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ERIC Number: ED555070
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2013
Pages: 241
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: 978-1-3032-2667-0
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
The Lived Experiences of Single Hispanic Mothers Raising Gang-Affiliated Male Youth Released from Texas Juvenile Justice Department State Facilities: A Phenomenological Study
Rodriguez-Almendarez, Ruby
ProQuest LLC, Ph.D. Dissertation, Sam Houston State University
Purpose of the Study: The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study (Moustakas, 1994) was to describe the experiences that single Hispanic mothers of gang-affiliated male juveniles face during their sons' reentry process after being released from a Texas Juvenile Justice Department state facility. Methods: After an extensive review of the literature, three instruments were developed in both English and Spanish to accommodate the participants' native language: (a) a semistructured interview, (b) a demographic questionnaire, and (c) a short answer written questionnaire. At the onset, nine potential participants were contacted with respect to participating in this study; however, only six agreed to take part. Although the remaining three expressed interest, they failed to continue correspondence with me despite numerous efforts to reschedule their interviews. Moustakas' (1994) transcendental phenomenological approach was used to gather and analyze the data. Finally, trustworthiness was secured by utilizing triangulation, member checking, debriefing interviews, and thick and rich descriptions. Results: Five sets of themes were developed: (a) single Hispanic mothers were required to work to support their families; (b) relationships with their sons; (c) knowledge of gang iv involvement; (d) characteristics of their sons; and (e) parenting skills. With the exception of the third theme, each one had subthemes. In the first theme, the following subthemes were revealed: (a) prior to incarceration support system; (b) post incarceration support; and (c) type of assistance requested. The second theme also contained three subthemes: (a) relationship prior to incarceration; (b) post incarceration support; and (c) participants' preferences to incarceration. The third theme pertained to the participants' knowledge of their sons' gang involvements. The following subthemes found in the fourth theme were related to five characteristics common to the gang-affiliated sons: (a) age at which they began to display problems; (b) school difficulties; (c) tattoos; (d) little or no contact with their biological fathers; (d) drug usage; and (e) feeling that the gang family was more important than their biological family. The final theme included two subthemes; (a) participants relocating from their previous neighborhoods, and (b) preparation for their sons' homecoming upon release from incarceration. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]
ProQuest LLC. 789 East Eisenhower Parkway, P.O. Box 1346, Ann Arbor, MI 48106. Tel: 800-521-0600; Web site: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml
Publication Type: Dissertations/Theses - Doctoral Dissertations
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Texas
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A