mother allowed more independence and gave less guidance or structure to her child. Puerto Rican teachers were more inclined to predict both children as achieving equally in the classroom. The findings of this study provide insight into teacher's perceptions and cultural variations in parenting style and how children's behavior mirrors their cultural scripts.