Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Colombian Women’S Experiences Of The Canadian Refugee And Asylum Adjudication Process, Camila N. Parra Carrillo

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The present thesis “Colombian women’s experiences of the Canadian refugee and asylum adjudication process” is an ethnographic description and analysis of the experiences of Colombian refugee women as they move through the refugee and asylum adjudication system in Ontario, Canada. Using concepts such as liminality, politics of waiting, hermeneutics of suspicion and arbitrariness, the refugee and asylum adjudication system is shown to be a site of power and domination that creates negative emotions in the people who face it, especially in the oral hearing as a central event in the process. Centering Colombian refugee women’s voices, their experiences and emotions …

Predicting Education-Job Mismatch And Its Consequences For A Cohort Of American Workers, Emily J. Orr

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

This paper considers the income and health consequences of education-job mismatch for a cohort of workers. Education-job mismatch is common, but there is little research on how it is related to outcomes for workers. This study uses longitudinal data from the U.S. Panel Study of Income Dynamics (PSID) to examine education-job mismatch over a significant portion of the work life course – early career, between ages 25 and 35, and mid-career. Findings suggest that gender, race/ethnicity, and occupational sector are important predictors of experiencing education-job mismatch. Men, African Americans, and workers in office-administrative occupations were more likely to experience mismatch. …

New And Transferable Digital Skills In The Era Of The Covid-19 Pandemic: Mobilizing Social Support, Molly-Gloria Harper, Anabel Quan-Haase, William Hollingshead

Sociology Presentations

The COVID-19 pandemic is an unprecedented global crisis that has had profound impacts on people’s lives. Under these circumstances, social support can buffer against pandemic-related stress. Yet, the dynamics of the COVID-19 pandemic with its stringent health guidelines have created unique challenges to the mobilization of social support. These challenges particularly affect vulnerable groups with limited digital life skills. Based on a qualitative study of 101 semi-structured interviews with East York residents in Toronto, Canada conducted in 2013–2014, we investigate what new and transferable digital life skills are needed in the pre- and post-pandemic era to mobilize social support. Our …

Women And Western Mission: A Case Study On The Christian Khasi And Garo Tribal Women, Rosemary Philip

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Western mission justified a mission to the Global South that was ingrained with the dominance of its culture and values. Women’s mission, as a tool of this mission, patronized themselves as the ‘care-taker’ of the ‘subjugated’ women of the Global South. This mission promulgated new ways of thinking and prescribed new gender roles and values to the Global South. In doing so, it framed the traditional roles and cultural values of the non-Western world as oppressive and replaceable. Subsequently, Women’s mission along with Western feminism and Feminist theology as a broad idea has been challenged by feminists from the Global …

Coping And Stress Related To Support Needs: Assessing Needs In Parent And Caregivers Of Children With Down Syndrome, Yejin Esther Lee

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The present study aims to better understand support needs among parents/caregivers of children with Down syndrome, and its relationship to parental stress and coping strategies. 122 parents and caregivers of children with Down syndrome of various age groups completed an online survey including demographics information, Family Needs Survey - Revised, Questionnaire on Resources and Stress – Friedrich Version, and the Family Crisis Oriented Personal Scales. Descriptive statistics characterize the sample and determine which items are important and met as needs. Relationship between the important unmet needs (IUN), coping and stress were explored using Pearson correlations across the three measures. The …

The Networked Question In The Digital Era: How Do Networked, Bounded, And Limited Individuals Connect At Different Stages In The Life Course?, Barry Wellman, Anabel Quan-Haase, Molly-Gloria R. Harper

FIMS Publications

We used in-depth interviews with 101 participants in the East York section of Toronto, Canada to understand how digital media affects social connectivity in general--and networked individualism in particular--for people at different stages of the life course. Although people of all ages intertwined their use of digital media with their face-to-face interactions, younger adults used more types of digital media and more diversified personal networks. People in different age-groups conserved media, tending to stick with the digital media they learned to use in earlier life stages. Approximately one-third of the participants were Networked Individuals: In each age-group, they were the …

Retirement Residence Living: Stories Of Older Adult Residents, Alexandra Jackson

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Social isolation and loneliness have a negative effect on the lives of older adults. Participation in regular physical activity may facilitate social connectedness to mitigate feelings of social isolation and loneliness. Current understanding of regular physical activity for social connection and health benefits in older adult residents of retirement communities is limited. This study aimed to address, ‘What are the stories of social connectedness of physically active older adults living in a retirement residence?’. Using a narrative methodology, and incorporating an occupational mapping tool, residents of a retirement community storied their experiences of regular physical activity. Thematic analysis revealed themes …

Informing Care: Mapping The Social Organization Of Families’ Information Work In An Aging In Place Climate, Nicole K. Dalmer

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Within an institutional ethnography method of inquiry, this dissertation makes visible the information work that permeates the care work of families of people living with dementia who are also aging at home. An institutional ethnography privileges people’s everyday work and acknowledges that local contexts are influenced by translocal, ruling relations. To map out the social organization of family caregivers’ information work, this dissertation details four separate, yet interrelated studies. The first study comprises two sets of interviews: one with 13 family caregivers of older adults to understand their experiences of the information work they do and a second with five …

Dads And Dyads: Stress And Coping When A Child Has Retinoblastoma, Rob Downie

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Child psychosocial oncology research offers limited examination of fathers’ and dyadic stress and coping. Retinoblastoma (Rb) is a rare genetic eye cancer occurring at birth or early childhood. This qualitative sociological study examines individual and dyadic stress and coping across 4 fatherhood role categories when their child is diagnosed/treated for Retinoblastoma. Using purposive sampling, 23 Canadian Rb couples and 7 unmatched parents completed individual in-depth, semi-structured interviews. Findings confirm fatherhood role identity is diverse, influenced by the current situation, elements of discourse, and cultural references. Often contested in public and private spheres, fathering roles show transitional or permanent change tied …

An Exploration Of Gender Differences In Higher Risk Young Offenders: Implications For Assessment And Service Delivery, Jordyn G. Webb

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Current research examining services for male and female youth in the criminal justice system has focused primarily on males and then generalizes findings to reflect the needs of females. However, more recent literature has identified critical differences between males and females involved in the youth criminal justice system, recognizing that females have unique concerns that need to be reflected in services and interventions. This study examined 277 high-risk, violent and chronic offending youth referred to an urban-based court clinic between the years 2010-2015. The youths' files contained information related to psychological functioning, family history, and information related to outside agencies …

Mindfulness And Mothering: Reclaiming Feminine Voice, Lisa L. Mccorquodale

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Little is known about working mothers who practice mindfulness. This dissertation is a phenomenological investigation using body mapping as a way to understand how mindfulness works in the lives of six women who work in health and social care while parenting young children.

This dissertation is comprised of five integrated articles. Chapter 1 and 7 are included as an Introduction and Discussion/Conclusion to the five separate though related manuscript chapters. The main research questions that framed this research include, ‘What is the work of mindfulness in the lives of working professional mothers?’ and ‘In what ways might a mindfulness practice …

Policy Brief No. 26 - The Dynamics Of First Nations Migration Shaped By Socio-Economic Inequalities, Marilyn Amorevieta-Gentil, Robert Bourbeau, Norbert Robitaille

Population Change and Lifecourse Strategic Knowledge Cluster Research/Policy Brief

Migration by First Nations people (both Registered and non-registered Indians) reflects inequalities between First Nation communities, and also between First Nations and the non-Aboriginal Canadian population, in terms of its nature, its intensity and its direction. Residential mobility, within the same community or urban centre, is the commonest form of migration among First Nations, while inter-provincial and international migration concerns a small minority of cases. The net effect of the migratory flows of Registered Indians is movement towards reserves rather than to other rural or urban areas. Improvement in living conditions and the feeling of belonging to a community are …

Dossier De Politique No. 26 - Les Inégalités Socioéconomiques Façonnent Les Dynamiques Migratoires Des Premières Nations, Marilyn Amorevieta-Gentil, Robert Bourbeau, Norbert Robitaille

Population Change and Lifecourse Strategic Knowledge Cluster Research/Policy Brief

La nature, l’intensité et la direction des mouvements migratoires des Premières Nations (Indiens inscrits et non-inscrits) sont le reflet d’inégalités entre leurs communautés, mais aussi avec la population canadienne non-autochtone. Ainsi, la mobilité résidentielle est la forme la plus fréquente de migration chez les Premières Nations, soit au sein d’une même communauté ou dans un centre urbain, alors que les migrations interprovinciales et internationales sont marginales. L’effet net des flux migratoires des Indiens inscrits favorise nettement les réserves, plutôt que les régions rurales ou urbaines. L’amélioration des conditions de vie et le sentiment d’appartenance à une communauté expliquent le plus …

L'Effet De La Sélection De L’Immigrant En Bonne Santé Au Canada: Une Revue Systématique, Zoua Vang, Jennifer Sigouin, Astrid Flenon, Alain Gagnon

Population Change and Lifecourse Strategic Knowledge Cluster Discussion Paper Series/ Un Réseau stratégique de connaissances Changements de population et parcours de vie Document de travail

Au Canada, la politique d'immigration favorise les individus ayant un capital humain élevé (Knowles, 2007). Étant donné les liens étroits entre le capital humain et la santé (Jasso et al., 2004) et le fait que les recherches suggèrent la présence d'un avantage de santé universel au sein de la population immigrante au Canada, nous nous attendions à observer l'effet de la sélection de l’immigrant en bonne santé à tous les stades du parcours de vie et sur des problèmes de santé multiples. Notre examen suggère plutôt un modèle plus complexe qu’envisagé initialement. Cette synthèse indique que les immigrants ont clairement …

Gender And Health Over The Life Course: Temporal, Contextual, And Intersectional Considerations, Nicole Etherington

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Research has continuously demonstrated differences in health between men and women and emphasized a “gender paradox” whereby women live longer than men, but have higher rates of morbidity. Still, relatively little attention has been given to the underlying mechanisms and processes involved within groups of women and men that may provide greater insight into the patterns of health experienced among each group rather than simply between them. Specifically, there has been an over-reliance on cross-sectional and retrospective data; inattention to multiple resources and health conditions; limited consideration of various age ranges and time spans; and an over-emphasis on comparing women …

Examining Internalizing Symptoms In Child And Youth Victims Of Emotional Abuse And Bullying: The Mediating Effects Of Individual And Family Strength Factors In Clinical Samples, Amani M. Elrofaie

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Child and youth experiences of emotional abuse and bullying are harmful interactions by caregivers and peers, which produce adverse mental health and social outcomes (Glaser, 2011). This study examined the relationships between trauma exposure and internalizing outcomes through individual and parenting level strength factors. The study comprised 1,297 child and youth participants, aged 4 to 18, from inpatient and outpatient mental health facilities across Ontario, who were administered the interRAI Child and Youth Mental Health assessment (ChYMH; Stewart, Hirdes et al., 2015) with their parents/caregivers. Generalized linear modelling (Nelder & Wedderburn, 1972) was used to determine the relationships between trauma …

Enriching Or Discouraging? Competing Pictures Of Aging And Paid Work In Later Life, Rebecca Casey, Ellie Berger

Population Change and Lifecourse Strategic Knowledge Cluster Discussion Paper Series/ Un Réseau stratégique de connaissances Changements de population et parcours de vie Document de travail

The picture and experience of work and retirement are continuously changing in Canada and will likely continue to change into the future with the aging of the population. There are two pictures of work in older age presented in the literature: a positive and enriching picture and a picture that highlights the challenges facing some older workers. The positive and enriching picture focuses on the experiences of older individuals who are able to continue working if they want to work and are able to work; those who continue working because they are motivated by work rather than pay or new …

Research Brief No. 24 - (In)Visible Minorities In Canadian Health Data And Research, Mushira Khan, Karen Kobayashi, Sharon M. Lee, Zoua M. Vang

Population Change and Lifecourse Strategic Knowledge Cluster Research/Policy Brief

This study examines the nature and extent of data and research on the role of race or visible minority status on health in Canada. Visible minorities represent a rapidly growing segment of Canada’s population. Approximately one in five Canadians is a member of a visible minority group. Policy makers and researchers are often unable to answer important questions related to visible minority health such as: Are visible minority Canadians healthier or less healthy than their white counterparts? Do risk factors for health conditions differ for visible minority and white Canadians? And how do different visible minority groups compare with one …

Research Brief No. 23 - Exiting Poverty In Canada, Lori J. Curtis, Kate Rybczynski

Population Change and Lifecourse Strategic Knowledge Cluster Research/Policy Brief

This study investigates the determinants of poverty duration in Canada, and examines which factors may affect women and men differently. It specifically focuses on poverty exit destinations: exits to just above the poverty line versus exits to further above the poverty line. Results show that nearly 25% of poverty spells end within 110% of the poverty line, meaning near poverty. The study also indicates that receiving social assistance, being an immigrant, being disabled, and having pre-school aged children are strongly associated with both a lower probability of exiting poverty, and a lower probability of exiting to higher income levels. Finally, …

Policy Brief No. 25 - Are Immigrants In Better Health Than Native Canadians?, Zoua M. Vang, Astrid Flenon, Alain Gagnon

Population Change and Lifecourse Strategic Knowledge Cluster Research/Policy Brief

A number of studies have shown that immigrants tend to be in better health than their fellow citizens in their host countries, at least during the initial period following their arrival. Our work, a systematic review which brings together the results of 77 empirical research studies on this question, demonstrates that while the “healthy immigrant” effect is usually found in adult immigrants, it is another matter for children and older people. The extent of the healthy immigrant selection effect is also much more significant in terms of mortality than of morbidity. Our analysis suggests that immigrant health policies should not …

Policy Brief No. 24 - Are Female Baby Boomers Ready For Retirement?, Lori Curtis, Kate Rybczynski

Population Change and Lifecourse Strategic Knowledge Cluster Research/Policy Brief

Due to their life-course socio-economic conditions, many female boomers may suffer large decreases in well-being as they head into retirement. Pension reforms which increase retirement age will disproportionately disadvantage those already in low income. While changes to the Canada Pension Plan (CPP) will reduce losses from poor or sporadic labour force participation, these changes are too late to help the early boomer women. Likewise, while research suggests that improving retirement outcomes must begin with improved labour market conditions, inequitable conditions persist. Therefore, any current policy change will miss helping the early boomers. Finally, with increasing rates of chronic disease and …

Policy Brief No. 23 - Health Inequalities Among Older Adults: Reconciling Theories And Policy Approaches, Amélie Quesnel-Vallée, Andrea Willson, Sandra Reiter-Campeau

Population Change and Lifecourse Strategic Knowledge Cluster Research/Policy Brief

Despite universal access to healthcare, there are disparities in older people’s health status in developed countries. These inequalities are rooted in lifelong differences in social and economic status. Government policies to assist older people may end up reinforcing these inequalities if they fail to create a buffer against their effects. However, best case practices and WHO guidance show that policies can also mitigate against the effects of lifelong disadvantage in older age. There is opportunity to design initiatives for older people in Canada that lessen the disparities in health outcomes that we currently see.

Policy Brief No. 22 - The New Immigration And Ethnic Identity, Christoph M. Schimmele, Zheng Wu

Population Change and Lifecourse Strategic Knowledge Cluster Research/Policy Brief

This knowledge synthesis provides an up-to-date assessment of how the acculturation experiences of the children of immigrants influences their social identities. While other factors affect identity development, this synthesis focuses on the interface between identity and intergroup relations. Most post-1965 immigrants encounter economic circumstances and a “color” barrier that complicate the acculturation process. How these structural forces affect the pathway towards becoming a Canadian or an American is a far-reaching issue. For groups that are able to achieve economic parity with Whites and encounter little racism, their “ethnicity” could recede across generations. Hence, recent immigrants could eventually adopt unhyphenated identities …

Policy Brief No. 21 - An Increasing Age At Retirement May Amplify Socioeconomic Inequalities, Yves Carrière, Jacques Légaré, Mélanie Léger St-Cyr, Chloé Ronteix, Viorela Diaconu

Population Change and Lifecourse Strategic Knowledge Cluster Research/Policy Brief

Population ageing raises questions about the sustainability of the public pillars of the retirement income system and about inter-generational equity. In response to this, a number of countries have raised the normal retirement age in an attempt to reduce projected future expenditures on their state pension system. In this context, private savings and later retirement represent the best ways of avoiding a major fall in living standards when retiring. Increased life expectancy at age 65 appears to justify this policy trend. But there are substantial differences in life expectancy and healthy life expectancy between people of different socioeconomic status, and …

Policy Brief No. 20 - The Oldest Old: A New Reality In Canada's Population, Jacques Légaré, Yann Décarie, Kim Deslandes, Yves Carrière

Population Change and Lifecourse Strategic Knowledge Cluster Research/Policy Brief

Canadians aged 85 and over (the oldest old) form a distinct group which is destined to grow as a proportion of the country’s population. This is a demographic reality which needs to be taken into account in policy making.

Dossier De Politique No. 25 - Les Immigrants Sont-Ils En Meilleure Santé Que Les Natifs Du Canada?, Zoua M. Vang, Jennifer Sigouin, Astrid Flenon, Alain Gagnon

Population Change and Lifecourse Strategic Knowledge Cluster Research/Policy Brief

Plusieurs études montrent que les immigrants sont en meilleure santé que leurs concitoyens du pays d’accueil, du moins dans les premiers temps suivant leur arrivée. Le présent travail de synthèse (prenant en considération 77 travaux empiriques sur la question) démontre que si l’effet de « l’immigrant en bonne santé » est souvent avéré chez les immigrants adultes, il en va tout autrement chez les enfants ou les personnes âgées. L’ampleur de l’effet de sélection est aussi nettement plus significative pour les indicateurs de mortalité que de morbidité. Notre analyse suggère que les politiques en matière de santé des immigrants ne …

Dossier De Politique No. 22 - La Nouvelle Immigration Et L'Identité Ethnique, Christoph M. Schimmele, Zheng Wu

Population Change and Lifecourse Strategic Knowledge Cluster Research/Policy Brief

Cette synthèse des connaissances fournit une évaluation à jour de l’influence de l’acculturation des enfants sur leur identité sociale. Bien que d’autres facteurs aient un impact sur le développement de l’identité, cette synthèse met l’accent sur le point de rencontre entre l’identité et les relations intergroupes. La plupart des immigrants arrivés après 1965 se heurtent à des circonstances économiques et à une barrière de « couleur » qui compliquent le processus d’acculturation. Comment ces forces structurelles affectent-elles le parcours qui mène à devenir un Canadien ou un Américain est une question dont la portée est étendue. Dans les groupes qui …

Dossier De Politique No. 21 - Une Hausse De L’Âge De La Retraite Risque De Creuser Les Inégalités Socioéconomiques, Yves Carrière, Jacques Légaré, Mélanie Léger St-Cyr, Chloé Ronteix, Viorela Diaconu

Population Change and Lifecourse Strategic Knowledge Cluster Research/Policy Brief

Le vieillissement démographique a pour effet de remettre en question la viabilité des régimes publics de retraite et l’équité intergénérationnelle. Plusieurs pays ont donc relevé l’âge normal de la retraite pour réduire les dépenses prévues de leur régime public de retraite dans le futur. L’épargne privée et le report de la retraite représentent alors la meilleure alternative pour éviter une baisse de niveau de vie importante à la retraite. Les gains en espérance de vie à 65 ans semblent justifier cette politique. Mais les écarts d’espérance de vie et de santé selon le statut socioéconomique sont substantiels et semblent vouloir …

Dossier De Politique No. 20 - Les Canadiens Très Âgés Forment Une Nouvelle Réalité Démographie, Jacques Légaré, Yann Décarie, Kim Deslandes, Yves Carrière

Population Change and Lifecourse Strategic Knowledge Cluster Research/Policy Brief

Les Canadiens très âgés (« Oldest Olds ») forment une population distincte, appelée à prendre une place grandissante au pays. Il faut considérer cette réalité démographique dans l’élaboration des politiques publiques.

Research Brief No. 21 - Academic Performance And Educational Pathways Of Allophone Youth: A Comparative Analysis Of Montreal, Toronto, And Vancouver, Jacques Ledent

Population Change and Lifecourse Strategic Knowledge Cluster Research/Policy Brief

This study examines the academic performance and educational pathways of students who do not speak the language of schooling at home—that is, French in Montreal and English in Toronto and Vancouver. Overall, we discover that these students, who consist of almost exclusively allophones, graduate more or less as other students but, when their personal characteristics are controlled, they appear to succeed much better, especially in Vancouver. However, there are substantial differences in performance between linguistic subgroups of allophones. Further, these subgroups tend to show varied results by city. Educational authorities should therefore pay special attention to the criteria used to …