This study found that Spanish was used in almost all cases with parents and that the use of both languages was the predominant pattern for other cases, with Spanish decreasing as the situation moves into the social stratum. Girls more than boys used English and students more often than dropouts. (JB)

Information obtained from Mexican American students in a 1967 study of high school sophomores in 4 Texas counties was analyzed empirically relating to occupational goals and expectations. It was concluded that: (1) large proportions of the Mexican American youth studied desired high-level occupations; (2) little difference existed between the…

Theoretical statements by Talcott Parsons and others were used as a basis in deriving the hypothesis that degree of identification with the Mexican American subculture among adolescents is inversely related to desire for upward social mobility. (Author)

Utilizing data from several studies done at Texas A&M University during the last 12 years, this paper develops a systematic interpretation of the idea of "minority-group orientation" and tests the adequacy of these concepts as an aid to understanding potential diversity among rural Mexican American youth with regard to intergroup fusion. The paper…

Relevant problems facing rural Blacks and Chicanos are discussed in this paper. It is argued that the "American Dream" creates unrealistically high aspirations and expectations for rural youth and the disadvantaged minorities. If rural youth do not choose to migrate to the urban centers, their only alternative is to take whatever employment is…

The research explored whether or not the occurrence and degree of family disability introduced a distinguishable patterned set of social life views among homemakers and, if so, to what extent the patterns are general to different populations. Disability was defined as the inability to assume expected roles. Seven Mexican American migrant workers…

Four nonmetropolitan South Texas counties were the target areas in exploring the proposition that dropouts should have lower aspirations and expectations than their in-school age peers. Data were obtained from approximately 600 Mexican American high school sophomores and 75 dropout age peers residing in the counties studied in 1968 and 1969. The…

Utilizing data obtained from youth residing in nonmetropolitan areas of Texas, ethnic comparisons were made by sex on several dimensions of occupational and educational status projections. The findings indicated that the three ethnic groups were generally similar, except in reference to status expectations and intensity of aspiration. (Author)

A minority group is a social category involving a clearly differentiated subpopulation within a larger collectivity on the basis of some common set of characteristics which are negatively evaluated by the dominant members of the collectivity. The following characteristics are attributed to negative evaluation: (1) members experience pejorative…

Based on a 1967 survey of Mexican American high school sophomores conducted in the "border region" of South Texas, this 1973 follow-up study examined the extent to which: (1) historical changes had occurred in the use of Spanish and English by Mexican American boys and girls over the 6-year study period, and (2) the variations in 1973…

Historical change in occupational and educational status projections of Texas rural Mexican American teenage boys and girls between 1967 and 1973 were examined. The study determined the nature and extent of historical change patterns occurring among these youth in reference to the following dimensions of occupational and educational status…

Utilizing Talcott Parsons' data from a 1967 study of 4 South Texas counties, the present study involves 596 Mexican American high school sophomores and is based on Parsons' assertion that Spanish American subculture is characterized by the particularism-ascription value pattern. In keeping with this, the present study hypothesized that degree of…

Research objectives were to determine the extent to which ethnic variability existed in reference to male and female: occupational aspirations (type, level, and intensity); occupational expectations (type, level, and certainty); and anticipatory goal deflection. Data were derived from surveys of the following rural youth (high school sophomores)…

A comparative analysis of the findings of three studies involving widely varying ethnic groupings of rural youth was conducted in order to evolve a speculative frame of propositions about religion as a variable attribute of the life situation of rural youth, and to speculate about the possible significance of patterned variability in religious…

If youth employment programs for rural areas are to be successful in helping rural youth to find employment that is both desirable and developmental, the diversity of ability, skills, needs, life goals, and particular circumstances of these young people must be taken into consideration. According to a 1976 study by Kuvlesky and Edington, there is…