32nd Annual UMBC McNair Research Conference

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The experience of stigmatizing events related to mental health can trigger chronic stress responses in individuals with mental health conditions. Although the psychological and social effects of stigma are well-documented, the direct physiological impact of mental health stigma, particularly its effect on cortisol secretion in response to acute stressors, has remained underexplored. This study aims to clarify how exposure to mental health stigma affects cortisol levels, thereby enriching our understanding of the full spectrum of stigma's impact on health and well-being. We hypothesized that exposure to mental health stigma would alter cortisol responses, potentially leading to either heightened or suppressed cortisol levels, indicative of a dysregulated stress response, especially among those with prior mental health diagnoses. However, our findings did not reveal statistically significant differences in cortisol reactivity, although trends suggest that stigmatizing conditions might decrease cortisol responses relative to supportive conditions. In this study, we measured cortisol levels before and after participants were exposed to controlled supportive or stigmatizing social interactions to examine these effects. These preliminary results underscore the complexity of the physiological pathways involved and highlight the need for further research to definitively map the relationship between mental health stigma and stress physiology.

Latinx/a/o people in the United States (U.S.) are disproportionately burdened by human papillomavirus (HPV)-associated cancers. Despite the widespread availability of the HPV vaccine, uptake among Latinx/a/o adults remains low. Efforts to enhance HPV vaccine uptake in this population group requires identifying the factors driving such disparities. To address this gap in the literature, the proposed study examined correlates of HPV vaccination uptake among a sample of Latinx/a/o adults in the Greater Richmond Area. Latinx/a/o adults (N=90) that receive dental care at the VCU Dental Clinics were recruited to participate in a survey to assess correlates related to HPV vaccination. Chi-squared tests were used to compare differences in nativity status, sociodemographic characteristics (age, sex, marital status), socioeconomic factors (educational attainment and household income), and health-related variables (insurance status) by HPV vaccine uptake (yes/no). Over a quarter (25.5)% of participants reported they have received the HPV vaccination. Nativity, marital status, and educational attainment were significantly associated with HPV vaccination (p=0.02, p=0.02, and p=0.03, respectively). Findings suggest the need to implement community grounded efforts to promote HPV vaccination among Latinx/a/o adults.

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In sign languages, spatial relationships such as in, on, and under can be communicated with two main types of signs: analogical and lexical. Studying an emerging sign language, such as Lengua de Señas Nicaragüense (LSN), allows us to see the development of spatial language across time by comparing language produced by different cohorts. First cohort signers are the earliest users of LSN and their language reflects the early forms of LSN while later cohorts’ language reflects more recent changes to LSN. This study compared the spatial language of first (n=13), second (n=13), and third (n=12) cohort users of LSN to determine what linguistic forms used to communicate spatial relations emerged first. We hypothesized that analogical signs would appear more often in first-cohort signers as they are more specific and languages tend to conventionalize to general forms over time. We elicited spatial language from participants using a shielded communication task. The relationship between the type of spatial relation, in, on, or under, and the type of sign used (lexical, analogical) was also explored. Our study was able to capture the emergence of spatial language and a pattern that reflects language change from more specific to more categorical forms.

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Culturally responsive teaching (CRT) is a student-based teaching practice that uses the students' customs, characteristics, experiences, and perspectives as tools to create a supportive classroom environment. This study will create a comprehensive database of the various approaches to CRT practice implementation throughout LAUSD elementary school curriculums. There are two questions that this study hopes to answer, the first: What can the findings of a detailed analysis of LAUSD elementary school websites uncover about their respective implementations of Culturally Responsive Teaching practices? The second: Can a significant correlation be found between the inclusion of CRT practices in elementary school classrooms and higher rates of academic success of the students in those classrooms? The data collection process, completed for each of the 400+ LAUSD elementary schools, examines student population racial composition, the percentage of students on free/reduced fee lunch programs, school size, whether the school claims to implement CRT practices into their curriculum, the methods for CRT practice implementation, the accessibility of CRT information on their school website, and academic achievement trends of the students both before and following the proposed CRT practice implementation. This study aims to bridge the gaps between the theory of CRT practices and its application.

When Jamaica gained independence in 1962, it grappled with the question of how to define Jamaican national identity. With the absence of Indigenous culture, Jamaican nationalism sought to develop an identity that would unify its diverse population that comprised the descendants of African, Asian, Middle Eastern, and European-descended peoples. Despite this approach towards racial inclusion, I argue that 20th-century Jamaican nationalism is a reflection of colonialism. While in theory, Jamaican nationalism was inclusive of its multiracial population, in practice, it maintained European beauty standards. Consequently, there is a societal preference for beauty attributes aligned with Europe’s standards. The physical appearance of the Jamaican identity also spews over to other sectors of Jamaican society, such as economic wealth and political power. This undesirableness of being Black, which is seen in Creole Nationalism, is further defined through the oppression of Afro-Jamaicans and enacted violence against the Afrocentric expressions of Rastafarians. The government’s narrative of racial harmony creates a colour-blind society; rather than addressing the racial tensions and problems in society, the government masks it under the motto, “Out of Many, One People,” and race is no longer a problem. This further perpetuates Jamaica’s racial issues, and race becomes more ingrained in society.

Discourse on the purpose of learning and DEI in U.S. higher education is an increasingly contentious topic. Existing DEI initiatives are under attack, undermining the political and ethical dimensions of learning. Students are also demanding more from higher education, with diversity course requirements being common mechanisms for change. This paper interrogates students’ perceptions of an ethnic studies requirement as a change process through articles from flagship student newspapers at UW-Madison. Using Critical Policy Analysis and Interest Convergence, we found that students perceive diversity requirements to lack criticality and their visions for higher education include transformative and challenging courses. Centering students’ assertions of curricular reform will facilitate future social justice initiatives and elucidate conditions affecting implementation of change work.

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