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Oral Health Inequalities In Adolescents And Young Adults In Ontario, Maria Rahman

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Oral health is consistently linked to physiological, psychological, and social aspects of well-being in adolescents and young adults. In this thesis, I aimed to examine the social determinants of oral health and dental care utilization. First, I conducted a scoping review of the literature, demonstrated the multifaceted nature of oral health and its connections to broader social and economic factors. Then, I conducted a cross-sectional analysis of the Canadian Community Health Survey which showed a social gradient in oral health and dental care utilization among adolescents and young adults in Ontario. When stratified by age, there was a protective association …

Describing Healthcare Concerns Of Young People And Adults With Cerebral Palsy, Christina M. Winger

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The purpose of this study was to identify healthcare concerns of young people and adults with cerebral palsy (CP) in the Transitional and Lifelong Care (TLC) program, and determine whether there were patient factors associated with the number of healthcare concerns. A retrospective chart review of initial TLC consultations was completed (n = 241). Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to explore and explain patterns in the sample population. The participants reported a high number of concerns of varied nature that were not easily predicted by condition-specific or demographic variables. This study may better healthcare delivery for young people …

Managing Interpersonal Conflict: Adolescents With And Without Intellectual Disabilities, Olivia Faulconbridge

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Social Information Processing (SIP) informs the way we engage in social problem solving, such as conflict management. Although research has shown that adolescents with intellectual disability (ID) struggle more with the components of SIP when compared to typically developing peers, very little research has examined how adolescents with ID experience conflict with peers. This study examines the way adolescents with and without ID report experiencing and responding to conflict with best friends and non-friends utilizing their own rather than hypothetical scenarios. Nineteen adolescents (14 adolescents without ID and 5 with ID) were interviewed about their own real-life conflict experiences with …

Social Media As A Predictor Of Depression Rates Among Male Versus Female Adolescents During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Kaylee A. Fishback

Undergraduate Honours Theses

Technology use has drastically and progressively increased as the COVID-19 pandemic has continued to unfold. Adolescents are now reliant on technology for their education, in addition to communication with friends and family (Pfefferbaum & North, 2020). With the recency of the pandemic, research on the effects of increased internet and social media use for adolescent mental health is decidedly underdeveloped. This study aimed to fill the research gap by examining how the frequency of male and female adolescents’ social media use is associated with depression rates during the pandemic by using a longitudinal design. Participants for this study included 351 …

There Is More To Snapchat Than Snapping: Examining Active And Passive Snapchat Use As Predictors Of Anxiety In Adolescents, Nicole A. Orlan

Undergraduate Honours Theses

Social media’s adoption in society continues to increase, and past research has found significant relationships between social media use and anxiety in young adolescents. The current research focused solely on Snapchat, as it is currently one of the most popular platforms among adolescents; however, it is also one of the least researched. This research aimed to explore Active and Passive Snapchat Use as predictors of anxiety in adolescents over time. This study focused on what people are actually doing while using Snapchat rather than the amount of use. Adolescents (N = 105, 21.2% male and 78.8% female) from High Schools …

Child And Adolescent Sleep Disturbances And Psychopathology In A Mental Health Clinic Sample, Aviva Blacher

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Sleep disturbances in children and adolescents (hereafter children) are associated with significant short-term and long-term impairments including more severe psychopathology, reduced cognitive functioning, and poorer general health. We know that children being treated in specialty mental health services are more likely to have sleep disturbances than community samples. We also know that relationships exist between sleep and psychopathology in children with specific disorders (e.g. ADHD, depression, etc.). However, few studies have investigated the relationship between sleep and psychopathology in a broad sample of children seen at mental health agencies. Both child factors and family factors may influence both sleep and …

Adolescents’ Perceptions And Responses To Peer Mental Health Challenges And Problematic Behaviours Following A Social-Emotional Learning Program, Jessica Sommers

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Vulnerable youth may be more susceptible to developing problematic behaviours and mental health challenges, including anxious and depressive symptoms, suicidal ideation, substance misuse, and unhealthy relationships. Social-emotional learning programs like The Healthy Relationships Plus Program (HRPP) can foster positive youth development by including training on mental health literacy, developing skills in help-seeking, and providing opportunities to practice difficult conversations. This study explored youth’s responses to hypothetical challenges faced by peers with a group of sixty-three adolescents who had participated in the HRPP. Responses to four distinct scenarios were collected to examine youths’ perceptions of various challenges and problematic behaviours, including …

Patterns Of Problem Behaviours Among A Representative Sample Of Youth In Ontario, Chantal Williams

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Behavioural addictions among adolescents are becoming a growing public health concern. It is well established that problem behaviours, particularly substance use behaviours, tend to cluster together. Some research indicates that gambling is associated with substance use, aligning with Problem Behaviour Theory, which suggests that problem behaviours stem from an underlying disposition toward deviance. This study sought to assess whether a) behavioural addictions, including gambling, video gaming and technology use, cluster together and with substance use and b) profiles of problem behaviours are associated with age, race, socioeconomic status, grade achievement, school connectedness, and antisocial behaviour in the total sample and …

Gambling And Physical Activity Among Ontario Adolescents, Maryfrances Carton

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Given that physical activity is essential for optimal health, it is important to identify behaviours that may contribute to low levels of physical activity. The purpose of this study was to examine the association between gambling and physical activity among adolescents in Ontario using data from the 2017 Ontario Student Drug Use and Health Survey (OSDUHS). Multivariable generalized ordinal logistic regression models were used to examine the association between past-year gambling (status and modality) and past-week physical activity among a representative sample of Grade 7-12 students, while adjusting for covariates. We also tested for multiplicative effect measure modification by sex. …

Exploring The Relationship Between Early Severity Of Epilepsy And Depressive Symptoms In Youth Ten Years After Diagnosis, Samanpreet Brar

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

This study assessed the association between early severity of epilepsy and subsequent depressive symptoms in youth and the extent to which family and clinical factors mediated this relationship. Data were obtained from the Health-Related Quality of Life in Children with Epilepsy Study, a multi-centre prospective study of children with new-onset epilepsy. A multiple linear regression analysis revealed severity of epilepsy 2 years post-diagnosis to be positively associated with depressive symptoms 10 years post-diagnosis (b=2.10, 95%CI:0.42,3.79). The results of generalized estimating equation models found family functioning, family resources, parental depressive symptoms, and antiepileptic drug use to not be mediators. Five-year seizure …

Fatigue In Children And Adolescents With Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, Basmah El-Aloul

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Fatigue was recently reported to be the largest predictor of poor health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in children and adolescents with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). The objectives of this thesis were to describe fatigue from patients’ and parents’ perspectives and to explore associations of patient characteristics with fatigue in children and adolescents with DMD using a multicentre cross-sectional study design. Eligible patients and their parents were identified via the Canadian Neuromuscular Disease Registry and received mailed paper questionnaires. Children and adolescents with DMD experienced greater fatigue compared to healthy controls from published data. Fatigue was a significant issue in children …

Impaired Dynamic Cerebrovascular Autoregulation In Adolescent Concussion, Marcy Erin Moir

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Although cerebrovascular impairments are believed to contribute to concussion symptoms, little information exists regarding brain vasomotor control in adolescent concussion, particularly during changes in arterial blood pressure (ABP). This research tested the hypothesis that adolescent concussion is marked by impaired dynamic cerebral autoregulation (dCA). Thirty concussed adolescents and thirty healthy controls completed two sit-to-stand trials. Cerebral blood flow velocity and ABP were measured continuously. Cerebrovascular resistance (CVR) was calculated and the rate of drop in CVR relative to the change in ABP provided the rate of regulation (RoR). The concussed adolescents were followed through rehabilitation for up to 12-weeks. At …

Understanding The Adjustment Experiences Of Recent Muslim Immigrant Youth, Sharlini Yogasingam

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Immigration is a controversial issue in Canada. With the negative attitudes regarding Islamic cultures, Muslim immigrants to Canada may be most at risk of experiencing discrimination. Guided by the bi-dimensional frameworks of acculturation and cultural identity, this qualitative study aimed to understand the adjustment experience for Muslim immigrant adolescents. Data was collected through one-hour, semi-structured interviews with six Muslim adolescent youth between the ages of 16 and 20, who were living in Canada for up to five years. Participants were recruited through local community agencies, a post-secondary institution and residential neighbourhood advertisements. Data was transcribed and thematic analysis was used …

Strategies For The Social Inclusion Of Peers With Learning Difficulties: Perspectives Of Adolescents In Various Birth Order Positions, Sarah Lynne Breckenridge

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

While inclusive education has become common practice, adolescents with learning difficulties still tend to be socially excluded by their peers. Whether sibling birth order affects the way adolescents include students with learning difficulties is a limited area of research. By conducting semi-structured interviews with high school students, the present study aimed to explore beliefs about how peers with learning difficulties may be socially included, examining accounts from oldest, youngest and middle siblings. Through content analysis, 4 main themes were identified: (a) academic interventions, (b) group events and activities, (c) student-driven initiatives, and (d) creating awareness (about learning difficulties). Chi square …

An Extension Of The Dimensional Comparison Theory: A Test Of Emotional Intelligence Self-Concepts., Caitlin J. Spencer

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

According to the Dimensional Comparison Theory (DCT), individuals’ self-concepts of abilities are influenced not only by external sources of evaluation within the same domain, but also internal comparisons of abilities across different domains, resulting in negative contrast effects for self-concepts in dissimilar domains and positive assimilation effects for self-concepts in similar domains. These dimensional comparisons have been primarily tested with academic domains to date, yet social-emotional learning is an important complement to academic learning. The present study sought to extend the DCT to Emotional Intelligence (EI) self-concepts in a sample of 1,069 Canadian children and adolescents, aged 9-18 years. Using …

Is Social Competence Achievable In Individuals With Autism Spectrum Disorder?, Monica Caldeira

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

A review of existing literature pertaining to the social skills of individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder provides a mixed picture: some researchers argue that social skills are altogether lacking, while others indicate that, in some instances, individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder possess the same social skills as their typically developed peers. The purpose of this study was to examine the social competence of adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorders, as well as the factors that contributed to or hindered adolescents’ social competence. A sample of 17 adolescents, with varying degrees of autism severity, together with their parents and teachers took part …

A Link Between Paediatric Asthma And Obesity: Are They Caused By The Same Environmental Conditions?, Phylicia Gonsalves

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The highly associated paediatric conditions of asthma and overweight have seen dramatic increases over the past few decades. This thesis explored air pollution exposure as a potential underlying mechanism of co-morbid asthma and overweight among adolescents aged 12 to 18 years. Data from the Canadian Community Health Survey were merged with a database containing estimates of air pollution as assessed by particulate matter ≤ 2.5 microns (PM_2.5) concentrations at the postal code centroid in southwestern Ontario. Logistic regression was used to conduct the analysis. Adolescents were more likely to be overweight as PM_2.5 concentrations increased. There was …

Identification Of Participation-Related Activities To Be Used As Part Of The Development Of A Self-Efficacy Questionnaire For Adolescents With Hearing Loss, Sahar S. Zimmo

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Investigating self-efficacy beliefs among adolescents with hearing loss is imperative as these perceptions affect a broad range of age-related functioning. Validated self-efficacy questionnaires for use with persons with hearing loss are currently limited to four adult measures. Development of an adolescent-relevant questionnaire aims to quantify self-efficacy for participation in daily activities and to individualize treatment interventions for adolescents with hearing loss.

Developing the self-efficacy questionnaire was based on a scoping literature review to develop a list of activities performed by typically developing adolescents. The questionnaire was piloted on a sample of youth with hearing loss.

The Adolescent Self-Efficacy Questionnaire for …

Adolescent Bystander Perceptions Of Sexual Violence Scenarios, Gloria Zhang

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Sexual violence is an ongoing problem in Canada that affects youth, and has become complicated due to the increased use of social media and the Internet. As a result, new violence prevention programs focus on bystanders’ potential to intervene and has been shown to promote prosocial attitudes toward sexual violence (e.g. Banyard, Moynihan, and Plante, 2007; Katz, Heisterkamp, & Fleming, 2011). The present study examine current attitudes of adolescents in wrongfulness and willingness to intervene in scenarios of sexual violence that occur in either online or offline contexts. The study replicated and modified an existing evidence-supported American questionnaire that uses …

The Relationship Between Violent Media, Pornography, And Cyber Dating Abuse Among Adolescents, Jessica Sciaraffa

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The current study examined the relationship between exposure to violent media and pornography, and the perpetration and experience of sexual cyber dating abuse among adolescents. The study also assessed the relationship between violence-tolerant attitudes with dating abuse outcomes, and examined the mediating role of attitudes in the relationship between violent media and pornography consumption and dating abuse perpetration and victimization. Participants were 113 adolescent boys and girls who reported currently being in a romantic relationship or having been in one during the past year. Participants completed an anonymous paper-pencil survey. Results highlighted pornography and gender as risk factors for the …

Rural Heterosexual Female Adolescents' Decision-Making About Sexual Intercourse And Pregnancy In Ontario, Paulina Ezer

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Rural areas in Ontario tend to have higher rates of adolescent pregnancy. A constructivist grounded theory methodology was used to gain an in-depth understanding of rural female adolescents’ decision-making process regarding sexual intercourse and their reproductive health, and how they view rural factors and circumstances influencing this process. The adolescent sexual decision-making process that emerged from the analysis involved prioritizing four influences that affect and are affected by the rural context: personal values and circumstances, family values and expectations, friends’ influences, and community influences. Findings will improve our understanding of how rural female adolescents make choices regarding their reproductive health. …

An Exploration Of Parental Experiences With Interventions For Children And Adolescents With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Kaity Gain

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is defined as a group of pervasive developmental disorders that cause clinically significant impairments in social, occupational and overall functioning. The current body of research highlights the importance of community based interventions, programs and services for this population across their lifespan. This dissertation explores parental experiences with interventions, programs and services for their children and adolescents with ASD.

This dissertation contains three manuscripts in addition to the introductory and concluding chapters. The first manuscript explores the current literature on occupational therapy based interventions for school aged children with ASD. Manuscript two presents the findings of an …

Adolescents Experiences With Cyberbullying: A Mixed Methods Analysis, Nasim Shojayi

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

This study investigated gender differences in cyberbullying and the relationship between perpetrators and victims and asked the following research questions: Are there differences in who engages in cyberbullying more often, based on one’s gender? Are there differences in perceptions of reporting, when a cyberbully is a friend or stranger? Why or why not, would adolescents report one source over the other? Data was collected from 70 students, ages 16 to 18-years-old (42 females, 28 males), in a public secondary school in Southwestern Ontario. A mixed methodology was utilized. Quantitative data from the Cyberbullying Student Survey was analyzed, and qualitative data …

Technology Based Mental Health Support Strategies For Youth, Kathleen S. Larion

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The purpose of this study was to investigate youth mental health concerns and technology based support strategies from the perspective of local youth. Semi-structured focus group interviews were conducted with a group of youth who attend area high schools and postsecondary institutions. The youth were asked two main questions: 1) What mental health problems do you think youth are experiencing? 2) What are some support strategies that youth can use, particularly in the school system, that are technology based? During the second focus group interview the youth were given a list of their responses and asked to organize them into …

Adolescents Perceptions Of Victims And Perpetrators Of Cyberbullying, Jasprit K. Pandori

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Abstract

Cyberbullying is a form of bullying that occurs through technological means, such as social networking, and instant messaging, among others. It can be constant, and at other times may occur in isolated incidents, but despite the timeline of progression, some scholars argue that the effects are almost always catastrophic (Kowalski, Limber, & Agatston, 2012). The present study examined the behavioural characteristics of cyberbullying victimization and perpetration, along with help seeking behaviours and reporting likelihood amongst adolescents in southwestern Ontario. A mixed methodology was utilized. Quantitative secondary data from a large scale survey completed by a school board in southwestern …

Bullying Beyond The Classroom: Grade And Gender Differences In Cyberbullying In Grades Four Through Eight, Kara Christina Brooks

Digitized Theses

The present study was conducted to investigate the grade and gender differences in cyberbullying in students from grades four through eight. It was predicted that females would experience cyberbullying and engage in cyberbullying more often than their male counterparts. It was also predicted that as the students progressed from grade four through to grade eight, the frequency of cyberbullying would increase. Data from a previous study in a large Southwestern Ontario school board was analyzed to investigate these hypotheses. Results indicated that cyberbullying was more frequent for female students than male students and also for the older students compared to …

The Effects Of A Peer Modeling Intervention On Aerobic Fitness Parameters And Self-Efficacy In Obese Adolescents, Stefanie De Jesus

Digitized Theses

The objective of this study was to examine the effect of a peer modeling intervention on

cardiorespiratory fitness performance and task self-efficacy in obese youth completing a maximal incremental treadmill test. Forty-nine obese youth (male = 26, BMI > 95th percentile for age and gender; 10 to 17 years of age) were randomized to an experimental group (n = 25) which received a peer modeling intervention or to an attention control group. The outcome variables were physical fitness (peak VO2, heart rate, duration, respiratory exchange ratio, rating of perceived exertion) and task self-efficacy. Observing the peer modeling intervention was not associated …

No Laughing Matter: Adolescents’ Perceptions Of Gender Differences In Dating Violence Among High School Students, Katie C. Lizmore

Digitized Theses

The present study was conducted to investigate adolescents’ opinions and perceptions of the prevalence of, dynamics involved in, and gender differences in adolescent dating violence. It was predicted that students would perceive that males perpetrate more physical violence than females, and that this male-perpetrated violence is taken more seriously than female-perpetrated violence. Focus groups were conducted with students at four different schools to gather and assess opinions regarding dating violence among students’ peer groups. Several themes emerged from these focus groups, including students’ relative awareness of overall rates of adolescent dating violence, differing responses of peer groups upon report of …

The Effects Of A Media Literacy Intervention On Women’S Body Dissatisfaction: Watching And Exercising To A Fitness Video, Joy G. Elkavam

Digitized Theses

This study sought to compare the effects of a media literacy intervention to an attention control on women’s body dissatisfaction after watching and exercising to a fitness video. Using a crossover design, 83 infrequent exercisers (M age = 24.54) with moderate to higher body dissatisfaction, including a sub-sample of women with higher body dissatisfaction (n=22; M age = 26.73), randomly received a media literacy intervention or attention control materials. Participants then watched and exercised to the video. The Appearance Evaluation and Body Areas Satisfaction subscales were administered at baseline, after watching, and after exercising to the video. Contrary to hypotheses, …

Effectiveness Of Preventative Interventions For Anxiety Disorders In Children And Adolescents: A Meta-Analysis, Lisa Boyko

Digitized Theses

Anxiety disorders are associated with a variety of negative social, emotional, and academic outcomes for children and adolescents. A variety of programs have been developed to prevent the development of anxiety disorders. This study meta-analyzed data from 14 prevention studies. The goal of the meta-analysis was to evaluate the effectiveness of the preventative programs and examine moderating variables that impact their effectiveness. Included studies were obtained through extensive literature searches in the PsycINFO, ERIC, and MEDLINE databases. Results indicated that preventative interventions have only a small impact on anxiety at post-intervention and follow-up times. Selective and indicated prevention programs were …