Participation in Undergraduate Research Reduces Equity Gaps in STEM Graduation Rates.

Many students who enroll in a public U.S. 4-y college will not graduate. The odds of completing a college degree are even lower for students who have been marginalized in higher education, especially in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) fields. Can undergraduate research increase a student's likelihood of graduating college and close educational equity gaps in college completion? To answer this question, we use data from six public U.S. universities (N = 120,308 students) and use Propensity Score Matching to generate a comparison group for analyses. We conducted logistic regressions on graduation rates and equity gaps in 4 and 6 y using the matched comparison group and undergraduate researchers in STEM (n = 2727). When being compared with like-peers and controlling for background characteristics and prior academic performance, students who participated in undergraduate research were twice as likely to graduate in 4 y and over 10 times as likely to graduate in 6 y. We also found that equity gaps in 4-y graduation rates for students of color, low-income, and first-generation students were cut in half for undergraduate researchers. At 6 y, these gaps were completely closed for undergraduate researchers. As we seek ways to close education gaps and increase graduation rates, undergraduate research can be a meaningful practice to improve student success.

Physician-Patient Communication and Satisfaction in Spanish-Language Primary Care Visits.

Language discordance poses a barrier to effective physician-patient communication, and health care outcomes, such as patient satisfaction, can be associated with language barriers experienced by Spanish-speaking patients. This exploratory study assessed specific aspects of communication between 128 Spanish-speaking primary care patients and their physicians (primary English speakers without an interpreter present). The rating scale developed for this study was used by five raters, who listened to audiotapes of each of these medical visits. Patients and physicians completed measures of visit satisfaction. Results indicated physicians with better Spanish-language skills were less frustrated with medical visit communication and more connected to their patients; patients whose physicians were rated as having better Spanish-speaking ability reported having greater choice in their medical care. Patients whose physicians spoke more Spanish were more satisfied with the information given by their physicians. Physicians rated as having better Spanish-speaking ability were more likely to say they could not understand all the patients wanted to tell them. These data support the importance of language concordance in physician-patient communication and awareness of potential communication barriers between physicians and patients.

Prejudice towards Immigrants: Competences Elicit Stonger and more Favorable Sentiments / Prejuicio hacia Inmigrantes: Las Competencias Elicitan Sentimientos más Fuertes y Favorables

Abstract We examined prejudice and discrimination toward immigrants, specifically Mexican immigrants, as a function of their perceived competence and warmth, and the perceiver's agreeableness, attitudes and acculturation level. We found that an immigrant's competence evoked stronger feelings and responses than their warmth. Moreover, pre-existing attitudes strongly predicted prejudices toward immigrants. Of the Big Five variables, only Agreeableness predicted positive sentiments and actions toward immigrants. Finally, acculturation within Latinos correlated negatively with positive feelings and actions toward immigrants. More acculturated Latinos were less welcoming of immigrants. The results are partially explained by the Stereotypic Content Model.

Resumen Se examinaron la discriminación y el prejuicio hacia los inmigrantes, específicamente hacia inmigrantes mexicanos, en función de su competencia percibida y afecto, y la agradabilidad, actitudes y nivel de aculturación del perceptor. Se encontró que la competencia del inmigrante evoca sentimientos y respuestas más fuertes que el afecto. Aún más, actitudes pre-existentes predicen fuertemente los prejuicios hacia inmigrantes. De las variables de los Cinco Grandes, sólo la agradabilidad predijo sentimientos y conductas positivos hacia los inmigrantes. Finalmente, la aculturación en los latinos correlacionó de manera negativa con sentimientos positivos y conductas hacia los inmigrantes. Los latinos más aculturados son menos abiertos con los inmigrantes. Los resultados son parcialmente explicados por el Modelo de Contenido Estereotípico.