Adriana La Fuente
Lecturer of Communication Studies | Loyola Marymount University
Los Angeles, CA, UNITED STATES
Biography
As a Latina single mother and native Spanish speaker, I am deeply committed to
cultivating an educational environment where every student feels valued, respected, and
fully supported. My teaching philosophy is rooted in the principles of diversity, equity,
and inclusion (DEI). Diversity for me means embracing the full spectrum of human
identities in the classroom, including cultural, ethnic, gender, sexual orientation, and
socioeconomic backgrounds, and celebrating these differences as a source of strength and
enrichment. Equity involves ensuring fair access to educational opportunities and
resources for all students, particularly those who might otherwise be marginalized or
disadvantaged. Inclusion is about creating a learning atmosphere where every student has
the voice and space to contribute meaningfully, feeling genuinely integral to our
classroom community.
Education (3)
California State University, Long Beach: M.A., Communication Studies 2024
California State University, Long Beach: B.A., Communication Studies 2022
California State University, Long Beach: Minor, Translation Studies 2022
Industry Expertise (3)
Translation/Localization
Research
Performing Arts
Accomplishments (1)
Top Paper Award in Interpersonal and Family Communication (professional)
2024-08-24
Paper Award in Interpersonal and Family Communication. February 2024 La Fuente, L. A., Carrera, D., and Kahn, A. S. (2024, February). Are We Close? Social Network Additions and Removals on Instagram as Expectancy Violations. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Western States Communication Association (WSCA).
Links (1)
Languages (2)
- English
- Spanish
Articles (1)
Understanding College Students’ Engagement in Friends With Benefits Relationships: The Roles of Attachment, Self-Esteem, and Loneliness
ProQuestL. Adriana La Fuente
2024-05-30
This thesis examines how attachment styles, loneliness, and self-esteem may explain college students’ engagement in friends with benefits relationships (FWBRs) and how this cognitive-behavioral process may differ for females and males. A cross-sectional survey of 405 undergraduate students was conducted to test a novel theoretical model wherein loneliness and self-esteem mediate the relationships attachment anxiety and avoidance share with having ever engaged in a FWBR. Results indicated sex differences in how insecure attachment, loneliness, and self-esteem levels relate to engagement in FWBRs. Although reports from both females and males exhibited no direct associations between anxious attachment, avoidant attachment, or loneliness and engagement in FWBRs, the mediating functions of loneliness and self-esteem varied by sex. For women, loneliness and self-esteem mediated the relationships between attachment anxiety and FWBR engagement, and self-esteem mediated the relationship between attachment avoidance and FWBR engagement. However, counter to predictions, women who reported higher levels of self-esteem were more, not less, likely to have engaged in a FWBR. Males, in contrast, evidenced no clear connections between insecure attachment, loneliness, self-esteem, and engagement in FWBRs. Results highlight the value of examining how attachment styles may play different roles in predicting men’s and women’s engagement in casual sexual relationships such as FWBRs. Further research is needed to better understand how variation in attachment styles, personality traits, and sex roles relate to initiating and maintaining FWBRs.
