Describes the development of a new sex role inventory, the Masculine-Feminine Personality Traits Scale, based on Bem's Sex Role Inventory and using Mexican sex role stereotypes. The instrument includes scales measuring assertive masculinity, affective femininity, aggressive masculinity, and submissive femininity. Results show expected response…

Explores research done in Latin America concerning audiences of telenovelas. Examines critically the methods employed and the kinds of knowledge generated. Finds that most of the 26 studies examined are severely flawed from a methodological perspective. Suggests that much research still needs to be done. (SR)

Addresses the question of why Mesoamerican religions and related cultures disappeared after the conquest. Argues that certain principles of social organization and behavior have survived to today. Discusses four principles among those that have always been of fundamental importance to Mesoamerican peoples: (1) cardinality; (2) duality; (3)…

Discusses cultural issues that demand attention in the classroom and in executive training sessions and suggests need for research that identifies sources of misunderstandings, such as hidden attitudes leading to wrong cultural assumptions. Relevant research concerning concept of stereotypes is reviewed, presence of stereotypes about Latin…

A study examined the home literacy practices of 180 low-income Latino recent-immigrant families participating in a 3-year family literacy program. Data were gathered from videotapes of literacy interactions between parents and children using children's literacy materials, audiotapes of naturally occurring conversation among family members,…

This study investigated teacher and peer perceptions of aggression in minority elementary school students enrolled in three urban public schools in southern California. Students (N=650) in grades 3, 5, and 8 were rated by teachers and completed a peer assessment questionnaire. Boys received significantly more peer nominations for aggressive…

Retirement research which focuses on retiring white males is not relevant to the emerging group of minority retirees. The retirement decision-making and perceptions about retirement among almost equal numbers of Blacks, Latinos, and Anglos (N=595) in Denver and San Diego were examined to investigate the appropriateness of the emerging minority…

This paper presents the Commission's views on the scope of a proposed inquiry into the educational underachievement of West Indian children and into other aspects of the education of ethnic minority children in general. Objectives and suggestions for meeting these objectives in the proposed inquiry are outlined. These include: (1) basic skills in…

The motivational dynamics of recently arrived Central Americans are explored. Issues facing this population are framed in the context of a psychosocial model for understanding minority status and educational functioning in a plural society. A key implication of the findings is that not all minorities share the same problems. (Author/VM)

Discusses a field experience program in which a sociologist worked for three years as an applied social scientist in a health care setting in Cali, Colombia. Information is presented on research activities, change agents, research methodology, and evaluation of the experience. (Author/DB)

A 21-item College Stress Inventory was administered to 164 Mexican-American and Latin-American college students. Confirmatory factor analysis of results generated three subscales titled Academic Stress, Social Stress, and Financial Stress, which possessed adequate internal consistency. (KS)

Study describes how college students (N=39) constructed their residential experiences during pilot implementation of the Community Standards Model. Identifies three major themes related to democratic living: program purpose and structure; engagement and decision-making; and constructions of community. Proposes conditions to promote…

Examined the relationship between Latino high school students' conceptions of their futures and their school engagement. Data from interviews with 30 students indicated that there was considerable consistency in students' conceptions of the future, their understanding of the procedural knowledge necessary to actualize those futures, and the…

This qualitative study aims to explore the loss and maintenance of Spanish in Latin American children in Vancouver from the perspective of parents. It focuses on the experiences of children either developing bilingually (Spanish-English) or monolingually (English). The participating families were from Colombia, Guatemala, and El Salvador, and had…

The study applied a stress and coping model including acculturation to understanding the predictors of depressive symptoms, alcohol use, and life satisfaction of 108 native Salvadorans who immigrated to the United States in the past 5 years. Acculturation was negatively related to depression and alcohol use, and positively related to life…