Digital Commons Network^™

The Experiences Of Lesbian And Queer Female Teachers In Canadian Schools, Chen Lin

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

This study examines the work experiences of lesbian/ queer female teachers in Canada and how they manage their identities in face of homophobia and heteronormativity in school. I employ a case study involving semi-structured interviews with 4 participants in 3 Canadian provinces – Alberta, Manitoba, and Ontario. The chief finding of this research is that homophobia and heteronormativity prevalent in school not only prevents lesbian and queer female teachers from coming out to everyone in school but also limits their access to the resources and support at work. This study makes a contribution given that very little existing research focuses …

Listening To Transgender And Autistic Voices: Reflecting On Affirming Research And Mental Health Practices, Kameron Bm Kirbyson

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Those who are both autistic and transgender/gender diverse, an often-overlooked group, face difficulties accessing gender-affirming care and appropriate therapy and have higher rates of mental health complications. This study focused on listening to the voices of people who live with both of these identities through semi-structured interviewing and by centring the writer who is also autistic and transgender. Seven participants shared their experiences and highlighted issues they have come up against while trying to access care. Thematic analysis revealed several themes that were sorted into barriers and strengths. Barriers included autism symptoms, complex medical factors, interactions with institutions, traumatic events, …

Towards Effective Communication: An Exploration Of Evidence-Based Strategies For Informal Care Partners Engaged In Difficult Conversations With Individuals With Parkinson's Disease, Emily Brinovec

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Communication deficits are common in Parkinson’s disease and can compromise the ability for informal care partners to communicate effectively with their partner. This may result in the avoidance of critically important conversations, thus placing strain on the relationship, and can harm the well-being of both parties. The aim of this thesis is to explore evidence-informed communication strategies that can be utilized to assist care partners of individuals with Parkinson’s Disease (IWPD) in conducting difficult conversations. Utilizing a scoping review methodology, seven themes emerged from peer-reviewed literature on communication: selecting an appropriate physical environment; conversation preparation; verbal communication skills; non-verbal communication …

Exploring The Quality Performance Of Ethno-Specific And Mainstream Not-For-Profit Long-Term Care Homes In Ontario, Lanei Amein

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The purpose of this retrospective study was to determine how ethno-specific not-for-profit long-term care (LTC) homes in Ontario perform in comparison to mainstream not-for-profit LTC homes using nine RAI-MDS 2.0 quality indicators. Publicly available data from three sources: the Canadian Institute for Health Information "Your Health System: In Depth" database from the Continuing Care Reporting System, data on Ontario ethno-specific not-for-profit LTC homes from the Home and Community Care Support Services, and data on home and ownership records from the Ministry of Long-Term Care “Public Reporting” website, between 2017-2022, were retrieved and analyzed. Descriptive analysis suggests that for all quality …

Prediction Of Teacher Well-Being Through Beliefs: A Mixed-Methods Study Of Educators, Annie Beatty

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Teachers’ beliefs regarding students with disabilities and their overall well-being are critical for successful inclusion. The current project sought to explore whether teacher beliefs predict teacher well-being and aimed to increase our understanding of how teachers’ experiences with inclusion influence well-being and teaching practices. Participants (n=67) completed a demographic questionnaire, the Beliefs about Learning and Teaching Questionnaire, and the Kessler-6 instrument. Eleven teachers participated in interviews regarding their experiences in inclusion and relevant teaching practices. Results suggest that increased professional experience predicted higher levels of distress in teachers. Additionally, thematic analysis of the interviews identified five themes regarding the current …

Educators’ Perspectives On Teacher Mental Health And Professional Development., Sybil Hw Chan

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Educator wellness is inextricably linked to their ability to teach and support students in the classroom. However, limited research has examined the factors that influence educator mental health in Canada, and the role of mental health-based professional development in these relationships. Therefore, the present mixed-method, multi-phase study examined the current knowledge, understandings, and beliefs about professional development and mental wellness for Canadian teacher candidates and associate teachers. Results from a binomial logistic regression found that higher educator psychological distress was positively correlated with presenteeism, and negatively correlated with workplace psychological safety. A reflexive thematic analysis of twelve semi-structured interviews further …

Well, Daw! That’S Why I Don’T Sound Like The Recording: Music Production In Elementary School Music Education, Johnny Touchette

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

In this dissertation, I discuss how elementary students responded to a music curriculum that foregrounds music production practices. The following question guided this inquiry: How can music industry professionals, music teachers, and students collaborate, share ideas and their experiences to inform a curricular design for public elementary school music education? I theorized that music production practices should be introduced at an earlier stage of learning than discussed by other educators, i.e., at the secondary level. The study consisted of adapting, implementing, and reflecting on a music production curriculum in public elementary school music education through participatory action research, alongside three …

Retrospective Pre-Post Evaluation Of A Healthy Relationships And Mental Health Promotion Program For 2s/Lgbtqia+ Youth, Nikita Kalwani

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Research has found that 2S/LGBTQIA+ youth experience disproportionately high mental health concerns and barriers to accessing support. Protective factors such as school-based support, peer support, and mental health interventions have been found to buffer this risk. The Healthy Relationships Program (HRP) for 2S/LGBTQIA+ Youth is a positive mental health promotion program that aims to build resiliency, bolster healthy relationship skills, and promote well-being among 2S/LGBTQIA+ youth. This study aimed to evaluate the outcomes, effectiveness, and feasibility of implementing this program within Gender and Sexuality/Gay-Straight Alliances (GSAs) in secondary schools. Data from students (N = 17) and GSA advisors who …

Evaluating A Daily Physical Activity (Dpa) Toolkit For Elementary School Teachers, Shelby T. Singh

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The present study investigated whether a centralized toolkit containing easy-to-access resources, and that could be implemented without training, could help to promote greater adherence to Ontario’s Daily Physical Activity (DPA) policy and encourage more physical activity within the classroom. From January to March 2023, 142 Ontario elementary teachers completed pre-/post-surveys assessing DPA practices and were given access to the DPA toolkit. The findings demonstrate that access to the DPA toolkit improved DPA fidelity, as well as increased teacher engagement/enjoyment with DPA, and perception of students’ cognitive functioning, academic performance and mental health. In conclusion, providing accessible, easy-to-use resources that require …

A Musicology Of Record Production - Research Creation, Gender, And Creative Reflective Practice In Project-Paradigm Music Production, Lydia Wilton

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

This research-creation project elucidates the “methodology” of producing records. As an artist-researcher, I investigate how a record producer uses the recording studio as a “musical instrument”. My primary research goal is to answer two fundamental questions about record producing that have yet to be addressed and which cannot be explored successfully by other means: “Does the record producer’s creative agency have musical consequences?”, and “If so, what are they?” Through the creative practices I adopted for this project’s artefact - an album of nine tracks, called Blasphemy, that I produced for the London, Ontario-based rock band Nameless Friends - …

Older Adolescent Perspectives On The Use Of Research Within Online Communities, Ahrrabie Thirunavukkarasu

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

This study explores the attitudes of older adolescents (aged 16 to 19) regarding researchers collecting personal information from Social Networking Sites (SNSs) through passive observation to support Non-Suicidal Self-Injury (NSSI) research. The aim of this study is to add to the ongoing discourse in the scientific community, by providing a unique perspective on how researchers can uphold ethical conduct throughout their research process. This study adopts a mixed-methods approach and incorporates a Qualtrics^XM survey and online focus groups (FGs). The findings reveal that participants have reservations toward passive, hidden observational researchers. Despite their concerns, participants support researchers using their …

Exploring Counsellors’ Insights Into Effective Support For Clients With Low Income, Skylar Rego

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Individuals with low income may experience a greater need for mental health services due to the substantial life challenges and stressors they experience. However, more research needs to explore what has been effective in improving services for this population. The present study addressed this gap through counsellors’ perspectives to identify what has been helpful when working with low-income populations. Counsellors completed an interview regarding their personal and professional experiences working with low-income populations, answering the question, “What have you found to be the most helpful aspects of counselling with clients facing low income?”. Participants then completed a sorting task using …

Exploring The Feasibility And Outcomes Of Concurrent Parent And Child Mindfulness-Based Interventions, Melissa Read

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Mindfulness-Based Interventions (MBIs) have shown to be effective in improving child and parent outcomes, including parental stress (Burgdorf et al., 2019; Friedmutter, 2016), child behaviour problems, and child executive functioning (Cheang et al., 2019; Donald et al., 2019; Dunning et al., 2019). The field of mindfulness has evolved to include parents and children together in programs, called parallel or concurrent parent and child MBIs. Children who have experienced adversity may be at a greater need for MBIs, as MBIs target stress and emotion regulation, areas where these children may need greater support (Bethell et al., 2016; Brenmer, 2003). As a …

Social Location & Counsellor Identity: A Reflexive Analysis Of Social Power And The Therapeutic Use Of Self, Stephanie R. Page

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

It has become widely appreciated that health and mental health are impacted by interconnected systems of inequity and individual social location. With demand for psychological services increasing in Canada, there does exist a need to better understand how social location relates to counselling. A random sample of 19 CCPA registered Canadian Counsellors were interviewed and asked about their social location. Participant responses were transcribed and qualitatively analyzed using the Six-Phase Model for Reflexive Thematic Analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2022). One theme and two sub-themes were carved out: Participant Asset Experiences (25), Self-Identification (15), and Blind Spots (10). Findings relate to …

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 …

Barriers To Working With Low Income Clients As Experienced By Counsellors, Riley Keast

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

This study aimed to answer the question “what are the perceived barriers or challenges counsellors experience when working with low income clients in their practice following COVID-19?”. Participants were recruited via mass email sent to professionals registered with the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association (CCPA), who then completed a survey via Qualtrics (n = 322). 113 Canadian counsellors from across Canada were interviewed. Data obtained from interviews was analyzed using concept mapping software GroupWisdom. Participants (n = 29) grouped the statements into seven themes including: barriers due to low income and employment, systemic barriers for clients, barriers due to …

Performing Masculinity: Calgary Men In The Great War, Andrew J. Hawkes

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

This thesis explores the masculinity of soldiers from Calgary during the Great War using a theoretical framework of hegemonic masculinity. The first chapter establishes a normative masculine standard in Calgary using local newspaper coverage of battalion departure parades. These events were rituals that celebrated militarized masculinity and reinforced the hegemonic ideal that existed across the British Empire in the early 20^th century. The second chapter assesses how masculinity was performed in letters during the war. Although men strove to embody the masculine ideal, their letters were not uniform endorsements of martial masculinity. The third chapter analyzes how hegemonic masculinity …

Examining Fragility Of Health Systems In Afghanistan: Development And Application Of A Theoretical Framework For Fragile Health Systems, Faiza Rab

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Globally, health systems face destabilization amidst conflicts and natural disasters, adversely affecting populations' well-being. Understanding domains of health system fragility remains a gap in literature, hampering effective mitigation. In protracted conflict, Afghanistan's health system offers a crucial case for studying health system fragility. This research aimed to bridge gaps in comprehending health system fragility, with research questions:

1. What is the conceptual understanding of the fragility of health systems and its relationship with resilience, and how can it be applied in Afghanistan?

2. Did the introduction of female health workers to support Maternal, Neonatal, and Child Health service delivery by …

The Together Study: Exploring The Relationship Between Ontario Undergraduate University Students’ Levels Of Resilience And Their Experiences Of Diversity And Inclusion, Manvir Ahluwalia

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

This study’s primary purpose was to assess, quantitatively, the relationship between Ontario undergraduates’ levels of resilience and experiences of diversity and inclusion, and to identify demographic factors most associated with these outcomes. The secondary purpose was to explore, qualitatively, students’ experiences of diversity and inclusion and their perspectives on how these experiences influenced their resilience. Demographic questions, three scales, and (focus group and individual) interviews were used. Undergraduates (n = 276) from 19 Ontario universities completed the survey. Pearson’s correlation revealed a positive relationship between resilience and experiences of diversity and feelings of inclusion. Demographics indicative of equity-deserving group …

Harm Reduction In Psychotherapy, Jillian Cramer

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

With approximately 22 people dying due to opiate-related harms everyday in Canada (Government of Canada, 2023), there is a great need to offer low-barrier, evidence-based services for people who use substances across various disciplines, including healthcare, social services, and psychotherapy. This qualitative study examined the experiences of Canadian social justice-informed counsellors who work with clients who use substances from harm reduction frameworks of care. Seven counsellors were interviewed on their personal experiences implementing harm reduction in psychotherapy. Through a reflexive thematic analysis, five themes surfaced: axiology of harm reduction work, development of therapist surrounding harm reduction, main focuses of harm …

Listening To "Silence": Alternative Modes Of Communication In Korean And Korean American Women's Literature, Judy Joo-Ae Bae

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

South Korean feminist activity may be relatively unknown to many Western readers; however, a distinct form of feminist activism can be seen when considering alternative modes of communication that are not less than, simply different from “speech” or “voice” as forms of agency celebrated in the West. Alternative modes of communications such as silence, song, touch, and performance also speak important messages which can be heard when understood through local knowledges. In the three cases of South Korean and Korean American women’s fictions used in this dissertation, I unpack these alternative modes of communications used by the female protagonists through …

Voice: Exploring The Experiences Of University Students Who Have Experienced Gender-Based Violence, Rabani Nagra

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Introduction: The occurrence and severity of gender-based violence (GBV) on Canadian higher education campuses has been a concern for decades. In September 2021, there were multiple reports of GBV at several Canadian universities with Western University being an exceptional case. The goal of this study was to explore: (1) the experiences of students who have experienced GBV during their enrollment at Western University; (2) the impact of GBV on students’ academics; and (3) student knowledge and experience with GBV resources.

Methods: This cross-sectional, qualitative study used an interpretive description framework and dialogue maps, underpinned by intersectionality. Seventeen undergraduate students were …

The Impact Of The Covid-19 Pandemic On The Physical Activity Of Families Managing Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Erica Seal

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Regular physical activity supports symptom management in children with Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). This study aimed to explore the ways in which the Novel Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) impacted the physical activity behaviours and wellbeing of families managing ADHD. Researchers implemented a qualitative approach positioned within a socioecological framework to further understand how the COVID-19 pandemic impacted the physical activity of children with ADHD and their caregivers, identify potential barriers to their participation in physical activity, and recognize potential areas of support. Archival data including interviews from thirty-three participants were examined. Inductive content analysis deduced that physical activity declined for both …

The Ecology Of American Noir, Katrina Younes

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

In The Ecology of American Noir, I investigate the relationship between the conventions of noir fiction and film and its sub-types in relation to environmental crises. Specifically, I address questions that not only allow us to (re)read early hardboiled literature and neo-noir films, but that also help us identify a new sub-genre of noir and develop an ecocritical methodology: I call this contemporary sub-genre and methodology “eco-noir.” I trace the development of strategies of mapping urban blight and environmental deterioration in classic hardboiled fiction of the 1940s, neo-noir films of the 1970s, and eco-noir texts of the post millennial …

Sociodemographic Determinants Of Potentially Avoidable Hospitalizations Due To Ambulatory Care Sensitive Conditions Among Hospitalized Patients In The United States, Munira Kashem

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Social determinants of health play a crucial role in explaining the variation of potentially avoidable hospitalizations (PAH) due to Ambulatory Care Sensitive Conditions (ACSCs). Utilizing data from the National Inpatient Sample from 2018 to 2020 in the United States, this study conducted retrospective cohort analyses to explore the relationships between sociodemographic factors, specifically income, race, geography, age, and sex and PAH. Our approach used multilevel logistic regression models to adjust for potential confounders and account for clustering of admissions within hospitals. Of the 17,629,891 hospital admissions examined in this study, 1,868,609 (10.6%) were attributable to ACSCs. Our results indicate that …

Hands-On History: Applying A Strong Like Two People Approach To Archaeology Education, Kaylee Woldum

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

This thesis explores Indigenization in the context of archaeology and Western education at the Tundra Science and Culture Camp (TSCC), a government-run summer camp in the Northwest Territories, Canada. By collaborating with Indigenous knowledge holders, it begins the process of re-designing the Human History session—a program within the TSCC that focuses on archaeology and the cultural sites around the camp—to incorporate more Indigenous pedagogies and knowledge. Drawing on semi-structured interviews and participant observation, this thesis outlines an attempt to Indigenize the Human History session at the 2022 TSCC, its successes and challenges, and diverse conceptions of what it would mean …

In Society's Shadow: Identifying Structural Violence In Muna, A Burial Community From Late Intermediate Period (1100 - 1470 Ce) Pachacamac, Peru., Ashley C. Ward

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Structural violence (SV) highlights how social structures harm communities via inequities in health, risk of trauma, and post-mortem treatment, however its applicability outside of Euroamerican capitalist contexts is unclear. Fifty-nine individuals from the MUNA cemetery (Pachacamac, Perú) from the Late Intermediate to Late Horizon Periods (1100-1532 CE) were analysed for evidence of SV. Nonspecific stress markers, osteoarthritis, pathological dental conditions, and physical trauma were recorded and compared as they related to age, sex and/or status and then contextualised using the Spanish Chronicles, ethnographic, and archaeological research. Inequities in resource or labour distribution but not amount to SV, but SV did …

Validation Of A Virtual Auditory Space, And Its Use To Investigate How Pitch And Spatial Cues Contribute To Perceptual Segregation Of Auditory Streams, Nima Zargarnezhad

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The human auditory system can decompose complex sound mixtures into distinct perceptual auditory objects through a process (or processes) known as Auditory Scene Analysis. Pitch and spatial cues are among the sound attributes known to influence sequential streaming (Plack 2018). In this project, the fidelity of a virtual acoustic space (the Audio Dome) in reproducing precisely located sound sources with a 9^th-order ambisonics algorithm was validated. The estimated horizontal Minimum Audible Angles aligned with previously reported values (Mills 1958) homogeneously across the space, and a robust low-frequency presentation was identified. Then, the Audio Dome was utilized to test …

The Experiences Of Transgender Anglicans In The Eucharistic Liturgy, Jordan D. Sandrock

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

This study asked how transgender Anglicans respond to God’s action in the Eucharistic liturgy. Transgender Christians may have different experiences in faith than our cisgender peers, which influences the way in which we respond to God and to God’s action in the liturgy.

Over the course of the study, I interviewed seven transgender Anglicans from three geographic regions (Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States). Using semi-structured interview questions, I spoke to the participants about their experiences in the Eucharistic liturgy and how it related to their sense of God’s action. I then analysed the contents of the interviews …

Imaging-Based Biomarkers For Evaluating Musculoskeletal Pain In The Hand And Wrist, Lauren Straatman

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The defining symptom, and often the major reason for seeking medical treatment associated with most clinical disorders of the hand and wrist, is pain. However, pain mechanisms following MSK trauma are complex, multifactorial, and remain largely unknown.As such, this thesis sought to understand pain mechanisms in hand and wrist MSK pathologies, using imaging-based biomarkers and gold-standard pain evaluation techniques. Chapter 2 presents an exploratory analysis on the interacting influences of sex on multi-modal pain evaluation techniques that tap different pain domains. Our results highlight the importance of multiple pain measures when creating sex-specific intervention strategies, as the accuracy of predicting …