Jeanett Castellanos

Picture of Jeanett Castellanos
Associate Dean of Undergraduate Studies
School of Social Sciences
Professor of Teaching
School of Social Sciences
Ph.D., Washington State University, 1998, Education
Phone: (949) 824-6298
Email: castellj@uci.edu
University of California, Irvine
2231 Social Science Plaza B
Mail Code: 5100
Irvine, CA 92697
Research Interests
Latinx students’ psychosociocultural college experiences, BIPOC students' persistence patterns and experiences in higher education, Cultural competence and humility, BIPOC communities coping, and well-being
Research Abstract
The premise of my programmatic research agenda has primarily focused on BIPOC student experiences in higher education. Working consistently to validate the psychosociocultural (PSC) model, I examine BIPOC student issues in higher education, their trajectories, and PSC factors that influence their persistence and retention. With a psychological emphasis, I study BIPOC college experiences with a unique cultural lens highlighting issues in areas in the literature that have received limited attention. Uniquely, I focus on understanding non-cognitive factors and psychosociocultural processes influencing academic persistence. As the literature takes a deficit approach on BIPOCs - often focusing on cognitive factors (e.g., GPA) or the output (e.g., graduation), I take a strength-based approach reviewing the dimensionality of educational processes while examining students’ strength-based values and beliefs.

Trained in the fields of psychology and education, I pull from the literature in counseling and multicultural psychology, Chicanx/Latinx psychology, and higher education. Consequently, my work offers education research a developmental and contextual approach to student processes, persistence, and college satisfaction. The findings have confirmed the unique and collective interplay of the psychological, social, and cultural dimensions for undergraduates. Both a quantitative and qualitative researcher, my work includes the validation of existing scales in the field of psychology for BIPOC undergraduates, the exploration of new concepts for educational processes, and the creation of new scales for the field (taking an emic approach to educational processes). Last, bridging research and theory in higher education and counseling psychology, my scholarship has influenced the field of multicultural psychology, counseling practices, and student outreach and retention programming.
Awards and Honors
Her commitment to minority education, research and service has been highly lauded; in 2007, she received the Samuel M. Turner Minority Education, Nurturing, Training, Organizational advocacy and Research (MENTOR) award from the American Psychological Association and in 2008, she was awarded the Star Vega Distinguished Service Award from the National Latina/o Psychology Association. In 2012, she received the American Association of Hispanics in Higher Education's Outstanding Support of Hispanic Issues in Higher Education Award. In 2014, she was named UCI's Lecturer of the Year by the Academic Senate Council on Student Experience, and she received a UCI Living Our Values award. In 2016-2017, she received UCI’s Academic Senate Distinguished Faculty Award for Mentorship, an award which highlights faculty who have made outstanding contributions through mentoring of students. Her most recent honor is: the 2020 APA Division 45 (Society for the Psychological Study of Culture, Ethnicity, and Race) Distinguished Career in Service Award.
Short Biography
Jeanett Castellanos, Ph.D. is Associate Dean of Undergraduate Studies and Professor of Teaching at the University of California, Irvine in the School of Social Sciences. Her areas of research include Latinx student coping and persistence, cultural values and identity, and spirituality and well-being. Dr. Castellanos has published in numerous national journals including the Journal of College Counseling, Journal of Counseling and Development, Journal of Hispanic Higher Education, and Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology. She also has two edited volumes addressing Latinx student experiences in higher education. Nationally, Dr. Castellanos is the recipient of the 2020 APA Division 45 (Society for the Psychological Study of Culture, Ethnicity, and Race) Distinguished Career in Service Award, the APA Division 12 (Clinical Psychology) Samuel M. Turner Mentorship Award, the 2012 NLPA Star Vega Community Service Award, and 2012 AAHEE Outstanding Support of Hispanics in Higher Education. At UC Irvine, she has also been recognized with the: 2017 Distinguished Faculty Award for Mentorship, 2014 Chancellor’s Living Our Values Award, 2014 Lecturer of the Year by the Academic Senate Council on Student Experience, Chancellor’s Research Excellence Award, Chancellor Teaching Excellence Award, and Distinguished Women of UCI Award. Castellanos received her Master’s in Counseling and Ph.D. in Higher Education from Washington State University.
Publications
DeVitre, Z., Castellanos, J., Gloria, A. M., & Dasaj, S. (2021). Indian American undergraduates’ well-being: A psychosociocultural understanding of an emic approach to congruity of values. Journal of Diversity in Higher Education. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1037/dhe0000302
Guan, T. C., Gloria, A. M., & Castellanos, J. (2020). Second-generation Chinese American female undergraduates: Psychosociocultural correlates of well-being. Asian American Journal of Psychology, 11(4), 246–258. doi:10.1037/aap0000209
Triana, C., Gloria, A. M., & Castellanos, J. (2020). Cultivating success for Latinx undergraduates: Integrating cultural spirituality within higher education. About Campus, September-October, 1-6. doi: 10.1177/1086482219896793Sdfsd

Herrera, N., Gloria, A. M., & Castellanos, J. (2019). The role of perceived school responsiveness within a Psychosociocultural understanding of Latina/o high school students’ academic persistence decisions. Journal of Latino Education. doi: 10.1080/15348431.2019.1670660

Iwamoto, D. K., Corbin, W., Takamatsu, S., Castellanos, J. (2017). The association between multidimensional feminine norms, binge drikning, and alcohol-related problems among young adult college women. Addictive Behaviors, 76, 243-249. Advanced online publication: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.addbeh.2017.08.016

Herrera, N., Gloria, A. M., & Castellanos, J. (2017). The mediating role of college environment with Latina community college students’ sense of educational wellness. Journal of Diversity in Higher Education, Advance online publication. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/dhe0000056

Castellanos, J., Gloria, A. M., Rojas Perez, O., & Fonseca, L. (2017). An etic and emic assessment of Latino male undergraduates’ well-being: Navegando los obstáculos de la Universidad con mi cultura. Psychology of Men and Masculinity. Adance online publication. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/men0000090

Castellanos, J., Gloria, A. M., *Besson, D., & *Clark, L. (2016). Mentoring matters: Racial and ethnic minority undergraduates’ cultural fit, mentorship, and college and life satisfaction. Journal of College Reading and Learning, 42(2), 81-98.

Gloria, A. M., Castellanos, J., Delgado-Guerrero, M., Salazar, A., Nieves, C., Mejia, A., & Martinez, V. (2016). El ojo en la meta: Latino male undergraduates’ educational experiences, coping, and use of spirituality. Journal of Diversity in Higher Education, http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/a0040216

Gloria, A. M., Castellanos, J., & Herrera, N. (2016). The reliability and validity of the Cultural Congruity and University Environment Scales with Chicana/o community college students. Community College Journal of Research and Practice.

Castellanos, J., Gloria, A. M., *Cho Kim, S., & *Park, Y. S. (2014). Gender and generational differences in the expression of depressive symptomatology in Korean Americans undergraduates, Journal of College Counseling, 17, 208-221.

Kuek, J. C., Velasquez, R. J., Castellanos, J., Velasquez, D. R., & Nogales, E. (2014). Hunger for an Education: A Research Essay on the Case of South Sudan and the Voices of Its People, Forum for International Research in Education, 1(2). Available at: http://preserve.lehigh.edu/fire/vol1/iss2/2


Castellanos, J., Gloria, A. M., Herrera, N., Kanagui-Muñoz, M., & Flores, C. (2013). ¡Apoyamos la educación de nuestros hija/os!: How Mexican parents’ college knowledge, perceptions, and concerns effect their parental support of their child. The Journal of Latino-Latin American Studies, 5(2), 85-98.

Iwamoto, D. K., Takamatsu, S. K., & Castellanos, J. (2012). Binge drinking and alcohol related problems among US-born Asian Americans. Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology, 18, 3, 219-217. doi: 10.1037/a0028422

Gloria, A. M., & Castellanos, J. (2012). Desafíos y bendiciones: A multi-perspective examination of the educational experiences and coping responses of first-generation college Latina students. Journal of Hispanic Higher Education. doi: 10.1177/1538192711430382

Gloria, A. M., Castellanos, J., Kanagui, M., & Rico, M. (2012). Assessing depressive symptomatology with Latina/o undergraduates: Comparisons of the Beck Depression Inventory, the Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression Scale, and the Self-Report Depression Scale. Journal of Hispanic Behavioral Sciences, 34(1), 160-181. doi: 10.1177/0739986311428893

Gloria, A. M., Castellanos, J., Segura-Herrera, T. A., Mayorga, M. (2010). Understanding acculturation, cultural congruity, and attitudes toward counseling of Latina college students. Journal of College Counseling, 13, 126-140. doi: 10.1177/0739986311428893

Gloria, A. M., Castellanos, J., Scull, N. S., & Villegas, F. J. (2009). Psychological coping and well-being of male Latino undergraduates: Sobreviviendo la universidad. Hispanic Journal of Behavioral Sciences, 31(3), 317-339.

Gloria, A. M., Castellanos, J., Park, Y. S., & Kim, D. (2008). The role of adherence to Asian cultural values and cultural fit in Korean American undergraduates’ help-seeking attitudes. Journal of Counseling and Development, 86, 419-428.

*Castellanos, J., *Gloria, A. M., Mayorga, M., & Salas, C. (2007). Student affairs professionals’ self-report of multicultural competence: Understanding, awareness, knowledge, and skills. NASPA Journal, 44, 643-663.

*Castellanos, J., & *Gloria, A. M. (2007). Research considerations and theoretical application for best practices in higher education: Latina/os achieving success. Journal of Hispanic Higher Education, 6, 378-396.

Gloria, A., Castellanos, J., & Orozco, V. (2005). Perceived educational barriers, cultural congruity, coping responses, and psychological well-being of Latina undergraduates. Hispanic Journal of Behavioral Sciences, 27, 2, 161-183.

Gloria, A., Castellanos, J., Lopez, A., & Rosales, R. (2005). A psychosociocultural examination of academic persistence of Latino and Latina undergraduates. Hispanic Journal of Behavioral Sciences, 27, 2, 202-223.

Castellanos, J. Cole, D., & Jones, L. (2002). Students of color in the academy: A case study. Journal of Hispanic Higher Education, 1, 19-39.

Velasquez, R. J., Karle, H. R., Callahan, W. J. Castellanos, J. (2000). Assessing bilingual and monolingual Latino students with translations of the MMPI-2: Initial data. Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology, 6 (1), 65-72.

Cabiya, J. J., Lucio, E., Chavira, D. A., Castellanos, J. Gomez, F. C., & Velasquez, R. J. (2000). MMPI scores of Puerto Rican, Mexican, and US Latino college students: A research note. Psychological Reports, 87, 266-268.

Velasquez, R. J., Chavira, D. A., Karle, H. R., Callahan, W. J., Garcia, J. A., & Castellanos, J. (2000). Assessing bilingual and monolingual Latino students with translations of the MMPI-2: Initial data. Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology, 6(1), 65-72. doi: 10.1037/1099-9809.6.1.65

Book Chapters
Castellanos, J., & Cervantes, J. M. (In Press). Latinx Prayer Practices: A Generational Model. In J. M. Cervantes & B. W. McNeill (Eds.), Latinx healing practices: Psychotherapeutic perspectives and counseling interventions.

Cervantes, J. M., & Castellanos, J. (In Press). Restoration of the Spirit: Use of Prayer as a Contributor to Latinx’s Psychological Well-being. In J. M. Cervantes & B. W. McNeill (Eds.), Latinx healing practices: Psychotherapeutic perspectives and counseling interventions.

Castellanos, J., Gloria, A. M., Perez Rojas, O., & Quejada, M. (2020). Madres y abuelitas y su importancia (Mothers and grandmothers and their importance): Informing and shaping Latinx college students’ educational success. In S. J. Paik, S. Kula, J. Gonzalez, V. Gonzalez (Eds.), High-Achieving Latino Students: Successful Pathways Toward College and Beyond (pp. 45-61). Charlotte, NC: Information Age Publishing.

Gloria, A. M., Castellanos, J., Dueñas, M., & Franco, V. (2019). Academic family and educational compadrazco: Implementing cultural values to create educational relationships for informal learning and persistence for Latin@ undergraduates. In J. Calvo de Mora & K. J. Kennedy (Eds.), Informal Learning at Schools and Universities (pp. 119-135). New York: Routledge.

Castellanos, J., & Gloria, A. M. (2018). Cuban Americans - From Golden Exiles to Dusty Feet: Freedom, Hope, Endurance, and the American Dream. In P. Arredondo, (Eds.) Latinx Families in the U.S.: Transcending Processes of Acculturation, Xenophobia through Self-Determination (75-94). New York, NY: Springer.

Gloria, A. M., & Castellanos, J. (2016). Latinas Poderosas: Shaping mujerismo to manifest sacred spaces for healing and well-being. In T. Bryant & L. Comas-Díaz (Eds.), Womanist and Mujerista Psychologies. Division 35 Book Series, American Psychological Association Press.

Castellanos, J., & Gloria, A. M. (2016). Latina/os - Drive, community, and spirituality: The strength within (SOMOS Latina/os - Ganas, comunidad, y el espíritu: La fuerza que llevamos por dentro). In E. C. Chang, C. A. Downey, J. K., Hirsch, & N. J. Lin (Eds.) Positive Psychology in Racial and Ethnic Minority Groups: Theory, Research, and Practice (pp. 61-82). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.

Castellanos, J. & Kamimura-Jimenez, M. (2015). Latina faculty and Latino male student mentorship processes: Aprendiendo y compartiendo juntos. In C. Turner & Gonzalez, J. C. (Eds.), Mentoring Across Institutions, Class, Gender & Race: Cultivating the Next Generation of Academics of Color (pp. 107-124). City, State: Publisher.

Gloria, A. M., & Castellanos, J. (2013). Realidades culturales y identidades dimensionadas: The complexities of Latina diversities. In C. Enns & E. Williams (Eds.), Handbook of Feminist Multicultural Counseling Psychology (pp. 169-182). New York: Oxford University Press.

Castellanos*, J., & Gloria*, A. M. (2008). Rese un Ave Maria y encendi una velita: The use of spirituality and religion as a means of coping with educational experiences for Latina/o college students. In B. McNeill & J. Abreu (Eds.), Latina/o Healing Practices: Mestizo and Indigenous Perspectives (pp. 195-219). Brunner-Routledge. *Equal author contribution, names listed alphabetically.

Castellanos, J., Gloria, A. M., & Kamimura, M. (2006). Enderezando el Camino (Straightening the path): Dispelling myths and providing directions for Latina/o doctoral students. In J. Castellanos, A. M. Gloria, & M. Kamimura (Eds.), The Latina/o Pathway to the Ph.D.: Abriendo caminos (pp. 279 – 290). Sterling, VA: Stylus.

Gloria, A. M., & Castellanos, J. (2006). Sustaining Latina/o doctoral students: A psychosociocultural approach for faculty. In J. Castellanos, A. M. Gloria, & M. Kamimura (Eds.), The Latina/o Pathway to the Ph.D.: Abriendo caminos (pp. 169-187). Sterling, VA: Stylus.

Gloria, A. M., Castellanos, J., & Kamimura, M. (2006). Entiendiendo la historia de Latina/os en el camino a la universidad (Understanding the history of Latina/os on the road to the university): Education for la raza cosmica. In J. Castellanos, A. M. Gloria, & M. Kamimura (Eds.), The Latina/o Pathway to the Ph.D.: Abriendo caminos (pp xiii-xxxv). Sterling, VA: Stylus.

Velásquez, R. Castellanos, J. Garrido, M., Maness, P., & Anderson, U. (2006). Interpreting forensic interview and test data of Latino children: Recommendations for culturally competent evaluations. In Sparta, S. N., & Koocher, G. P. (Eds.), Forensic mental health assessment of children and adolescents (pp. 97-112). Oxford New: Oxford University Press.

Velasquez, R. Garrido, M, & Castellanos, J (2004). Culturally competent use of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory –2 with Chicanos: Some recommendations for practitioners and researchers. In Velasquez, V., McNeill, B., & Arrellano, L. (Eds.), Handbook of Chicano Psychology (pp. 153-174). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.

Arredondo, P., & Castellanos, J. (2003). Latinas and the professoriate: An interview with Patricia Arredondo. In J. Castellanos & L. Jones (Eds.), The majority in the minority: Retaining Latina/o faculty, administrators, and students (pp. 221-239). Sterling, VA: Stylus.

Castellanos, J., & Jones, L. (2003). Latina/o undergraduate experiences in American higher education. In J. Castellanos & L. Jones (Eds.), The majority in the minority: Retaining Latina/o faculty, administrators, and students (pp. 1-13). Sterling, VA: Stylus.

Castellanos, J., & Jones, L. (2003). An infrastructure that facilitates the retention of Latina/os in higher education. In J. Castellanos & L. Jones (Eds.), The majority in the minority: Retaining Latina/o faculty, administrators, and students (pp. 285-291). Sterling, VA: Stylus.

Gloria, A. M., & Castellanos, J. (2003). Latino/a and African American students at predominantly White institutions: A psychosociocultural perspective of educational interactions and academic persistence. In J. Castellanos & L. Jones (Eds.), The majority in the minority: Retaining Latina/o faculty, administrators, and students (pp. 71-92). Sterling, VA: Stylus.

Delgado-Romero, E. A., Flores, L., Gloria, A. M., Arredondo, P., Castellanos, J. (2003). Developmental career challenges for Latino and Latina faculty in higher education. In J. Castellanos & L. Jones (Eds.), The Majority in the Minority: Retaining Latina/o Faculty, Administrators, and Students (pp. 257-283). Sterling, VA: Stylus.

Velasquez, R. J., Castellanos, J., & Fernandez, Z. (2002). Assessment of culturally diverse children: The case of Latinos. In J. F. Carlson & B. B. Waterman (Eds.), Social and personal assessment of school-aged children: Interventions for educational and clinical use (pp. 192-205). Boston, MA: Allyn and Bacon.

Castellanos, J. (2000). Little secrets and chain reactions: The case of Ana Maria Lopez at traditional university. In Stage, F. K. & Dannells, M. Linking theory to practice: Case studies for working with college students (Eds.), Vol 2. (pp.113-116). Philadelphia, PA: Taylor and Francis.
Last updated
03/07/2022