Edna C. Alfaro

Latino Adolescents’ Academic Motivation: The Role of Siblings

Guided by an ecological perspective, two competing models were tested to examine how sibling relationship quality directly predicted or interacted with academic support from siblings to predict Latino adolescents’ academic motivation (N = 258). Gender differences were examined utilizing multiple group analysis in structural equation modeling. Findings indicated that academic support from siblings was a significant predictor of both boys’ and girls’ academic motivation. In addition, sibling relationship quality was directly related to girls’ academic motivation. Findings underscore the importance of examining the role that siblings play in Latino adolescents’ academic motivation.

The Longitudinal Relation between Academic Support and Latino Adolescents' Academic Motivation.

This study examined whether longitudinal trajectories of academic support from mothers, fathers, and teachers predicted trajectories of Latino adolescents’ (N = 323) academic motivation. Findings indicated those boys’ perceptions of mothers’ and fathers’ academic support and girls’ perceptions of mothers’ academic support declined throughout high school. Furthermore, girls’ academic motivation increased significantly over time. Although neither boys’ nor girls’ trajectories of support predicted trajectories of academic motivation, initial levels of academic support predicted adolescents’ academic motivation in the ninth grade. Finally, girls who reported lower academic motivation during the ninth grade also tended to report steeper increases in academic motivation over time. Findings underscore the importance of examining the unique impact of academic support from multiple individuals in adolescents’ lives.

Adolescents’ Beliefs about Math Ability and Their Relations to STEM Career Attainment: Joint Consideration of Race/ethnicity and Gender

Much of the workforce demand in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) in the United States goes unmet, and females and racial/ethnic minorities are vastly underrepresented in these fields. To understand the psychological antecedents for STEM career attainment, this study took an intersectional approach and examined racial/ethnic and gender differences in youth’s math-related ability beliefs—growth mindset, self-concept, and career expectancy—and their longitudinal relations to STEM career attainment. Specifically, the study utilized nationally representative data of 10th graders over 10 years (n ~ = 14,320, Mage = 16.46, 50.4% female; 60.6% White, 15.5% Latinx, 14.1% Black, 9.8% Asian). The results indicated that youth’s math-related ability beliefs positively predicted their later STEM career outcomes. Furthermore, female adolescents’ math self-concept was more negative than male adolescents among Whites and Latinxs but not among Blacks and Asians. Black adolescents did not fully garner the advantage of having positive self-concept. Finally, high school math achievement did not predict Latina and Black youth’s STEM career expectancy. The current findings inform future interventions that different ability beliefs may need to be targeted for each race/ethnicity and gender.

Communication Frequency and Types of Supportive Messages: A Mixed Methods Approach to Examining Mexican-Origin College Students’ Relationships With Their Mothers and Fathers

The current study examined communication between Mexican-origin college students (n = 84) and their parents and the supportive messages that students received. Students attend a Hispanic Serving Institution in central Texas. Most students (96.4%) communicated weekly with parents. Females communicated more with their mothers. Relationship quality was positively related to communication with fathers. Parents’ supportive messages targeted characteristics of parent–child relationships and noncognitive predictors of academic outcomes. Findings demonstrate that parents are a viable focus for college retention efforts.

Who Helps Build Mexican-Origin Female College Students’ Self-Efficacy? The Role of Important Others in Student Success:

The present study examined interrelations among sociocultural factors, communication, and academic support from mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, professors, romantic partners, and close friends and Mexican-origin female college students’ (n = 205) college self-efficacy. Findings revealed that students communicated the most with their close friends and perceived that mothers provided the most academic support. In general, students who espoused behaviors and values that closely aligned with the Mexican culture were more likely to communicate with others. In addition, higher levels of communication related to higher levels of academic support, but relations between academic support and college self-efficacy differed by source of support. Notably, while academic support from mothers, professors, and romantic partners were positively related to college self-efficacy, academic support from fathers, sisters, brothers, and close friends were not related to college self-efficacy. Findings confirm that a focus on the unique roles of important others is warranted.

Mexican American college students’ perceptions of youth success.

Given the recent research agenda focused on positive youth development (PYD), it is important to consider PYD from the perspective of young people. Using qualitative data collected from open-ended responses, 141 Mexican American college students (Ages 18–22; 81.6% female; 84.2% U.S.-born) reported on their perceptions of the definition of youth success and ideas about what contributes to youth success. We conducted inductive thematic analysis and found that Mexican American college students identified definitions of success related to 3 themes: academic (e.g., school success), individual (e.g., personal qualities), and social (e.g., positive family relationships) factors. Further, factors relating to the individual (e.g., school involvement), relationships (e.g., supportive family), and the environment (e.g., resource availability) emerged as important contributors to youth success. Academic success, youths’ personal qualities, and positive and supportive family relationships and friendships were of particular importance to Mexican American college students’ perspectives on definitions of youth success and contributors to youth success. Debido a la reciente agenda de investigación enfocada en el desarrollo positivo de la juventud (DPJ), es importante considerar el DPJ desde la perspectiva de los jóvenes. Utilizando datos cualitativos recabados mediante las respuestas de preguntas abiertas de 141 estudiantes universitarios México-Americanos (de 18–22 años de edad; 81.6% mujeres; 84.2% nacidos en Estados Unidos), investigamos las percepciones de estudiantes universitarios sobre la definición del éxito juvenil y sobre sus ideas acerca de lo que contribuye al éxito juvenil. Utilizando un análisis temático inductivo, encontramos que los estudiantes universitarios México-Americanos identificaron definiciones de éxito relacionadas a tres temas: a factores académicos (por ejemplo, éxito escolar), individuales (por ejemplo, cualidades personales) y sociales (por ejemplo, relaciones familiares positivas). Además, hubieron factores relacionados con el individuo (por ejemplo, participación en la escuela), con sus familiares y amigos (por ejemplo, recibir apoyo de la familia), y con el ambiente (por ejemplo, disponibilidad de recursos) que surgieron como contribuyentes importantes al éxito juvenil. El éxito académico, las cualidades personales de los jóvenes, y las relaciones positivas con familiares y amigos fueron de mayor importancia en las perspectivas de los estudiantes universitarios México-Americanos sobre sus definiciones del éxito juvenil y sobre los contribuyentes al éxito juvenil.

Family Members’ Relationship Qualities and Prosocial Behaviors in U.S. Mexican Young Adults: The Roles of Familism and Ethnic Identity Resolution:

Scholars have asserted that family relationships may have a prominent role in fostering prosocial behaviors. However, there is limited research on the quality of relationships with fathers and siblings in predicting prosocial behaviors, particularly in U.S. Mexican samples. Furthermore, culture-related mechanisms are rarely considered in examining these relations. The present study examines the associations between family relationship quality and U.S. Mexican young adults’ prosocial behaviors. Participants included 186 U.S. Mexican young adults who completed measures of parental acceptance, sibling intimacy, familism values, ethnic identity resolution, and prosocial behaviors. Relationship quality was positively associated with greater endorsement of familism values. In turn, familism values were positively associated with ethnic identity resolution, and ethnic identity resolution was associated with multiple forms of prosocial behaviors. These results highlight the importance of examining multiple sources of socialization and culture-related processes as mechanisms that may predict positive social outcomes in U.S. Mexican young adults.