Digital Commons Network^™

Being There: A Qualitative Study Of How Fathers Overcome Obstacles To Intimacy With Their Children, Bradley Thomas Morrison

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

The researcher uses a qualitative research methodology to answer the question: “What helps and hinders a man’s relationship with his children?” Men, their partners, and their children are interviewed using a semistandardized interview. Transcribed interviews are coded and data are divided into general categories. The theme “being there” emerges as the descriptive phrase used by men, women and children to describe the task of fathering. “Being there” is contrasted to the parental “otherness” that characterizes unhealthy fathering practices. The researcher presents an understanding of reconciliation as “Downing the Otherness,” the process necessary to nurture intimacy between fathers and their children. …

An Assessment Of Hydrological Process And Landform Change: Slave River Delta, Northwest Territories, Ronald Brad Hill

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

The Slave River Delta, 61˚15'N, 113˚30'W, is located at the mouth of the Slave River in the southeast arm of Canada's Great Slave Lake. Although the delta itself lies some 1600 km downstream from the W.A.C. Bennett Dam at Hudson's Hope, British Columbia, the mean annual discharge and sediment load of the Slave River have decreased by 16% and 33% respectively since regulation. Such alterations in the Slave River flow regime have significant implications for the growth of the River Delta since the transfer of sediment to the delta front is one of the most important factors in the landform’s …

Small Mammals Of Point Pelee National Park: Protecting Biodiversity In Small Reserves (Ontario), Julie Ann Spicer

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Habitat destruction, fragmentation and degradation have been widespread throughout southern Ontario with devastating effects on wetlands. Small reserves are all that in this highly agricultural/urban landscape to protect the biodiversity of Great Lakes Marsh and Carolinian Forest ecosystems. Small reserves are vulnerable to species loss through a host of problems related to size and as a result, the value of small reserves to conservation strategies has often been questioned. Indicator species can be used as a means of studying the conditions of complex ecosystems. In this research, small mammals were sampled in the wetlands of Point Pelee National Park as …

Reexamination Of Scarp Development Along The Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada, David Walter Hintz

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

The Niagara Escarpment is generally viewed as a relict landform which shows ancient structural features and the effects of glaciation. Since it was realized that the Escarpment was not a fault, but instead a feature of erosional origin, little interest has been paid to development of the steep cliffed section of the Niagara Escarpment. This research project has several objectives. The first is an examination of the relationship between the morphology of the Escarpment and its geological units. This will include analysis of the structure and lithology of each and the geochemistry, especially, of the Queeston Formation. Associated with the …

The Impact Of Glacier Recession Upon The Discharge Of The Bow River Above Banff, Alberta, 1951-1993, Christopher Dennis Hopkinson

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Three methods have been used to explore the volumetric change of glaciers in the Bow Basin above Banff for the years 1951 to 1993. Using aerial photography, the extent of glacier covers for the two years were mapped at a scale of 1:50,000. The first volumetric calculation of glacier loss was based on inventory criteria; the second a hyposgraphic curve method based on Young’s investigations in Mistaya Basin (1991) and the third stereo air photogrammetry and DEM comparisons using computer software. These methods were applied to the highly glacierized Hector Lake catchment within the Bow Valley and then extrapolated up …

Spatial Distribution Of Lead In Soil And Sediment In Iqaluit, Northwest Territories And Links With Human Health, Liisa Ann Peramaki

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

The Baffin Regional Health Board has recently expressed concern over lead poisoning in Iqaluit, NWT, manifested by low haemoglobin levels in children. Several studies in temperate regions have demonstrated links between environmental lead and human health. However, little is known about these links in a permafrost environment. While humans are exposed to lead via a number of different pathways, soils and sediments are two major pathways. The purpose of this study is to determine the spatial distribution of soil and sediment-associated lead in Iqaluit and to assess probable pathways between high lead levels and children. The research hypothesis is that …

An Evaluation Of A Socio-Sexuality Education Program For Individuals With A Developmental Handicap, David Nelson Morrow

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

This thesis is an evaluation of eight week socio-sexuality education group for seven individuals with a developmental handicap who live in a twenty-four hour supervised group home. Pre and post-test data collection measured the socio-sexual knowledge of the participants. Attitudes of their primary counsellors toward the sexuality of individuals with developmental handicaps were also measured pre and post-test. A qualitative analysis of the facilitators’ process notes and a post participation focus group with the counsellors provided an understanding of why changes in knowledge and attitude had, or had not, occurred There was a significant increase in the client groups overall …

Level Of Adaptive Behaviour According To The Occupational Status Of Foster Adolescents In Independent Living, Marissa Dionne Amoroso

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

This is a quantitative study that describes the profile of adolescents in independent living in Halton Region by their occupational status. Occupational status is a variable that ranges along a continuum, from adolescents who are in school fulltime & working part-time, in school fulltime, working fulltime, in school part-time & working part-time, in school part-time, working part-time, and not in school or working. Information for adolescent profiles was obtained from case files, as well as from the Vineland Adaptive Behaviour Scale which was completed by adolescents’ social workers. It is expected that these profiles will assist social workers in identifying …

The Dance Of Many Partners: A Case Study Of Interorganizational Collaboration In The Social Services Sector, Elizabeth G. Brown

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

This thesis is a case study of interorganizational collaboration Qualitative methods facilitated reports of 25 participants’ experiences of a collaborative planning process to restructure children's social services in London, Ontario (Canada). The purpose of this study was to explore and describe the process dynamics of collaboration. Factors that impeded and/or facilitated collaboration were discussed. The influence of asymmetrical social relations of power on collaboration was observed in examples participants cited. However, much of the literature reviewed on factors that influence interorganizational collaboration did not include a critical analysis of social relations of power in collaboration. Social relations of power must …

Client And Therapist Experiences With A Narrative Therapeutic Summary Format, Peter Duncan Whyte

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

This qualitative research study explored the use of a narrative therapeutic summary letter format as an adjunctive intervention with clients engaged in individual therapy. The study’s sample consisted of six client subjects who received summary letters from six therapist subjects. Client subjects were furnished with written summaries of four consecutive counselling sessions. The summaries were based on pre-established narrative summary guidelines supplied to each respective therapist. After client subjects had received four consecutive summary letters, in-depth individual interviews were conducted with each client. The aim of these interviews was to explore and document clients’ experiences with the narrative therapeutic summary …

Fluid Patterns, Sediment Pathways And Woody Obstructions In The Pine River, Angus, Ontario, John T. Beebe

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

The objective of this research was to determine the effects that woody obstructions have on flow patterns and sediment pathways in a sand-bed river in Central Ontario. The Pine River near Angus, a tributary of the Nottawasaga River, was chosen because it contained a number of woody obstructions to flow from which to choose study sites. Two reaches, one containing a trunk oriented in the direction of flow, were chosen as the study reaches. Sampling of fluid speeds through the study reaches showed that the cross-stream obstruction acted to slow fluid as it approached and exited the obstruction zone, while …

Barely A Whisper In The System: Parents' Perspectives On The Prevention Of Foster Care Placement, Tammie O. Belliveau

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Despite an abundance of literature stressing the need to prevent child maltreatment and foster care placement, information related to the prevention of foster care placement and child maltreatment from a parent's perspective is virtually nonexistent. This research utilized qualitative research techniques to elicit parental perspectives on the prevention of foster care placement and child maltreatment. Results were analyzed utilizing Belsky's (1980) ecological framework for child maltreatment and a risk and protective framework. Results are discussed in terms of theoretical, research, practical and personal implications. Practical implications stress the importance of creating interventions which (a) strive to build self-esteem, (b) provide …

A Case Study Of Partnerships In Practice, Heather Lorraine Macgillivary

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Despite calls for partnership from government, human service organizations, researchers, consumers and providers, there is very little literature about partnership. This research attempts to better understand the concept of partnership through a case study of Waterloo Regional Homes for Mental Health Inc., an organization which is implementing partnership oriented practices. Data collected included 11 key informant interviews, a review of documents, and process notes. Findings were organized around definition, facilitative and impeding factors, and outcomes of partnership. Defining values of partnership which emerged were collaborative interaction, power-sharing, shared decision-making, stakeholder involvement, resource sharing, shared responsibility, and equality. Facilitative and impeding …

Animal Memory Processes For Number And Time: Pigeons, Methamphetamine, And The Internal Clock Model, James W. Coyle

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

The mode-control model of counting and timing (Meek & Church, 1983) suggests that discriminations based on number and time may be controlled by the same internal clock mechanism. In Experiment 1, two groups of pigeons were initially trained to perform delayed symbolic matching-to-sample (DSMTS) at a 5s fixed baseline delay, with sample stimuli that consisted of sequences of flashing light. Testing was conducted with a range of delays (0, 2.5, 5, 7.5, and 10s). In the Number Group, control by number was established by varying the number of flashes while holding time constant. In the Time Group, control by time, …

A Qualitative, Participatory Study Of The Process Of Becoming An Advocate For Nonhuman Animals, Angela Kathleen Raithby

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

This thesis begins with an overview of some published works concerning oppression, its alleviation and the interconnectedness of its various forms, as they relate to the diverse area which is loosely referred to as ‘animal rights’. In general terms, the ultimate goal of choosing to do this thesis in the area of animal rights is to further the defence of nonhuman animals. The purpose of this specific project is to document, compare, and contrast a range of examples of the process of changing relationships and becoming an advocate for other animals. These examples, the experiences and life stories of five …

Pentobarbital-Induced Place Aversion Learning, Gilbert Lew

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Pentobarbital is self-administered by rats, but has also been reported to produce a conditioned place aversion. Since the self-administration and place preference paradigms both are considered to assess drug reward, we further examined the hedonic properties of pentobarbital using place conditioning. In Experiment 1, a dose of 15 mg/kg (ip) of pentobarbital produced a conditioned place aversion following 4 conditioning trials of various durations (5, 15, 30 or 60 min). Since rats are typically drug-experienced in the self-administration paradigm. Experiments 2 and 3 examined the effect of drug history on pentobarbital-induced place conditioning. Although preexposure to pentobarbital attenuated the place …

Age Differences In Implicit Memory Tests, Penny Kathleen Poisson

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Evidence concerning age differences on perceptual implicit memory tests has been inconsistent, with some studies showing no age effects and others showing reduced priming in older adults. Recently, research on implicit tests that focus more on the semantic features of words has typically shown no reliable age effect on priming scores. In the present study we examined the pattern of age effects on a conceptual (general knowledge) and a perceptual (word stem completion) implicit test Explicit memory performance was measured using cued word recall and fact recall tests. The nature of the encoding task used for each test was also …

Organizational Change And Inclusive Practices: Promoting Access For Diverse Populations In The Canadian Mental Health Association (Waterloo Region Branch) (Ontario), James W. Taylor

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

This research began a process and generated information that would help guide the Canadian Mental Health Association/Waterloo Region Branch (CMHA/WRB) in developing services that meet the needs of all residents in the area it serves. This project was comprised of two phases. The phases were conceptualized as being intervention cycles consisting of information, awareness and action-building components. The first phase consisted of work done within the agency itself, to help articulate the goals, attitudes, and possible barriers seen by the paid/non-paid staff towards the new multicultural emphasis. This work involved three focus groups with paid and non-paid staff. As well, …

Assessing Process Dissociation Procedure And Implicit Memory Estimates Of Automatic Retrieval For A Retention Interval Manipulation, Daryl E. Wilson

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Results from standard implicit memory tests suggest that automatic retrieval decreases or remains relatively stable over time, whereas results from the process dissociation procedure (PDP) suggest that automatic retrieval may actually increase over time. Advocates of the PDP view, have suggested that this incongruity results from contamination of the implicit tests by intentional retrieval, whereas the PDP provides a valid index of automatic retrieval. In contrast, new results from a speeded implicit memory test suggest that the standard implicit memory tests provide reasonable estimates of automatic retrieval, but that the PDP underestimates automatic retrieval at a short retention interval when …

The Search For Meaning In Grief: A Comparison Of Victor Frankl's Search For Meaning With Douglas Hall's Theology Of The Cross, And Their Implications For Grief Ministry, Byron Ross Gilmore

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

This paper addresses the Search For Meaning in Grief by attempting to examine two theoretical perspectives: Victor Frankl's Search for Meaning and Douglas Hall's Theology of the Cross. These two models serve as paradigms for different polarities, in critically reflecting upon the grief experience. By exploring the psycho-therapeutic and theological issues raised by both Frankl and Hall, weaknesses and deficiencies in one are effectively addressed by the other, resulting in a more holistic model for grief ministry. I begin by exploring the perspective of Victor Frankl where such topics as the freedom of the will, the will to meaning, …

As If Born To: The Social Construction Of A Deficit Identity Position For Adopted Persons, Lise M. Beauchesne

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Many adopted persons report experiencing ongoing problems with identity, often resulting in feelings of personal deficiency to imprison their sense of self. The dominant position of the literature eon adoption individualizes and problematizes “identity” issues by locating the source of difficulties to individual traits of the adopted person and his/her adoptive family. Consequently, the struggle associated with the identity “adopted” is typically constructed as an individual struggle.

Drawing on my own lived experience as an adopted women, I have been engaged in a critical inquiry of the traditional view of adoption in order to understand the problem of identity not …

An Inquiry Into The Psychological, Social And Work-Related Outcomes Of An Innovative Labor Adjustment Program, E. Jean Kellogg

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

This study describes and analyzes the psychological, social and work-related outcomes of unemployed steelworkers who participated in a labor adjustment program designed and delivered by personnel in Canada’s steel industry. The adjustment program, the Canadian Steel Trade and Employment Congress (CSTEC) Worker Adjustment Program, is a co-operative labor-management venture that is considered as a model upon which to base future labor adjustment programs in sectors beyond steel. A qualitative case study approach was utilized. Data were collected primarily in depth interviews and participant observations with twenty-four program participants, program staff and government labor adjustment officials. CSTEC’s Worker Adjustment Program emphasizes …

Gaining The Competitive Advantage: Ontario Universities And The Global Economy, Jonathan Sidney Greene

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Using a radical political economy approach, this thesis examines how changing global economic and political pressures have forced the Ontario government to reconsider their policies toward higher education. Specifically, this thesis describes and analyses provincial government initiatives toward universities in the period 1985 and 1995, and assesses what these changes mean for understanding the functions of Ontario universities in the present era of global economic change. The thesis argues that Ontario universities historically have served three primary functions: ideological, vocational, and research. In the period under study the Ontario government established an industrial strategy that focused on those industries that …

Cognitive Assimilation-Contrast Effects Among Partisan Identifiers: An Analysis Of The 1993 Canadian National Election, Jordan Colby

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

The electoral debut of the Reform Party and Bloc Quebecois allows for an examination of the character and role of party identification in political cognition in a manner not previously available to researchers. Campbell and colleagues (1960) American Voter presented a psychological basis for understanding individual-level voting behaviour, where party identification affects the vote choice directly and acts as a perceptual screen where the screening function distorts perceptions of political objects that are inconsistent with the citizen's existing political attitudes. The findings of this study are largely consistent with the notion that, among those who acknowledge an association with a …

Industrial Trade Shows: Their Role And Spatial Dimension In Industrial Restructuring, Andras Gosztonyi

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

The fundamental changes in the economic environment since the 1970s put firms under immense pressure to adjust their strategies to the increasingly dynamic and flexible global economy. The simultaneous upsurge in industrial trade show activity suggests that these events hold a central position in the process of restructuring. Therefore this study aims at theoretically examining the economic functions of trade shows and thus their role in economic restructuring. Yet, if trade shows are significant in industrial restructuring, it is important to learn about their spatial structure and thus their accessibility to firms in different countries and regions. This is carried …

Value Dilemmas In Striving For Social Justice: A Case Study Of The Working Centre (Ontario), Stephen Orr

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

This study examines the Working Centre, a self-help resource centre for the unemployed in Kitchener, and how it has responded to the changing nature of work. It explores the growth of global capitalism and the impact of new technologies on the workplace. The study also examines how economic restructuring leads to high levels of unemployment and part-time work. The thesis reviews the Working Centre’s mission, goals and objectives, and how these have been translated into action in the Centre’s early years and today. Finally, this study discusses the Centre’s efforts to pursue a social justice agenda in a rapidly changing …

Social Support, Campus Involvement, And The Adjustment To University, Krista Martin

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

This thesis sought to assess the relationships between students’ involvement in campus life and their adjustment to university. Additionally, the study examined some of the possible determinants of involvement in campus activities (i.e., living in residence, past involvement in school activities, and parental community involvement). Ninety-eight introductory psychology students completed a questionnaire containing measures of campus involvement, social support, residential status, students’ past involvement in school activities and their parents’ involvement in community organizations. Results indicated that students who were involved in campus organizations and activities were better adjusted to university social life. In addition, there was some evidence that …

Urban Reform, Middle-Class Vaules, And Agricultural Society In Ontario, 1880-1914, Sherry Lee Ann Mcneil

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

No abstract provided.

A Sensitivity Analysis Of The Hydrology Of The Bow Valley Above Banff, Alberta Using The Ubc Watershed Model, Alexi Zawadzki

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Snow and ice meltwater constitutes a significant portion of westem Canada's water resources for residential, industrial and agricultural uses. As a consequence, temporal variations in climate will have a marked effect on the local hydrology of the Canadian Rocky Mountains, especially as glaciers, glacierettes and snow packs decrease in size or melt out. It is therefore very important for hydrologists to accurately understand the climatic sensitivity of glacierized watersheds in order to predict and prepare for potentially dramatic variations in the future water budget. This thesis proposes a methodology for the estimation of the hydrological response of a large, temperate, …

Teaching Secondary School Geography With The Use Of A Geographical Information System (Gis), Angela Louise Crechiolo

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Until quite recently, geographical information systems have been limited to the resources and students of post-secondary institutions. This situation is now changing in Ontario. In the early 1990's the Ministry of Education adopted mandates to develop curriculum guidelines for the integration of computers into all areas of the curriculum. Although the process is well underway in Ontario, limited access to hardware and software, insufficient pre-service and in-service training, and a paucity of teaching resources has lead to mounting teacher frustration. Although the literature base on teaching GIS at the pre-collegiate level is increasing, it lacks clearly defined examples of how …