Students’ knowledge, attitudes, beliefs and intent to be vaccinated
 Approximately 6000 women die each year in the US from cervical cancer, diagnosed as young as 20 years old. 70% of all cervical cancers are caused by the human papilloma virus (HPV). Hispanic and Black women have disproportionately higher death rates from cervical cancer (CDC, 2007). Cultural differences in attitudes and beliefs about sexual activity may also have an impact on vaccination rates. The need for this study became apparent as university students, health care providers and community leaders explore how this vaccination would be provided, and the type of protection it would provide to young women who may already be sexually active.
The purpose of this cross-sectional study is to examine the influence of a) students’ knowledge, beliefs, and attitudes, b) personal characteristics, and c) beliefs of significant others on intent to vaccinate for HPV. Students interested in participating should register through the FIU Sona System.
This project is Co- directed by Dr. Tami Thomas of the Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing at Emory University.
Emerging adults' perceptions of coercive sexual situations
 Research has shown that 70% of college students report they experienced persistent attempts to have sexual contact with someone after they have already refused. Defined as sexually coercion, these behaviors can include physical (e.g. hitting, kicking or holding down), emotional (threaten to a break-up, wearing down using the same tactic over and over, or use of guilt), or verbal (e.g. threatening to use physical force, yelling, name calling, blackmailing, or badgering) tactics.
The purpose of this mixed methods study is to identify students' perceptions of and experiences with sexual coercion. Students interested in participating should register through FIU's Sona System
This project is co- directed with Visiting Scholar and 2011 Kauffman Professor Dr. Asia Eaton.
The influence of perceptions of parental conflict on Hispanic women's dating violence experiences
An estimated 36 % of college students experience some type of violence in their early romantic relationships. The way that conflicts are handled within families provides an opportunity for adolescents and emerging adults to observe and practice conflict resolution skills. It has been found that both the parent-child relationship and the relationship between parents are predictors of the quality of future dating relationships of the children involved. According to Skuja and Halford (2004), witnessing physically aggressive interparental conflict resolution style is associated with more dominant behavior and negative communication in  conflicts with dating partners in adulthood. Unfortunately, few studies examine this phenomenon in Hispanic populations at this stage of the lifespan.
The purpose of this quantitative study is to examine the relationship between parental conflict resolution strategies and Hispanic’s women’s intimate relationships. The first wave of data collection began in May 2010. Students interested in participating should register through FIU's Sona System.
This project is Co- directed by doctoral student Laura Ormas.
Facing the music: An intervention identifying adolescents’ dating violence beliefs using mainstream Hip Hop culture
In 2009, Hip Hop artist Chris Brown was charged with the alleged domestic violence felony battery following his assault on Hip Hop/ R&B singer Rihanna. Following this incident, the Boston Public Health Commission polled 200 adolescents and found that almost half felt that the assault must have been Rihanna’s fault (Dingfelder, 2010). Youth workers and teachers’ narrative accounts noted that high school students often questioned why Rihanna “keep arguing with him if she knew he was violent” and that she “must have done something to make him so angry” (Dingfelder, 2010). This intervention seeks to empirically identify adolescents' dating violence  attitudes via a mainstream Hip Hop informed dating violence intervention. This intervention explores the relationship between their recognition, endorsement, and experience with dating violence. Further, how these are informed by heteronormative beliefs found within mainstream Hip Hop culture will be examined. Parental beliefs and experiences with intimate partner violence will also be examined.
Adolescent women and their parents/ guardians are participating in this four week program. This project is being implemented jointly with Girl Power, a local community organization.
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