Digital Commons Network^™

A Picture Of Spirituality In Youth Living With Bipolar Disorder, Michelle S. Solomon

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

There is a paucity of literature concerning how youth living with bipolar disorder understand and experience spirituality. The management of bipolar disorder through psychosocial interventions such as spirituality is critical due to the chronic and complex nature of the illness and the fact that pharmacotherapy has not been found to fully restore mood and quality of life (Michalak et al., 2016; Miller et al., 2014; Sanchez-Moreno et al., 2009; Stroppa & Moreira-Almeida, 2013). Spirituality has been defined as being concerned with the ultimate questions in life; the meaning in life that a person gains in relation to something bigger than …

Inuvialuit Living Art: Co-Creating Local Community Archaeology And Cultural Heritage Research, Jason Yf Lau

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

This thesis explores Inuvialuit cultural heritage through the lens of Inuvialuit Pitqusiat Inuusimitkun or living art, a term coined by Iñupiaq/Inuvialuk Elder Pauline Saturgina Tardiff and translated to Sallirmiutun by Inuvialuit Elders Albert and Shirley Elias. Using semi-structured interviews, focus groups, and ethnography, it brings together the knowledge of 11 Inuvialuit artists to discuss Inuvialuit living art through: its ability to tell stories through time and space; its role in surviving and thriving on the land; and its connection to inner “heartwork”. Using a community-based participatory research (CBPR) framework, it outlines the 2019 Inuvialuit Living History Culture Camp at Ivvavik …

Post-Secondary Education (Pse) Indigenous Students' Perspectives: Sharing Our Voices On How We Fit Into Residential School (Rs) History Of Canada And The United States Using Photovoice, Natahnee Winder

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

A substantial body of literature about Indigenous experiences regarding the boarding school and residential school systems in the US and Canada, respectively, does exist. Both federal governments’ intentions were to Christianize, assimilate, and “civilize” students who attended these schools. Most Indigenous educational research is centered in either an American or Canadian context, and the colonial education of Indigenous peoples is rarely discussed as a collective experience. This colonial education occurred in tandem, in both countries, and its legacy severely impacted Indigenous students by separating them from their families and communities and stripping them of their Indigenous identities and lifeways. Furthermore, …

Exploring The Mental Health Care Experiences Of Youth Transitioning From Paediatric To Adult Psychiatric Services Using The Photovoice Method: A Participatory Analysis Of The Photostream Project, Brianna Jackson

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The transition from adolescence to adulthood brings with it many new challenges and stressors that may negatively impact psychosocial wellbeing. Unfortunately, the disjointed progression from paediatric to adult psychiatric services leaves transitional-aged youth (TAY) vulnerable to its deleterious sequelae, including social isolation, self-harm, substance use, and suicidal ideation. As devised, the Canadian mental health sector is ill-equipped to meet the care demands of emerging adults, resulting in undue suffering. Current evidence validates the need for clinical practice reform and policy revision to address this issue, yet the perspectives of young people are consistently underrepresented in conversations regarding youth-oriented psychiatric program …

Normalizing Masculinity: Explaining Processes, Factors, And Contexts That Influence How Rural Male Farmers Seek Health Information In Southwest Ontario, Bradley C. Hiebert

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Disproportionately high mortality and morbidity rates experienced by rural men are often related to the high prevalence of rural male farmers (RMFs) who are consistently exposed to chemicals, animal waste, and dust, or injured or killed while working. This dissertation aimed to explain processes by which RMFs seek health information (HI), and how these processes are influenced by rural social, cultural, political, and geographical factors.

Three studies were conducted as part of this dissertation. The first study was a literature review that explored the relationship between rural men’s health, health information seeking (HIS) theory, and masculinity theory. The second study …

Understanding Women's Health Promotion In Rural Canadian Churches, Robyn Plunkett

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Many rural health resources are linked to community churches, which are often well attended, especially by rural women. Thus, the rural church may be an effective health resource for rural Canadian women who have compromised access to health resources. Despite the significant role that the rural church plays in the life of rural communities, there is very limited research that addresses how the church acts or could act as a health resource for rural women. Furthermore, there is limited understanding of how the church as a place may influence health promotion in rural communities. This dissertation explores the relevance of …

Children's Voices In A School-Based Mental Health Needs Assessment, Shannon Byrne

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

As a part of a larger community mental health needs assessment, grade four students’ experiences of emotions related to mental health constructs were examined using photovoice methodology. Descriptive statistics from a large-scale survey were included to add context to the findings. The overall purpose of the study aimed to: (a) inform the school-based mental healthcare initiative that will be implemented in the school of the participants, and (b) add to the literature regarding children’s self-reported experiences of emotions. Photovoice allowed participants to visually represent their experiences and engage in dialogue about emotions linked to mental health and illness. Discussion questions …

Mental Health And Safety In Schools: Children’S Perceptions And Experiences, Larissa K. Pipe

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The current study employed an exploratory analysis of children’s perceptions of safety, mental health and experiences with bullying in school. Secondary data from surveys administered to a Southwestern Ontario school board was used to gather frequency data in addition to exploring the associations between mental health, feelings of safety and experiences with bullying. Furthermore, a photovoice component was administered in a select school, intended to gain a deeper understanding of what leads children to feel safe and unsafe, while in school. Results highlight the number of children experiencing mental health concerns as well as the importance of support systems for …

Examining Work-Related Injuries Of Healthcare Workers Using Lost-Time Claims, Risk Perceptions, Photovoice, Safety Climate, And Participatory Ergonomics As Data Sources, Paula Van Wyk

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The purpose of this dissertation was to examine work-related injuries of healthcare workers. Chapter 2 analyzed Workers Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) claims data from 2004-2009 for three occupational roles (registered nurses, registered nursing assistants, and nurse aides and orderlies) working in Ontario hospitals and long-term care homes. Chapter 2 also explored changes in the body part affected, nature of injury, and accident type. Chapter 3 data described the risk perceptions of healthcare workers in long-term care. Chapter 4 utilized the Photovoice method for identifying patient lift and transfer risk factors. Chapter 5 assessed the safety climate and implemented participatory …

Planning, Implementation, And Formative Evaluation Of A Food Literacy Program, Heather M. Thomas

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The overall purpose of this dissertation was to examine the planning, implementation, and formative evaluation of a community-based food literacy program for youth. Article 1 provided a summary of the community-based cooking program for at-risk youth. Objectives included the provision of applied food literacy and cooking skills education augmented with fieldtrips to local farms. Eight at-risk youth (five girls and three boys, mean age = 14.6) completed the intervention. Post intervention, five of eight participants completed in-depth interviews about their experiences.

Article 2 was a formative evaluation of the cooking program focused on gaining an understanding of participants’ (i.e., at-risk …

The “Visual Griots” Of Mali: Nation Building And Cultural Negotiation With Youth Outreach Photography, Jennifer Elizabeth Orpana

Digitized Theses

This thesis examines the “Visual Griots” project, a youth outreach initiative that produced photographs which were exhibited in Mali and the United States and were surrounded by polemics of “photographic truth” and “power.” Recognizing this Contextualization as a common strategy for many youth photography exhibitions, this thesis examines the “Visual Griots” case study to offer a critical investigation of the relationships between “youth photography” and concepts of “authenticity” and “power.” The first chapter examines the historiography of the “Visual Griots” project to demonstrate that the photographs participated in traditions of using photography and youth culture in nation-building and cultural diplomacy …

Exploring Mental Health Issues Of Rural Senior Women Residing In Southwestern Ontario: A Secondary Analysis Photovoice Study, Phaedra Panazzola

Digitized Theses

Purpose: To examine the mental health issues and factors that positively and negatively affect the mental health of rural senior women in southwestern Ontario. Methods: A secondary analysis of a photovoice study that investigated the mental health and factors that affect the mental health of 31 participants in southwestern Ontario. A feminist approach was employed for this study. Results: Three mental health issues were identified. Three factors were found that positively affected participants’ mental health, three factors negatively affected participants’ mental health, and two factors both positively and negatively affected the participants’ mental health. Conclusions: By specifically focusing on mental …

Women In A Malagasy Sapphire Mining Community: A Case Of Interactive Learning, Alexis R. Chapeskie

Digitized Theses

This thesis presents original ethnographic data on women in Ambondromifehy and reflects the need for new ways to incorporate discussions of conceptual issues such as the use of comparison in anthropology, methodology, and the application of theoretical conceptualizations, into discussions of the ethnographic data collected in the field. The ethnographic data on women in a small-scale mining community in northern Madagascar is the first study in this region on women living in this community. This original ethnographic data includes Interactive Ethnographies and a website, which both feature videos as well as photographs obtained using two different photographic methods (researcher photographs …