Having female role models correlates with PhD students' attitudes toward their own academic success.

Research indicates that increasing diversity in doctoral programs can positively affect students' academic success. However, little research examines students' responses to female scholars' representation. The two studies presented here examine how students' exposure to female academic role models shapes students' attitudes toward their own academic success (i.e. self-efficacy). Such attitudes are critical because they predict student retention rates. In our first study, we randomly exposed 297 Ph.D. students in one academic discipline to either a gender-diverse (i.e. 30% female authors) or non-diverse syllabus in research methods (i.e. 10% female authors). We examined the effect of the intervention on students' perceived likelihood of succeeding in the hypothetical course. Contrary to expectations derived from the literature, we found that increasing women's representation in syllabi did not affect female students' self-efficacy. Rather, male students expressed lower self-efficacy when evaluating the more gender-diverse syllabus. We also found that students' attitudes toward diversity in academia predicted their reactions more strongly than did their own gender: gender-diverse syllabi reduced self-efficacy among those students unsupportive of diversity. In our second study, we analyzed non-interventional survey questions to examine the relationship between female role models and long-term academic self-efficacy. Analysis was observational and thus did not assess causality. We found that students with more role models have higher academic self-efficacy, irrespective of student and role model gender. Nonetheless, results also suggested that some students actively seek female role models: namely, female students, and particularly those valuing diversity. Our results ultimately suggest that exposure to female role models relates in surprising ways to Ph.D. students' self-efficacy. Having more female role models correlates with greater expectations of academic success among certain groups of students, but with diminished expectations of academic success among other groups.

Substance use and sexual risk among at-risk adolescents in Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais State, Brazil.

We examined the difference in prevalence of substance use and sexual risk behaviors among at-risk youth participants in programs offered by community-based organizations in Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais State, Brazil, by gender and organization type (governmental vs. non-governmental). 388 adolescents were recruited from 25 intervention-based organizations servicing at-risk youth between the ages of 12 and 17 in Juiz de Fora. Participants completed a 15-item survey assessing substance use and sexual risk behaviors, along with socio-demographic predictors of these behaviors. Males were more likely to report drug and alcohol use associated with homelessness and abandonment. Females were more likely to report sexual risk taking associated with neighborhood crime. Participants from non-governmental organizations were less likely to engage in all measured risk behaviors. The present analysis points to the need to understand how Brazil's Child and Adolescent Act is being applied and the implications this has for intervention and the promotion of positive health outcomes for young people.

Substance use and sexual risk among at-risk adolescents in Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais State, Brazil / O uso de substâncias e o risco sexual entre adolescentes em situação de risco social em Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais, Brasil / Consumo de sustancias estupefacientes y riesgo sexual entre adolescentes en situaciones de riesgo en Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais, Brasil

We examined the difference in prevalence of substance use and sexual risk behaviors among at-risk youth participants in programs offered by community-based organizations in Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais State, Brazil, by gender and organization type (governmental vs. non-governmental). 388 adolescents were recruited from 25 intervention-based organizations servicing at-risk youth between the ages of 12 and 17 in Juiz de Fora. Participants completed a 15-item survey assessing substance use and sexual risk behaviors, along with socio-demographic predictors of these behaviors. Males were more likely to report drug and alcohol use associated with homelessness and abandonment. Females were more likely to report sexual risk taking associated with neighborhood crime. Participants from non-governmental organizations were less likely to engage in all measured risk behaviors. The present analysis points to the need to understand how Brazil’s Child and Adolescent Act is being applied and the implications this has for intervention and the promotion of positive health outcomes for young people.

Examinou-se a diferença na prevalência do uso de drogas e comportamento sexual de risco entre os jovens de alto risco em programas oferecidos por organizações localizadas na comunidade de Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais, Brasil .Foram recrutados 388 adolescentes de 25 organizações de intervenções preventivas que servem jovens de alto risco entre as idades de 12-17. Participantes completaram um questionário com 15 perguntas que avalia o uso de substâncias e o comportamento sexual de alto risco, juntamente com indicadores sociodemográficos. Os adolescentes do sexo masculino foram mais propensos a relacionar o uso de drogas e álcool com a falta de moradia e abandono. As adolescentes do sexo feminino foram mais propensas a reportar comportamentos sexuais de alto risco em associação com o crime comum. Participantes de ONGs foram menos propensos a se envolver nos comportamentos de alto risco pesquisados. A presente análise aponta para a necessidade de se entender as implicações que isso tem para a intervenção preventiva e a promoção de resultados positivos na saúde dos jovens.

Examinamos las diferencias en la prevalencia de uso de sustancias estupefacientes y el riesgo sexual entre los jóvenes participantes de los programas ofrecidos por las organizaciones de base comunitaria en Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais, Brasil. Se incorporaron 388 adolescentes de 25 organizaciones de apoyo e intervención a la juventud, que atienden a chicos de entre de 12-17 años en Juiz de Fora. Los participantes completaron un estudio con 15-ítems para evaluar el consumo de sustancias estupefacientes y el riesgo sexual, junto a aspectos socio-demográficos predictores de estos comportamientos. Los varones tenían más probabilidades de uso de drogas y alcohol, asociado al desamparo y abandono. Las mujeres tenían más probabilidades de riesgos sexuales, relacionados con la delincuencia del barrio. Los participantes de las organizaciones no gubernamentales tenían menos probabilidades de comportamientos de riesgo. El presente análisis apunta la necesidad de entender cómo se está aplicando la ley del niño y del adolescente y las consecuencias que tiene para la intervención y la promoción de los resultados positivos para la salud.