As California is one of the primary states with the highest influx of Latinxs, the rise of Latinx enrollment in California high schools calls to the importance of understanding methods to increase academic and overall wellness. Cultural congruity (i.e., match of one's cultural values with those of the educational setting) is hypothesized to…

Using the psychosociocultural approach, the mediating role of perceptions of high school responsiveness on perceived academic abilities, mentorship, and school environment with academic persistence decisions, respectively, was examined. For a sample of 104 Latinx high school students, results revealed a meaningful reduction in the relationships…

As complex phenomena, spirituality and religion defy any single definition and are delineated differently yet often conflated. Despite the confluence of the terms, religion and spirituality are not interchangeable or equivalent. Spirituality aids the process of developing the whole student and affects learning while shaping perspectives and…

As Latino males are entering and graduating from higher education at significantly lower rates than their counterparts, this study focused on their educational coping processes. Interviews with five upper-division Latino male undergraduates at a large predominantly White 4-year university revealed a range of coping processes which were…

The use of depression scales as screening tools at university and college centers is increasing and thus, the question of whether scales are culturally valid for different student groups is increasingly more relevant with increased severity of depression for students and changing student demographics. As such, this study examined the reliability…

Taking a multiperspective approach, seven Latina students, two student services personnel, and one mental health service provider are interviewed to gain different stakeholder perspectives regarding Latina first-generation college educational and coping experiences. Familial involvement and connections with family, peers, and university personnel…

In this work, the authors take a critical look at what general measures of success do and do not disclose about the Latina/o experience in higher education and use that assessment to set forth a reconceptualization of the elements of success within a psychosociocultural (PSC) framework. Using "dichos," or widely used sayings of wisdom…

This scholarly article addresses the Latina/o undergraduate experiences proposing a (re)definition of educational success. Discussing strength-based practices of "familia", mentorship, cultural congruity, and professional development from a psychosociocultural (PSC) approach, the article presents practical recommendations and directions for…

Given the unique educational experiences and disproportional representation of Latinas in higher education, this study examined how Latinas' perception of educational barriers and cultural fit influenced their coping responses and subsequent well-being in college. Participants (N = 98) were primarily second-generation Mexican heritage women who…

This study assessed the extent to which university comfort, social support, and self-beliefs were interrelated and subsequently predictive of academic nonpersistence decisions for 99 Latina/o undergraduates. The majority of the sample was female, traditional college aged, second generation, and of Mexican heritage. Previously used or specifically…

Conducted four focus groups to explore the college student experience of ethnic minorities (African American, Asian-Pacific American, Chicano/Latino, and Native American) in a predominantly White institution of higher education. Findings in terms of student voices and perspectives were grouped into six main categories: general campus climate,…

This paper reports on an in-depth ethnographic study of one Latina attending a predominantly White university. The study focuses on her experiences during the process of earning a graduate degree, the importance of family and cultural influences, and the differences between the path taken by Chicanas/Latinas in higher education and that of…