Date of Award
Fall 9-15-2025
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy
Major
Counseling & Psychology
First Advisor
Catalina Tan Yang, Ph.D
Second Advisor
Susan Gere, Ph.D
Third Advisor
Yeu Kue, Ed.D
Abstract
Latine students have increased steadily in the United States. This population brings rich experiences and strengths to their school communities. However, such strengths are often overlooked in the development of individual practices and institutional policies to better support Latine student wellbeing. Research suggests that supportive relationships between students and school staff promote positive academic outcomes and student wellbeing. Yet, the factors that promote supportive relationships among Latine students are not well understood. This qualitative dissertation examined Latine students’ experiences of both impactful factors and barriers to supportive relationships with school staff through the lens of critical race theory (CRT), Latina/o critical theory (LatCrit), and ecological systems theory. By centering and amplifying the lived experiences and perspectives of Latine students, the present research challenges dominant narratives, offering insight into how school staff can create safe and affirming environments in which relationships can be fostered, providing academic, social, and emotional support for Latine students. The present study included online individual semi-structured in-depth interviews with Latine high school students (n=8) in a northeast U.S. state. Thematic analysis was employed to examine the ways institutional practices, dominant norms, and interpersonal dynamics interact with one another to shape students’ perceptions of supportive relationships and the impact they have on Latine social-emotional wellbeing, academic achievement, and sense of belonging in the school climate. Findings revealed how discriminatory practices impacted participants’ ability to fully access resources and social emotional supports. Findings also revealed that supportive relationships were pathways to academic, social, and emotional support, and buffers to experiences of discrimination in an exclusionary system that upholds deficit narratives of Latine students. The dissertation provides student-led recommendations for school staff in creating inclusive and equitable spaces and relationships in the school system that are centered in supporting Latine students’ emotional wellbeing and success.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.
Language
English
Recommended Citation
Macaruso, Ivelis, "Affirming Connections: Understanding The Factors That Cultivate Supportive Relationships For Latine Students And High School Staff" (2025). Counseling and Psychology Dissertations. 3.
https://digitalcommons.lesley.edu/counseling_psychology_dissertation/3
Number of Pages
154
