Bi+ Community and Belonging Project
Student: Tianyang Gao
The proposed project involves a series of four studies over three Phases focused on exploring and conceptualizing belonging and community connection for bisexual people. Research suggests that belonging and community connection can be important for cultivating psychological well-being and positive identity for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) community members. However, there is evidence that bisexual individuals do not experience belonging and community connection in the same way as other LGBTQ individuals. The present research will explore bisexual belonging and community connection among bisexual people, and will investigate differences in experiences across race/ethnicity, gender, age, and geographic location. The project will culminate in the development and empirical testing of a new measure of bisexual belonging and community connection that will improve future research on bisexual experience.

Let’s Talk about Sex: The Experience of Adults with Sexual Difficulties
Student: Milena Insalaco
From songs like “WAP” to shows like “Sex Education" and “Too Hot to Handle”, people cannot stop talking about having enjoyable sex. But, what about when sex is difficult? Ten to fifty-two percent of women, fifty-four percent of transmen, and sixty-nine percent of transwomen experience sexual dysfunction (Kerckhof et al., 2019; Nazareth et al., 2003). These difficulties often lead them to live a non-traditional sex life and therefore they may not conform to the stereotypic gendered roles around sex. People often feel shame or not normal due to not following the societal expectations of what a “good” sex life looks like (Fitter et al., 2009; Shepard et al., 2008). This study explores how stigma and traditional sexual scripts affect adults’ who experience sexual difficulties, emotional health and self-image in the United States. This study was conducted with people who were born with and still have predominantly internal anatomy (AFAB and some AIAB people) with sexual difficulties in order to expand on the limited research in that field. The experience of dating different genders and having sexual difficulties was explored and therefore all participants were required to have a relationship history inclusive of different genders. This qualitative study consisted of interviewing six participants who experience sexual difficulties. Some of the themes that were found include questioning “What is wrong with me?”, grappling with compulsory sexuality, experiences of sexual obligation, feelings of self-blame and regret, and growth from past experiences.

An Observational Study of Practices Used by Preschool Teachers to Support Social and Emotional Learning (SEL)
Student Name: Ruixiao Luo
Project Advisor: Jennifer Jacoby
In preschool education, Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) facilitates the development of children’s positive social-emotional skills and prepares them for school readiness and later academic and life success1 . While the factors contributing to effective SEL have been extensively researched, there is limited understanding of the current SEL practices used in preschool classrooms and their effects. In this observational study (n=210), I adjusted the OMLIT-CLIP model to investigate 1) How SEL practices are used by preschool teachers and 2) whether there is a relationship between the length of SEL practices, the initiator of the practices, the activity that the teacher engages in, and the children’s response. The study revealed a significant relationship between the activity a teacher engages in, the length of the practice, and children’s responses. Based on the results, I propose several suggestions for preschool teachers’ SEL practices.

The Daunting Task of College: First-year Seminars and the Student Experience
Student name: Briana Sapini
Project advisor: Jennifer Jacoby
This study examines the significance of first-year seminars (FYS) on student experience by looking through the lens of before, during, and after the nationwide shutdown of the COVID-19 pandemic. Through surveys and interviews, Mount Holyoke professors and students give their perspectives on first-year seminars to provide insight into the value of first-year seminars. The data collected for this study tries to answer these questions. How does FYS meet institutional expectations from a professor and student perspective? How does FYS meet student goals for pre, during, and post-COVID-19? How does FYS meet student goals for different affinity/identity groups? By answering these questions, we can start to gain knowledge on how first-year seminars affect the student's experience and adaptability to college, and a new understanding of first-year seminars can be discovered, adding to the limited research that exists in this area.