Completed Research Studies

Below are listings of studies that ended within the past 5 years.

African Women's Perceptions of Global Health Leadership
2018- 2021

PI: Dr. Sandra Kiplagat (Former Epidemology Doctoral Student)

Although there is a large body of research examining health in Africa, a growing concern focuses on the fact that few African's have leadership roles in research processes. This study is explores the Global Health experiences of women from the continent of Africa, with a focus on factors that could increase their participantion.

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Black Mothers & Adolescent Daughters' IPV Discussions
2014- 2017

PI: Dr. Dionne Stephens

Preliminary results indicate that mothers' own experiences with violence and perceptions of their daughters' dating status informs their decision to initiate conversations. This was funded in part by the American Psychological Association's Office for Ethnic Minority Affairs.

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Gender Based Violence & Cultural Values among Young Adults in Mysore, India
2014- 2017

PI: Dr. Dionne Stephens

This mixed methods projects explored the cultural values and gender beliefs shaping emerging adults' perceptions of intimate partner violence in Mysore, India. This was funded by the National Institutes for Health Global Health Equity Fellowship Program.

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GP3: Girl Power Afterschool Program's Parenting Groups
2017- 2020

PI: Dr. Jackie Moses (former Psychology Doctoral Student)

Co- PI: Dr. Stacy Frazier & Dionne Stephens

Drawing from the empericial research, this project seeks to explore the parents of urban, Black and Latinx adolescents' needs as it relates to parenting knowledge. Beyond identifying topics, this project will utlize three modes of dissemination to share the identified parenting information.

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Hijra's peceptions of GBV & Sexual Health Stigmas
2017- 2019

PI: Hector Peguero

Co- PI: Dionne Stephens

Using qualitative methods, the perceptions that Hijras in Mysore, India held regarding gender based violence, stigma and sexual health were examined. This study was funded by the Fulbright Student Research Program of the United States. Hector lived in Mysore for one year to conduct this research.

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IsBaru: A Network Analysis of Adolescents Perceptions of Violence in Rural Colombia
2018- 2021

PI: Dr. Ana Lucia Rodriguez

This study is explores the degree to which gender ideologies influence perceptions of and engagement in sexual health risk taking activities among adolescents in Baru, Colombia.

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La persistencia Hispana: Sociocultural factors influencing Hispanic women’s entrance and success in STEM
2019- 2021

PI: Dr. Elsa Bravo (former Psychology Doctoral Student)

This study had three aims: (1) examine the effectiveness of interventions seeking to increase Hispanic college women’s participation in STEM fields, (2) identify the influences of context on Hispanic college women’s participation in STEM fields, and (3) identify the influence of cultural values on Hispanic college women’s persistence in STEM fields.

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NIICE: National Identity, Immigration Citizeship & Ethncity
2018- 2021

PI: Dr. Alexa Barton (former Psychology Doctoral Student)

Utilizing quantitative methods, the current project will employ the Stereotype Content Model to: (1) explore the relationship between attitudes toward immigrants, demographic variables, and sociocultural variables among emerging adult college students attending university in Florida, Texas, and California, and (2) identify the effect of an experimental stimulus on attitudes toward immigrants among emerging adult college students attending an HSI in a predominately Hispanic urban center.

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Network Analysis of Black Doctoral Students' Mentorship Experiences
2017- 2019

PI: Dr. Ana Lucia Rodriguez (former Psychology Doctoral Student)

This study explored Black doctoral students mentoring experiences through an examination of social network ties. The positive/ negative and degree of closeness in these relationships was assessed. This was funded in part by the FIU Department of Psychology Graduate Student SEED Grant Award and the Complex Systems Society's Bridge Grant for Junior Researchers

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Racial/ Ethnic Minority Students' Reflections on Sexting during High School
2015- 2017

PI: Dr. Dionne Stephens

These qualitative and quantitative studies sought to identify perceptions of and responses to racial/ ethnic adolescents’ who engaged in the distribution of sexually explicit images, known as sexting, during high school. Although there were differing perceptions of why girls engaged in sexting, results showed that the negative social consequences they faced (e.g., name calling and social avoidance) reinforced traditional sexual gender norms expectations. Further, double standards exist when considering attitudes toward high school boys’ engagement in sexting.

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Voices of the Victims
2018- 2020

PI: Claire Helpingstine (Psychology Doctoral Student)

Few studies have specifically explored the meanings adolescent girls with a history of CSE give to their social networks and how these may be associated with CSE vulnerability. The current study examines how important networks are labeled and characterized by these youth. Two major themes emerged from the data: a) the social networks perceived as influential in the participants' daily lives and b) the perception of the social network's characteristics as negative or positive.

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Women of Color & Body Modifications
2017- 2018

PI: Dr. Dionne Stephens

Women of color's perceptions of and engagement in body modification procedures was the focus of this two part study. The quantiative component of the study identified women's beauty ideals, self objectification and attitudes toward body modification. The qualiative component of the study identitified the intersections between sexual and psychological health outcomes influenced by cultural values regarding body modification. n.

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