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Anxiety In Children And Adolescents With Autism Spectrum Disorder: Behavioural Phenotypes And Environmental Factors, Caitlin E. Leachman Miss

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Anxiety is the most prevalent comorbidity among children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The phenotypical presentation of anxiety among children and adolescents with ASD is lacking within the literature. This study sought to differentiate behavioral phenotypes associated with anxiety in children with ASD from anxiety in typically-developing children. Participants completed a series of child and parent reports measuring anxiety, depressive symptoms, ASD symptom severity, emotional problems, parental stress, and socioeconomic factors. Three distinct anxiety profiles, including moderate, high, and low, were identified. Results demonstrated that depression is the strongest predictor of high anxiety among children and adolescents with …

A Multi-Method Assessment Of The Impact Of Stress On Families’ Mental Health During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Andrew R. Daoust

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The COVID-19 pandemic was a pervasive disaster, creating stress for people across the globe. As such, understanding how pandemic-related stress has impacted individuals’ mental health is vital for guiding intervention programs and limiting the impact of future similar crises. This is especially true for youth, who are at heightened risk for mental disorder and may experience pandemic-related social stress as particularly aversive, given the developmental challenges unique to this period. Although substantial efforts have been made to measure the impact of the pandemic-related stress on individuals’ mental health, the pandemic’s relatively sudden onset has limited researchers’ abilities to conduct fulsome …

Role Of The Default-Mode Network During Narrative Integration In Major Depressive Disorder, Darren Ri-Sheng Liang

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

How brain activity is synchronized across individuals during narrative comprehension has previously been characterized by functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in healthy and patient populations. To our knowledge, there has been limited investigation as to how it is affected by major depressive disorder (MDD). We addressed this issue with fMRI through examination of inter-subject synchronization in the default mode network (DMN), brain structures which have previously been implicated in MDD pathology. Twenty-two patients with MDD and 20 matched control participants listened to Intact versus Scrambled versions of an auditory narrative; these experimental conditions differed in the degree of temporal integration …

Neuroimaging Depression Risk In A Sample Of Never-Depressed Children, Matthew R. J. Vandermeer

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Children of mothers with a history of depression are at significantly higher risk for developing depression themselves. Although numerous mechanisms explaining this relationship have been proposed (Goodman & Gotlib, 1999), relatively little is known about the neural substrates of never-depressed children’s depression risk. Of the few studies that have used neuroimaging techniques to characterize risk-based differences in children’s neural structure, function, and functional connectivity, most have used samples that include participants with a personal history of depression or older samples (i.e., past the typical age of onset for depressive disorders). These approaches limit what can be determined regarding whether findings …

The Impact Of Interruptions In Gender-Affirming Medical Care During Covid-19 On Anxiety And Depression Among Trans And Non-Binary People In Canada: A Longitudinal Study, Sara Todorovic

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Background. Transgender and non-binary (TGNB) populations experience disproportionally high levels of anxiety and depression; it is imperative we investigate how the COVID-19 pandemic may have impacted the mental health of TGNB communities. Methods. Among a Canadian sample of TGNB persons aged >=15 years, we used multiple linear regression to examine whether interruptions in gender-affirming care were associated with anxiety and depression, and whether that effect was modified by pre-pandemic mental health. Results. Anxiety and depression levels were high both pre-pandemic and during the pandemic. Approximately a quarter of TGNB persons experienced interruptions in hormonal care. After adjusting for confounders, there …

Investigating Associations Between Anxiety Sensitivity And Patient Outcomes In A Cardiac Rehabilitation Program: A One Health Approach, Ebuka Osuji

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Cardiac Rehabilitation (CR) is an exercise-based program, aimed at improving ones’ cardiovascular health. A substantial majority of patients referred to CR do not enroll, complete, or achieve clinical targets in the program due to patient-level factors. The objective of this thesis was to investigate relationships between anxiety sensitivity (AnxS) and patient outcomes in CR. Self-reported questionnaires were completed across two time points, with patient information being abstracted from medical records. Stakeholders associated with reducing the burden of AnxS in CR were also identified using snow-ball sampling. Findings suggest that resting diastolic blood pressure is associated with the interrelationships between AnxS, …

Childhood-Onset Epilepsy And Long-Term Child And Maternal Well-Being, Klajdi Puka

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The long-term prognosis of pediatric epilepsy is favorable with respect to seizures, whereby 66% to 80% of children attain seizure control. However, psychiatric and psychosocial problems among children with epilepsy (CWE) and their parents are common, and little is known about their long-term outcomes. The objectives of this dissertation were to: 1) validate a parent-reported measure of young adult’s health-related quality of life (HRQOL), to allow for a consistent informant to report on CWE’s HRQOL from childhood into young adulthood; 2) delineate the long-term course of CWE’s HRQOL and identify the clinical, parent, and family characteristics associated with the trajectory …

Exploring The Links Between Social Anxiety And Depression In The Maintenance Of Romantic Relationships, Christian M. Hahn

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Social anxiety is characterized by fear and avoidance of social encounters and has recently been associated with a variety of difficulties in romantic relationships. Complicating further investigation of these associations is the high degree of comorbidity between social anxiety and depressive symptomatology, which share several similarities in expression despite disparate underlying causes. The present thesis examines the unique influences of social anxiety and depression on a number of central aspects of relationship functioning and provide the first longitudinal investigation of the impacts of actor and partner social anxiety and depression on relationship quality and functioning. In Study 1, three independent …

A Study Of Multiple Predictors Of Cognitive Fatigue In Individuals With Multiple Sclerosis, Leila M. Mackay

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Persons with multiple sclerosis (PwMS) commonly experience cognitive fatigue (CF), defined as a decrease in cognitive performance over a sustained activity and measured objectively or subjectively. In the present research, we evaluated the extent to which depression, anxiety, information processing speed, sleep quality, and disease severity predict subjective and objective CF, in a sample of 55 PwMS (37 females, M = 44.23). Although no statistically significant predictors of objective CF were demonstrated, all variables predicted subjective CF, R2adj = .384 [F (6, 40) = 5.783, p = .0002]. In particular, depression and information processing speed were found to be significant …

The Role Of Cognitive Distortions In The Longitudinal Relationship Between Problematic Drinking And Depressive Symptoms, Monica F. Tomlinson

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

This dissertation investigated the mechanisms by which problematic drinking contributes to depressive symptoms in two longitudinal, prospective, cohort-design studies. Distorted cognitive processes (dysfunctional attitudes, negatively-biased information processing, and rumination) were proposed as mediators in the relationship between problematic drinking and depressive symptoms over time. Study 1 (N = 1090) assessed participants’ levels of problematic drinking, dysfunctional attitudes, and depressive symptoms at three-month intervals for one year. Findings indicated that the social and occupational consequences of alcohol use (e.g., interpersonal conflict) significantly predicted depressive symptoms. The amount and frequency of alcohol consumption did not. Therefore, impairment, but not level of …

Understanding And Coping With Possible Depressive Symptoms: An Extension Of The Self-Regulation Model, Melissa N. Mohan

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

This dissertation used Leventhal’s Self-Regulation Model (SRM) as a theoretical framework to examine how undergraduates make sense of and cope with symptoms often associated with depression. Students completed questionnaires about possible depressive symptoms (not labelled as such); as well as other components of the SRM, including demographics, psychosocial context, current psychopathology, cognitive appraisals and emotional reactions. Previous SRM studies have often focused on how people make sense of depression once symptoms have coalesced into a clearer clinical picture. In contrast, Part 1 of this dissertation focused on an earlier application of the SRM to a range of vague, generally mild …

Trajectories Of The Effects Of Sad Mood Induction Procedures (Mips), Jennifer C. P. Gillies

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Mood Induction Procedures (MIPs) are used widely in cognitive vulnerability to depression research. Although research supports certain MIPs as effective, little research has validated the assumption that MIP-induced sad moods are sufficiently persistent. This study addressed three questions: How long does an MIP-induced mood last? What are the shapes of the trajectories of the mood effects? Do these trajectories differ by type of MIP? Four-hundred-and-one undergraduate students were randomly assigned to undergo one of three commonly used sad MIPs or a neutral MIP. Mood was repeatedly measured immediately prior to and following the MIP.Results did not support the widely held …

Does Self-Regulation Mediate The Relationship Between Locus Of Control And Resiliency Related Outcomes?, Alexander J. Mcgregor

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Locus of control has been implicated in predicting mental wellbeing outcomes in a variety of theories and empirical studies, however the mediating mechanisms between the trait and mental wellbeing are not well known. The king and Rothstein (2010) model of resiliency posits self-regulation as the active mechanism that leads to recovery in resiliency related outcomes following significant adversity. These self-regulatory processes are predicted by a series of related traits, such as self-efficacy, neuroticism, or conscientiousness. This study investigated the mediating role of affective, behavioral, and cognitive self-regulation between locus of control, depression, and anxiety using mediation analysis. The results indicated …

An Analysis Of The Relationship Between Humor Styles And Depression, Marisa L. Kfrerer

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The present study examined the relationship between humor styles and depression using two methods of examination: (1) the mean humor style differences between individuals who reported that they had been diagnosed with depression versus those who did not report being depressed; and (2) a short scale assessing depressed affect. Participants were 878 adult Australians. With respect to mean differences, depressed individuals were found to use self-defeating humor more, and self-enhancing humor less than non-depressed adults. When the depressed affect scale score was analyzed, negative correlations were found between depressed affect and both positive styles of humor, affiliative and self-enhancing. Additionally, …

Do You “Like” Me?: Reassurance Seeking On Facebook And Depression, Callista Forchuk

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The objective of this study was to expand interpersonal theories of depression by incorporating online social behaviour. This study assessed the influence of Facebook reassurance seeking on concurrent depressive symptoms, as well as the moderating role of attachment anxiety in this relation. A sample of 458 undergraduates (68% female; mean age 18.54) completed self-report computer-based questionnaires of offline reassurance seeking, Facebook reassurance seeking, attachment style, and depression. Contrary to hypotheses, Facebook reassurance seeking was not associated with depressive symptoms. However, there was an interaction whereby, for those higher in attachment anxiety, more Facebook reassurance seeking was associated with lessened depressive …

It's Not Me It's You: Examining The Link Between Partner-Schema Organization, Relationship Functioning, And Depressive Symptoms, Jesse Lee Wilde

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Depression is associated with a host of interpersonal difficulties, particularly within intimate relationships. While a significant body of literature has supported the presence of a highly consolidated negative self representation or “self-schema”, no studies have examined whether depression is also associated with a highly organized negative “partner-schema”, and whether this represents a risk factor for relationship distress. Given the high degree of similarity between cognitive representations of self and close others, it was predicted that depression would be associated with a partner-schema structure mirroring that of the self-schema: an organized cognitive structure characterized by tightly interconnected negative information, and loosely …

Social Support, Social Participation, And Depression Among Caregivers And Non-Caregivers In Canada: A Population Health Perspective, Jovana Sibalija

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Caregivers report higher depression levels than non-caregivers. Depression is a major concern because it predicts poor health. Poor caregiver health negatively impacts care provision and increases institutionalization risk for the ill relative. Social support and social participation can influence depressive symptoms in caregivers, with low levels linked to higher depression scores. Previous studies used small, non-Canadian samples. The present study used population-level data from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging to investigate the relationships among social support, social participation, and depression in caregivers and non-caregivers. Analysis of variance assessed differences in the means of the social variables and depression. Path …

Exploring The Differences Between Domestic Homicide And Homicide-Suicide: Implications For Risk Assessment And Safety Planning, Chelsea A. Heron

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Domestic homicide, the killing of an individual by their current or former intimate partner, is a tragic and pervasive event. Research supports the finding that a history of domestic violence within a relationship acts as a strong predictor of domestic homicide (DH) and domestic homicide-suicide (DHS). At present, there is limited research that examines patterns in risk factors used to distinguish perpetrators of domestic homicide from domestic homicide-suicide. The present study aims to differentiate perpetrators of domestic homicide and domestic homicide-suicide according to prevalent risk factors and case characteristics. In this paper, case reports were examined from the Domestic Homicide …

Vulnerability To Depression In Middle Childhood: The Role Of Pubertal Development And Cortisol Reactivity In Risk For Depression, Sarah Vm Mackrell

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Depression is one of the most common psychological disorders with rates so high it has been referred to as the “common cold” of mental disorders (Kessler, Berglund, Demler, Jin, Koretz, Merikangas, …Wang, 2003). Although many studies have investigated associations between risk factors and depression in adolescents and adults, middle-to-late childhood has remained a relatively understudied period of development. This dissertation addresses important gaps in the literature on depression risk in a community sample of children (N = 205) over the course of middle-to-late childhood (age 7 to 12 years). In Study 1, I hypothesized that pubertal development strengthens associations …

The Relationship Between Different Dating Violence Profiles, Mental Health Problems And Mental Well-Being Among Canadian Youth, Kelsey E. Macdonald

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The current study examined the relationships among teen dating violence, mental health problems and mental well-being in 338 adolescents aged 14-21 (54% female). Secondary data were retrieved from an evaluation of a small groups healthy relationship program. Participants were grouped into four different dating violence profiles based on self-reported perpetration and victimization: not involved, perpetrators, victims and combined. Generalized Linear Models were used to examine the similarities and differences across types on depression, anxiety, mental well-being and binge drinking. Results suggested that the victims and combined profiles experienced greater mental health problems and decreased mental well-being compared to other profiles. …

The Role Of Emotional Support In Emotional Well-Being, Maria Sol Pound

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The overall purpose of this dissertation was to study the role of emotional support in emotional well-being (positive affect, negative affect, and non-clinical depressive symptoms). The research literature on social support has primarily focused on support processes occurring in the context of negative experiences and often has not included positive social interactions. This dissertation aimed to expand the study of emotional support by investigating emotional support for both positive and negative experiences, as well as emotional invalidation of negative experiences. Also, the mechanisms linking social support with well-being remain largely unclear. Two studies in this dissertation explored the role of …

Depression Among Perpetrators Of Domestic Homicide, Polly Cheng

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Background: Depression among perpetrators of domestic homicide and domestic homicide-suicide is present in upwards of 75% of cases. Between 2003 and 2011, the Domestic Violence Death Review Committee (DVDRC) classified 56% of perpetrators with depression in all the cases in Ontario. Methods: Secondary data analysis of 133 cases taken from the DVDRC database was conducted to determine whether differences exist between depressed and non-depressed perpetrators. Results: Cases with depressed perpetrators had significantly more risk factors present than in cases with non-depressed perpetrators. Depressed perpetrators and perpetrators who committed homicide-suicide were significantly older than non-depressed perpetrators and perpetrators …

Muslim Leaders’ Understandings Of Mental Health, Mental Illness, And Depression In Immigrant Women And Those Found In Consumer Health Materials: A Discourse Analysis, Selma Tobah

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The purpose of this research project was to investigate the information landscape with respect to mental health, mental illness, and depression as it might be encountered by female Muslim immigrants in London Ontario. In the study, commonalities and differences were explored in the constructions of mental health and depression as they relate to the lives of Muslim immigrants from the perspectives of local Muslim religious leaders and in publications intended for the lay public that are produced by Canadian mental health organizations. Pamphlets concerning mental health and depression, intended for the lay public, were collected from several health and social …

Exploring Depression And Anxiety As A Result Of Childhood Maltreatment And The Models Of Social Support, Celia Wong

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Social support has been a significant area of interest in terms of protective factors for children and youth who have experienced maltreatment. The present study examines whether social support exhibits a main effect or a buffering effect on anxiety and depression symptoms in children and youth using the interRAI ChYMH. Family and peer support in particular was explored in an attempt to evaluate a more specified view of social support. The sample consists of 615 participants from various children and youth mental health facilities across Canada. Results indicate no support for the buffering model of social support, while statistical significance …

Childhood Abuse And Neglect: A Profile Of Associated Risk Factors For Non-Suicidal Self-Injury, Jennifer P. Gomez

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) is the intentional destruction of body tissue without suicidal intent and for purposes not socially sanctioned. Approximately 14 to 17% of nonclinical adolescent populationss and over 40% of clinical adolescent populations use NSSI to cope. NSSI is consistently related to childhood maltreatment and the objective of this study was to examine differences between maltreated individuals who do and do not self-injure. Groups were compared on risk factors of childhood maltreatment and self-injury with the intent of creating a risk profile for NSSI. Participants who had experienced abuse/neglect scored higher on depression than a contrast group, regardless of …

Socialization Of Depressive Symptoms In Pre- And Early Adolescent Peer Cliques, Suzanne L. Seah

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

This study examined socialization of depressive symptoms in pre- and early adolescent peer cliques, and clique characteristics (clique gender and friendship density) that may moderate the contribution of clique depression to the prediction of youths’ depressive symptoms over time. Social cognitive mapping identified 162 peer cliques involving 999 youths from Grades 4 through 8 (M age = 11.84; SD = 1.52) in Southwestern Ontario. As expected, multi-level modeling revealed that clique depressive symptoms in fall contributed significantly to the prediction of youths’ depressive symptoms in spring. Null findings regarding clique friendship density and gender as moderators of clique depression …

Interpretive Bias In The Context Of Life Stress And Depression: An Examination Of Stress Generation And Diathesis-Stress Models, Pamela M. Seeds

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Purpose: Researchers have recently demonstrated interest in interpretive bias, the tendency to interpret ambiguous information more negatively and/or less positively. The extent to which interpretive biases influence the occurrence of life stressors and potentially compound the negative effects of life stress in the development of depression is presently unknown. Hence, the purpose of this study was to investigate interpretive bias for ambiguous social information within the context of stress and depression. This study examined interpretive bias in the context of two theoretically and empirically supported models of depression – stress generation and diathesis-stress – to determine the mechanism through which …

Adherence To Canadian Best Practice Recommendations For Stroke Care: The Case Of Post-Stroke Depression, Katherine L. Salter

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Context: Canadian best practice recommendations for identification and treatment of post-stroke depression (PSD) have been established, but whether they have been adopted is not known.

Objectives: To compare current with recommended best practice.

Methods: A retrospective chart review from 5 inpatient rehabilitation programs in Southwestern Ontario was completed and a short online survey addressing current practices, opinions and attitudes regarding PSD conducted.

Results: Screening for PSD was documented in 41 of 294 patient records. Of the 41 patients screened, 16 were referred for assessment and 6 diagnosed with PSD. However, 113 patients (38.9%) received pharmacotherapy. Most staff …

A Self-Regulation Model Of Depression: Content Of Cognitive Representations And Prediction Of Treatment Seeking, Catherine Leite

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Leventhal's self-regulation model (SRM) was applied as a conceptual framework from which to examine individuals' cognitive representations of depressive symptoms. This thesis explored the nature of these representations, as well as factors that may impact on these representations and, in turn, influence coping strategies and professional help seeking. In particular, Study 1 examined the effect of symptom severity and the label used to identify the symptoms on the cognitive representations of depressive symptoms and coping, whereas Study 2 examined the effect of symptom duration in this regard. This thesis also considered the extent to which the various SRM domains are …

The Health Of Ontario’S Transgender Communities: Prevalence Of And Risk Factors For Depression, "Do-It-Yourself" Transitions, And Health Effects Of Cross-Sex Hormones And Surgeries, Nooshin Khobzi

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The purpose of this dissertation was to develop an understanding of, and draw attention to, the health and service access issues faced by trans (transgender, transsexual, or transitioned) Ontarians. This thesis is based on the Trans PULSE Project, a community-based research (CBR) initiative whose goal is to improve the health of trans people. Data collection was carried out between May 2009 and April 2010 using a quantitative survey. Trans participants were recruited through respondent-driven sampling (RDS), a network-based sampling method developed for the recruitment of hidden populations. Weighted prevalence estimates and 95% confidence intervals were calculated for all variables of …