The study examined the relationship between Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and insecure attachment styles in adulthood. It specifically focused on how childhood neglect may predict avoidant attachment and how childhood abuse may contribute to anxious attachment. ACEs significantly impact mental, behavioral, and physical health, shaping adult relationships. Anxious attachment involves a need for constant affirmation and fear of rejection, while avoidant attachment involves emotional withdrawal, making it hard to form meaningful relationships. The research recruited 200 participants aged 18 to 76 through an online survey website called Prolific, utilizing data from the CSU Stanislaus library database and other sources. The results indicated that anxious attachment is more associated with childhood abuse, while avoidant attachment is more associated with childhood neglect. The study also emphasized the role of psychopathology, such as depression, anxiety, PTSD, and emotional dysregulation, in connecting ACEs to adult relationship quality. Additionally, it highlighted the importance of supportive childhood relationships in lessening the harmful effects of ACEs. The findings aim to contribute to the development of targeted interventions for healthier attachment patterns and psychological resilience in individuals with childhood trauma histories. Data analysis is ongoing to further explore these relationships and refine the findings.
In 2020, 844,310 vehicles were involved in crashes while turning left, highlighting the need to research and prevent these collisions. Drivers assess left turns based on time-to-collision (TTC) with an oncoming vehicle and the time required to turn (TRT). However, studies have not assessed whether these turn estimations are accurate. We hypothesized that judgments of the last safe moment to turn would have shorter TTCs for motorcycles due to the size arrival effect. No prior research compares estimated and actual turning times, but walking time studies display accurate estimations, suggesting drivers might also be accurate. We analyzed the minimum TTC when participants indicated the last safe moment to turn left in front of an oncoming vehicle. ANOVA showed that drivers responded sooner (higher TTC) to larger vehicles (trucks) and slower vehicles (30mph) compared to smaller vehicles (motorcycles) and faster (vehicles). The interaction between vehicle size and speed was not significant. For perceived safety margins, drivers had larger margins for trucks and slower vehicles compared to motorcycles and faster vehicles, with no significant interaction. We are continuing to analyze actual turning time data to compare it with imagined turns and assess the accuracy of drivers' judgments and their safety margins.
Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) are traumatic events that an individual may experience before their 18th birthday. Experiencing four or more ACEs affects multiple aspects of an individual’s social development. ACEs can disrupt a child’s interpersonal relationships and their ability to form connections and secure attachments with others. Later, romantic relationships are one of the closest relationships that adults form, but they can be influenced by early experiences. The present study's purpose is to examine the relationship between ACEs and adult attachment styles in romantic relationships. Based on past research, it is hypothesized that 1) fewer ACEs will be negatively correlated with secure attachment (close subscale); 2) more ACEs will be positively correlated with anxious attachment (anxiety subscale); and 3) more ACEs will be positively correlated with avoidant attachment (depend on subscale). One hundred participants currently in a romantic relationship for six months or longer will be recruited. They will take the Adverse Childhood Experience scale and the Adult Attachment Scale. Once all the data is collected, a Pearson correlation will be used to test the hypotheses. These findings may address the gap in literature regarding ACEs and attachment, or be used to provide support to couples.
Stress has been shown to have an impact on student’s academic success. Racial minorities experience more stress compared to their white counterparts due to systemic oppression. This study's purpose is to investigate the role of stress on academic achievement between black and white students. To better understand how stress impacts academic success, the Minority Student Stress Scale (MSSS), self-reported GPA, and Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) were collected from 91 undergraduate students at a predominantly white institution (PWI) from 2022-2024. Analyses using t-tests will highlight the effects of PSS scores and GPAs of black and white students. A Pearson Correlation will be conducted for MSSS and GPA for minority students. It is hypothesized that stress will negatively impact student’s academic outcomes. Students experiencing racial-related stress will impact MSSS scores and academic achievement. Our data shows that black students have higher levels of minority-related stress, while black and white students experience similar levels of perceived stress. Black students have a direct relationship between perceived stress and GPA, while white students have an inverse relationship between perceived stress and GPA. This data suggests that black and white students respond to stress differently. Further research into resilience between black and white students is needed.
Previous research has shown that children of mothers with a history of major depressive disorder (MDD), compared to children of never depressed mothers, are at a higher risk of developing depression themselves. However, not all children of depressed parents develop MDD, highlighting the need to understand potential moderators of risk. This study examined how child emotional regulation strategies, specifically cognitive reappraisal and suppression, may moderate the link between mother MDD and children’s depressive symptoms. Additionally, child age and gender were examined as potential moderators. We recruited 95 mother-child dyads from the community. Of the mothers, 62% had a history of MDD during their child’s life and the others had no lifetime history of any depressive disorder. The children were 7-15 years old, the majority were Caucasian (77.9%) and female (55.3%). Children completed self-report questionnaires assessing emotion regulation strategies (cognitive reappraisal and suppression) and depressive symptoms. Analyses revealed that higher levels of suppression, but not lower levels of cognitive reappraisal, were associated with high levels of depression in children. This relation was strongest in older boys of mothers with a history of MDD. These findings suggest that children’s use of suppression may increase risk for depression, particularly in at-risk older boys
This study investigates the relationship between perceptions of racial allyship messages among Black and Latine individuals and impacts on emotional well-being, identity safety, and perceived support. Racial allies (i.e., White individuals who support disadvantaged groups) sometimes engage in performative allyship—actions motivated by personal gain rather than genuine support for equality. Witnessing performative allyship can have negative consequences for minoritized individuals by cueing identity threat, negative emotions, and damaging perceptions of support. However, it is unknown which specific allyship behaviors are perceived as performative or genuine and their positive or negative implications. To address this gap, we ask: What allyship messages do people of color (i.e., Black and Latine individuals) perceive as genuine or performative, and how does this relate to their emotions, identity safety, and support? We hypothesize that (1) participants will differentiate genuine and performative allyship messages, (2) performative messages will result in negative emotions, lower perceptions of support, and reduced identity safety, whereas (3) genuine messages will result in positive emotions, stronger perceived support, and identity safety. Our findings will help White allies better support minoritized groups by knowing which allyship messages help fight for social justice and promote a supportive environment where minoritized groups can thrive.
In the U.S., housing is often treated as a luxury rather than a fundamental human right, evident from the 653,104 people identified as unhoused in HUD’s one-day census in January of 2023. Despite existing shelters and support programs, chronic homelessness remains unsolved. The Supreme Court decision in Grants Pass v. Johnson could worsen the marginalization of the unhoused by increasing criminalization and displacement. Although much research exists on homelessness, little progress has been made toward a universal housing program. This study aims to explore the prevalence of automatic housing rejections based on factors like credit score, criminal history, and evictions. It will investigate whether eliminating these barriers, combined with wrap-around services, can create long-term, stable housing. The study seeks to understand rejection rates and the potential for collaboration with housing organizations by interviewing property managers, local politicians, and other key stakeholders. The findings will support advocacy for individual-centered solutions and community partnerships, contributing evidence to shape policies that address homelessness across diverse communities.
Currently, 58% of women in prison are mothers, many of whom struggle to maintain their maternal identity in a restrictive environment (Bertram, 2023). Motherhood involves various practices that reinforce maternal identity, such as daily caregiving, emotional support, and involvement in children's education and routines. However, incarceration limits these opportunities, disrupting the mother-child bond and challenging the mothers' sense of maternal identity. This study explores the experiences of incarcerated mothers, focusing on how their maternal identities are affected and reformed during incarceration. Through a survey conducted with women across multiple penal institutions, this research aims to fill a gap in the literature that predominantly centers on the impact of maternal incarceration on children, rather than on the mothers themselves. By giving voice to these women and examining their self-reported data, this research seeks to contribute to a deeper understanding of the complexities of maternal identity in the context of incarceration and to inform better practices and policies that support incarcerated mothers. Findings in this study found that incarcerated mothers vary in cognitive operations as based on race/ethnicity.
This study investigates examining law enforcement’s approach and statements regarding Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG) cases from the perspectives of tribal communities, law enforcement agencies, and public media. The purpose of this study focuses on defining ‘police assertive’ and examining how MMIWG cases are framed and portrayed in media. By utilizing content analysis and grounded theory, this study specifically analyzes the cases of Mary Johnson, an Indigenous woman from the Tulalip tribe, and Aubrey Dameron, an Indigenous woman from the Cherokee Nation in Oklahoma. These cases were selected for their significance in highlighting the urgency of addressing MMIWG issues and the racial disparities experienced by women of color in media coverage, as well as advocating for legislative reforms. The research will explore media coverage from various outlets including local and national digital newspapers and podcasts, identifying prevalent themes and narratives. It will investigate the framing of these cases, law enforcement actions, the extent of media attention, and case outcomes. Through this analysis, the study aims to illuminate the systemic challenges faced by Indigenous women in accessing adequate support post-victimization.
Using Kipp Williams ostracism work this study focuses on experiences of inclusion/exclusion and the need to belong on social relationships. Recalling a time that one was excluded should increase one’s need to belong, and the converse should be true for recalling a memory of being included. In addition, those who enjoy thinking about relationships (high in a relationship need for cognition) should provide more robust responses to vignettes regardless of condition. Using vignettes, we explore how the need to belong can influence responses to excluded others. To manipulate the need to belong, we asked participants to recall a time they were excluded (included) and then have them respond to a series of vignettes where someone in their social group is feeling excluded. Qualitative analysis of participants' open-ended responses will explore themes and determine whether individuals use different approaches based on their conditions. We expect open-ended responses and resulting themes to demonstrate individuals use different approaches based on condition. Quantitative analysis will examine participants’ scores on the Friendship Habits Questionnaire, Relationship Need for Cognition Scale, and the Need to Belong scale. We predict that the need to belong will shape how participants respond to excluded others within their social group.
A growing body of literature has suggested that ethnic-racial socialization (ERS) is a protective factor for biracial youth as it provides youth with skills to face different adversities like racial discrimination, ultimately improving their psychological well-being. Various types of ERS exist (e.g., verbal, non-verbal, etc) across different levels (e.g., parent-child, household/family) but some have been overlooked in research. This study sought to bridge this gap by exploring ERS at the family level and determining whether it relates to depressive symptoms among biracial black-white adolescents and emerging adults. The study examined if (a) family ERS around multiracial and monoracial black topics related to depressive symptoms differently and (b) any developmental differences were present in the association between family ERS and depressive symptoms. We predicted a negative relationship between both forms of Family ERS and depressive symptoms. The methods included a secondary analysis with three multiple linear regression models conducted in SPSS Version 28. Findings indicated significant negative associations between both forms of Family ERS and depressive symptoms in biracial black-white young people. Developmental differences also emerged in these associations. The results explore the potential role that Family ERS may have regarding depressive symptoms in biracial black-white young people.
Hello Everyone! My name is Ashley (Ash) Dominguez and I’m a Junior majoring in Psychology with minors in Sociology and Spanish. I’m honored to be a TRIO SSS student and Ronald E. McNair scholar at Virginia Commonwealth University. I aspire to obtain a doctorate degree in Clinical... Read More →
Friday September 20, 2024 3:00pm - 3:15pm EDT
Loch Raven I
This secondary analysis examines how street-identified Black men and women perceive the sexual behavior and reproductive health of low-income Black women and girls. Data was drawn from 800 community-based surveys and a subset (20) of in-depth interviews from street-identified Black men and women ages 16 to 54 from two high-crime neighborhoods in Wilmington, Delaware. Study participants comprise a distinctive, hard-to-reach subset of the broader low-income Black population that is often in closer proximity to criminal justice contact, violence, and other forms of illegal activity. This mixed-methods analysis examines survey questions on attitudes toward abortion and contraception and racialized perceptions of sexuality. Investigating a subset of in-depth interviews and focusing on these themes related to Black women and girls, I compare this data across gender to understand the gender differences in their perceptions.
Attentional biases of social anxiety including self-focus and attention to perceived negative evaluation from others are a key role in maintaining anxiety symptoms. Self-focus on somatic symptoms prompts fear of rejection if others notice these symptoms. Exercise is a powerful interoceptive exposure strategy because it has been seen to reduce anxiety sensitivity. The current investigation will examine the effects of exercise on the perception of heart rate among socially anxious individuals. Participants filled out an online questionnaire to determine social anxiety group eligibility. Participants were attached to ECG sensors that monitored their heart rate. A self-manipulation task was completed before and after an exercise or rest task to provoke attentional focus toward the heartbeat. Results indicate that high and low socially anxious individuals did not differ in heartbeat detection accuracy when completing an exercise or rest task, F(1,8)= 1.09, p= .33. These findings provide a basic understanding of how exercise may benefit perception of heart rate among socially anxious individuals.
How we perceive the factors that control our lives impacts our behavior and influences our participation in prosocial behavior. Studies have examined how internal and external locus of control impact many facets of our lives, such as well-being, life satisfaction, and how we treat others (Stevick et al., 1980). Little to no research has been conducted on the connection between locus of control and prosocial behavior. The present study will examine the relationship between the two. Previous research has demonstrated that an external locus of control can have detrimental effects on individuals, leading to anxiety, depression, and risky behaviors (Guo et al., 2021). Conversely, engaging in prosocial behavior has been shown to elicit positive emotions and reduce stress (Baumsteiger, 2019). This line of research is crucial for understanding the individual differences in how people navigate life, respond to challenges, and plan for the future. By predicting behaviors and outcomes, such as prosocial behavior, we can foster community participation, promote psychological well-being, and enhance positive social interactions. Past research has examined the links between third variables that affect prosocial behavior, such as self-control, life satisfaction, and moral disengagement. The present study investigates the link between locus of control and prosocial behavior.
Youth involved in juvenile legal systems and those who are at risk for delinquency often report high levels of trauma. The Restorative and Transformative Justice (RTJ) for Youths and Communities Pilot Program, located in four counties of New Jersey, is an initiative to provide educational, employment, mental health, substance abuse, life skills, mentoring, and social services to system-involved and at-risk youth. Examining the effectiveness of the RTJ Hubs may improve the quality of services, especially for youth who have had high levels of trauma. Our mixed method approach includes surveys completed via Qualtrics and in-person Photovoice groups in which data will be collected at baseline and 3, 6, and 9-month benchmark follow-ups that assess behavior and attitudes. The expected findings are that RTJ Hubs will positively impact domains of social support, civic engagement, trauma responses, and restorative justice attitudes, especially for system-involved youth with high adverse childhood experience scores. This study is presumed to benefit youth participants re-entering society after detention, prevent at-risk youth from initial justice system contact, improve connections with local law enforcement, and positively impact the larger community. Overall, we foresee positive impacts on youth behavioral health concerning violence, delinquency, and criminality improving safety, security, and health.
Online classes have existed for many years and consist of asynchronous and synchronous classes. Synchronous classes include live lectures while asynchronous classes tend to include pre-recorded lectures that can be a few minutes to over an hour long. As online classes have risen in popularity due to the Covid-19 pandemic, TikTok has also. Therefore, it can be advantageous to see if TikTok can be incorporated into online classes to help with comprehension. The study will be conducted on Qualtrics and will be both experimental and quantitative. Participants in the control group will watch a twenty-minute long pre-recorded lecture video while the experimental group will watch five 2-3 minute long TikTok videos that contain the same lecture content. After, both groups will take a 20-question multiple choice test to measure their comprehension of the lecture material. It is expected that those in the TikTok condition will perform better on the comprehension test than those in the control condition. Data is in the process of being collected. If significance is found, then more instructors can try using TikTok videos to help their students learn. Additionally, researchers can measure the role of cognitive load on online lecture comprehension.
College access programs are necessary tools to prepare disadvantaged students for college and give them insight into what they must accomplish before that time comes. Most students from low socioeconomic communities can succeed with the right type of support to break the barrier. Through a quantitative study, we will be able to analyze how the length of time the students have been participating in the program has a direct effect on the improvement of their grades and their confidence in their academic abilities. This study will use a survey to gauge how the students perceive themselves in their scholarly journey to college.
This study investigates the persistent gender pay gap in the United States, focusing on how marital status affects within-job wage disparities in various professional occupations. Utilizing the 2022 microdata sample from the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey, this analysis controls for educational attainment, age, class of worker, region, and specific occupation to understand the nuanced impact of gender, sector, and marital status on annual incomes. Results indicate that while women have made significant strides in educational attainment, their earnings still lag behind men with similar qualifications. The analysis also reveals that men benefit from a "marriage premium," earning more than their unmarried counterparts, a phenomenon not as prevalent among women. Additionally, occupations with discretionary compensation schemes and wider pay ranges exacerbate these disparities. Regression analyses alongside interaction effects highlight significant wage differences influenced by marital status, sector, and occupational choices. The findings underscore the need for policies addressing both explained and unexplained factors contributing to the gender pay gap. By shedding light on these complexities, this research aims to inform strategies for creating more equitable workplaces, ultimately stimulating economic activity, reducing poverty, and enhancing job satisfaction among professional women.
Losing track of time has been studied in two distinct ways in psychology. Perhaps the most well-known is the experience of flow that was popularized by Csikszentmihalyi in 1990. In the case of flow states, people are so immersed and engaged in what they are doing during a peak performance that they lose awareness of time. From positive psychology, we also have a robust literature on the importance of being present in the moment through mindfulness practice which in turn can improve our performance. Social media use is often viewed as a waste of time. However, under conditions of mindfulness, this activity might be considered information gathering. In this study, mindfulness is expected to increase time awareness and recall during social media viewing. We manipulate mindfulness by having participants listen to a guided mindfulness audio clip (or not), then ask them to provide a time estimate while scrolling through social media. Recall measures will be used to determine what they remember from their social media session and accuracy of time estimates will also be recorded. Participants in the mindfulness condition are expected to recall more information from the social media stream and to provide more accurate time estimates.
The topic of mental health and academic achievement has increased drastically over the years. Mental health substantially influences dropout rates among high school and college students, particularly in minority groups. However, research on the relationship between mental health and academic achievement in African American male adolescents, especially when incorporating other outside cultural factors, remains limited. The purpose of this study is to gain a better understanding of the impact of mental health (measured through depression and anxiety symptoms) on academic achievement (measured through GPA). This study uses secondary data from the first wave of Add Health.
Data was gained from over 6,000 U.S adolescents in grades 7 through 12 and analyzed using an Ordinary Least Squares regression. The dataset contains responses on factors like household structure, friendships, neighborhood, mental health, and education. Additionally, mediating variables like social connections, residential parent support, school belongingness, neighborhood support, and family support were incorporated into the analysis. The results revealed a significant relationship between depression, anxiety, and GPA across the entire sample. However, when it comes to African American male adolescents, only the relationship between anxiety and GPA was found to be significant.
After the rise of the #MeToo movement, support for survivors has entered mainstream media setting the tone that Sexual Violence (SV) will not be tolerated. Even so, the ways in which SV is handled in individualistic versus collectivist cultures vary greatly. This study will investigate the likelihood that collectivist cultures will express protectiveness over male perpetrators of SV. Participants composed of St. Edwards University students and the general public will complete a survey which will measure protective factors towards male perpetrators in four hypothetical scenarios. This study is following a mixed methods research methodology. Qualitative measurements are utilized in order to explore whether protectiveness over perpetrators is being exhibited by participants. Then, quantitative measurements of demographics will be collected in order to examine whether or not there is a correlation between collectivist cultures and exhibiting protectiveness over male perpetrators. The duration for this study is an eight-week period and we collected a total of 86 participants. While the results suggest that there was not a significant difference when measuring for race/ethnicity, there was a significant difference when measuring for gender in that non-binary/third gendered individuals were more likely to be protective towards male perpetrators of SV than males or females.
Background: Complex posttraumatic stress disorder (CPTSD) and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are prevalent among 3.4% to 7.7% of the general population (Cloitre et al., 2018). Interpersonal trauma perpetrated by a close other, also termed relational trauma, is a significant predictor of CPTSD (Fowler et al., 2013). Victims of relational trauma experience greater severity of posttraumatic stress symptoms compared to victims of non-interpersonal, such as a natural disaster or car accident (Seah & Berle, 2023; Fowler et al., 2013). The aim of this proposed study is to explore how cognitive flexibility, and posttraumatic cognitions mediate the relationship between one’s attachment style and perceived emotional invalidation and one’s symptoms of complex posttraumatic stress disorder. By examining this complex relationship, results may inform therapeutic treatment for individuals with relational trauma. Proposed Methods: Participants will be at least 18 years-old, reside in the United States, have had at least one romantic relationship for 6 months or longer, and have experienced difficulties or distress with at least one romantic partner. The survey will consist of five survey measures and demographic items. The data will be collected using Qualtrics and analyzed using SPSS.
This policy proposal seeks to secure a sustainable future for Tennessee farmers by preserving farmland, promoting sustainable practices, and supporting local food systems. By addressing key challenges like land degradation, market instability, and climate change, the proposal aims to enhance rural economies, provide greater access to resources, and ensure long-term agricultural viability. Collaboration between policymakers, farmers, and stakeholders is crucial to achieving these goals and safeguarding Tennessee's agricultural heritage for future generations.
Housing insecurity has been endemic to the university student populations all over the country and efforts are being put into place to assist students in these situations. Despite these efforts, many students experiencing housing insecurity are not getting to the resources for various reasons. Stigma and other generalized bad ideas about the unhoused community keep students from asking for help when they need it. I will research the effects of stigma on housing-insecure students' choice to access resources or ask for help.
Black autistic individuals face dual burdens: racial prejudices and biases surrounding autism. Literature often overlooks their unique experiences, creating a gap in understanding how they display autistic traits differently from peers of other races. This study compares Black and White autistic individuals and examines the cultural role in their social and psychological barriers. Participants included 16 Black and 16 White autistic adults from a previous study. A semi-structured interview was conducted asking questions about discrimination, social interactions, and self-identity related to race and neurodivergence. Analysis produced four thematic codes: Belongingness, Interpersonal Dynamics, Negative Psychological Effects, and Identity Formation. Sub-thematic codes were created for each. A Fisher’s exact test revealed significant differences in three areas: cross-group connections (p = .023), lack of cultural community support (p = .001), and restrictive social identity (p = .012). Findings indicate that Black autistic adults are often ostracized from both the Black and autistic communities, leading to invalidated identities. They form better connections outside their social identities but feel confined by cultural expectations that they are pressured to live up to. Further research on other social identities, such as gender and sexual orientation, is needed to expand understanding of autism in diverse cultures.
Drawing from a Black feminist framework and a life story approach, this study utilizes in-depth, semi-structured interviews (N=3) of Black women partnered with, and caring for, retired National Football League (NFL) players who suffered concussions to examine how Black partners-turned-caregivers (1) discuss their relationships with their partners, (2) understand their identities within their relationships with their partners, (3) describe the type of resources they need to feel supported, and (4) to what extent age factors into the discussion. The findings reveal four (4) main themes among Black partners-turned-caregivers. Relationship with Partner explores the changes in their marriages. Identity examines how they reconcile the caregiver role with their self-perceptions. Resources details the practices, institutions, and policies that can support them. Age reveals that, in earlier eras, the NFL concealed football’s potential to cause premature cognitive decline. The implications of this study include empowering other caregivers and informing inclusive healthcare- and disability-related policy that provides for NFL players, and those who care for them. This study offers recommendations for future research on how masculinity influences relationship dynamics in Black couples, why partners-turned-caregivers choose to remain in relationships with their partners, and the distinction between caregiving and mothering.
Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disease that leads to impairment in multiple cognitive domains. AD is the most prevalent form of dementia. Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is a prodromal state where memory is the only cognitive deficit. Anosognosia is a symptom that is often observed in patients with dementia due to AD. This condition may also be seen in MCI. Anosognosia is an impairment in self-awareness, or more specifically, failure to recognize or appreciate a neurological deficit. While anosognosia is a well-recognized syndrome in the clinical care environment, there is no widely recognized metric that measures its degree. There is ambiguity around what exactly the neurological defect is that the patient fails to appreciate (e.g., executive dysfunction, problems in activities of daily living, personality changes). The present study is a retrospective cross-sectional design that includes a clinical sample of AD and MCI patients. The primary aim is to evaluate the construct validity of three measures that evaluate patient-caregiver discrepancies: Anosognosia Questionnaire Dementia (AQD), Lawton Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (LIADLs), and the Conscientiousness personality domain as indexed by the NEO Five Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI). The secondary aim will determine which test has best predicts caregiver burden.
Through acculturation individuals find themselves adopting the traits of the culture they are exposed to. Mexican-Americans often find themselves navigating through the process of acculturation due to the exposure of new cultural and societal norms that are dominant in America. Culture plays a role in the way we perceive and express our emotions which influence our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between acculturation and emotional belief and regulation among Mexican-Americans. It was hypothesized that there would be a positive correlation. As Mexican Americans acculturate more to American culture, their emotional belief and regulation systems would become more aligned with American norms, which would result in an increased acceptance of emotions and different beliefs about emotional expression. Participants (n=225) completed self report measures on the survey platform PROLIFIC which assessed acculturation levels as well as emotional belief and regulation techniques. The ages ranged from 18 and 75 years with a mean of 33 years. The findings from my research did not support my hypothesis, but there was a positive correlation between acculturation and the usefulness of positive and negative emotions among participants. Further research may examine this relationship through different surveying techniques.
