Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Searching For Wisdom: A Phenomenological Investigation Of Women's Perspectives Following Participation In An Ovarian Cancer Supportive Care Group, Helen Butlin

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

This study used a novel methodology of hermeneutic-poetic-phenomenology to explore perspectives of women living with ovarian cancer. Each had participated in a supportive care group process Soul-Medicine prior to volunteering. Three women, Beth, Carrie, and Denise contributed to this study. The methodology was grounded in Gaston Bachelard’s philosophy of poetic-phenomenology. Data was analyzed with attention to image-centred knowledge; material imagination; reverie; and horizons of hope to elucidate their implicated aspects of wisdom and the ways participant’s formed their personal wisdom integrating feminist theories of embodiment and bioethics.

Findings are framed through three images of a uniquely formed inner ‘wisdom-compass’, an …

Post-Traumatic Growth And Pregnancy: Exploring The Experiences Of Survivors Of Child Sexual Abuse, Alexandra Canzonieri

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Eighteen women in their second trimester of their first pregnancy who were survivors of childhood sexual abuse, and between the ages of 19 to 48 years old, were interviewed. Each participant was asked a series of questions including their thoughts about becoming a mother and how their lived experiences have changed their perception about raising a baby, their hopes for their baby and how their own beliefs have changed. A thematic analysis was conducted on 18 verbatim transcripts. Transcripts consisted of 120 statements that were coded into 4 major themes. The current research identified four major themes including Change in …

Measuring Mental Health Literacy In Education, Amy K. Hatcher

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

As part of a larger project to evaluate the efficacy of a program designed to increase the mental health literacy (MHL) of pre-service teachers, we developed the MHL Questionnaire for Education (MHLQ). The purpose of this study was to evaluate the psychometric properties of the scale, ensure that it represents the evolving definition of MHL, and demonstrate that the MHLQ is appropriate for pre-service teachers. Factor analysis was used to identify the underlying themes in the scale that yielded four subscales; Teaching and Leading in a Mentally Healthy Classroom, 26 items (α = .941), Expectancies, 6 items (α = .959); …

Assessing The Perceptions Of The Use Of A Courthouse Facility Dog Program With Child And Youth Witnesses, Melissa Glazer

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

This study evaluates the use of a courthouse facility dog program as a testimonial aid for children and youth testifying in court to help reduce secondary trauma. Court officials’ perceptions of the use of a courthouse facility dog program were assessed through a structured interview and a short self-report measure. A total of seven court officials participated in the study. Results indicate that court officials perceive the use of a courthouse facility dog to be beneficial for children and youth who are experiencing challenges testifying in court. In addition, results show that some respondents perceived a degree of bias against …

Settlement Experiences Of Syrian Refugees, Jennifer Perkins

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Statistics Canada (2017) reports that over 40,000 Syrian refugees have arrived in Canada since November of 2015. This large influx of refugees, some with psychological trauma, poses a great responsibility to service providers to ensure services meet the needs of their new clientele. One service provider in Midsized City, Ontario, which will be referred to as The Resource Center, has taken a new and culturally informed approach to providing service. This center has held multiple “Welcome Neighbour” events across the city to invite newcomers to form a closer community and give them the platform to express their needs as refugees. …

Risk Factors For Domestic Homicide: Immigrant & Canadian-Born Populations, Sakthi Kalaichandran

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Domestic violence is a critical human rights issue that can escalate to cases of domestic homicide. Globally, approximately 30% of women in relationships have reported experiencing violence at the hands of an intimate partner. In Canada this pattern is echoed, as over 25% of police-reported violent offences were from victims of domestic abuse. Recent research has revealed that immigrant & refugee victims experience unique risk factors that may render them more vulnerable to this form of violence. Yet, despite this burgeoning research area, and Canada’s diverse population of 6 million immigrants, there is a dearth of research pertaining to domestic …

Examining Stigma Among Preservice Teachers Following The Completion Of A Mental Health Literacy Course, Nella Cautillo

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

This research examined whether a mental health literacy course for preservice teachers reduced mental health stigma and whether there were any meaningful differences in stigma based on gender, BEd program, previous degree, and previous learning about mental health. Preservice teachers from X University participated in a mental health literacy course for ten weeks, which involved education about various topics related to mental health. The teachers were asked to complete a pre-test (N=263) at the start of the course, which included an Opening Minds Stigma Scale (Modgill, Patten, Knaak, Kassam, & Szeto, 2014), measuring mental health stigma. Similarly, the teachers were …

Barriers And Facilitators To Positive Mental Health On A University Campus, Sheldon Hill

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The prevalence of mental health concerns among university students is well-documented and students accessing campus supports appear to be increasing. The objective of the current study was to gain a holistic and thorough perspective of the facilitators and barriers affecting positive mental health from the undergraduate student perspective. Data collected via an online form asked students about their current perspectives of mental health at an institutional level. A thematic analysis was performed and four overall themes were identified: trust in and quality of services, validation of mental health concerns, institutional procedures and environment, and stigma. The various themes and factors …

Exploring Dimensions Of Vulnerability In Victims Of Domestic Homicide, Natalia Musielak

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Gender-based violence is rooted in a network of multidimensional constructs encompassing personal, situational, social and cultural elements, as well as the intersectionality of these elements. Current research on victims of domestic homicide has not incorporated the use of this lens and has had a tendency to focus on a singular construct as independent and autonomous. The present study explored 20 dimensions of victim vulnerability. Cases from the Ontario Domestic Violence Death Review Committee were analyzed to examine the presence and frequency of these dimensions within the sample. Using two-step cluster analysis, different profiles of vulnerable victims were determined. Relationships between …

Comorbid Depression And Substance Abuse In Perpetrators Of Domestic Homicide, Casey Oliver

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Globally up to 38% of murdered women are victims of domestic homicide. However, research has yet to examine comorbid depression and substance abuse in domestic homicide, despite comorbid mental health conditions being associated with homicide in the general population. A retrospective case analysis approach was performed using domestic homicide cases that had been reviewed by the Domestic Violence Death Review Committee of Ontario. Group comparisons were made by compiling cases into groups based on perpetrator mental health status: a no mental illness group, depression only group, substance abuse only group, and comorbid depression and substance abuse group. Statistical analyses compared …