Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Well-being – Canada'
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Heintzman, Paul Alexander. "Leisure and spiritual well-being, a social scientific exploration." Thesis, National Library of Canada = Bibliothèque nationale du Canada, 1999. http://www.collectionscanada.ca/obj/s4/f2/dsk1/tape10/PQDD_0021/NQ38243.pdf.
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Wint, Shirlette. "Race and the subjective well-being of black Canadians." Thesis, McGill University, 2000. http://digitool.Library.McGill.CA:80/R/?func=dbin-jump-full&object_id=31040.
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This thesis explores the notion of whether or not race is a determining factor in how African-Canadians perceive their subjective well-being. To this end, this study seeks to understand Blacks perception of what constitutes their identity and how they resist against minority consciousness. Also examined are their integration aspirations and the set of strategies they use to claim mobility status in mainstream North American society. The areas explored reflect interviewees' perceptions of the social factors that determine how they view their well-being. The data for this inquiry is gathered from in-depth interviews and focus group discussions. Data from focus groups, are discussions that I facilitated while working on the Montreal Black Communities Demographic Project. Empirical research is used to support the data at specific points.Analysis of the data does not support the view that Blacks perceive their well-being as dependent on their status as racialized subjects. Research findings do however show that the social determinant of race has an impact on the strategies Blacks choose to obtain socio-economic status.
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Clark, Nancy. "Examining community capacity to support Karen refugee women's mental health and well-being in the context of resettlement in Canada." Thesis, University of British Columbia, 2015. http://hdl.handle.net/2429/52793.
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From 2005 to 2009, Karen refugee women and their families living along the Thailand Burma border were the largest group to be resettled in South Western British Columbia. Research suggests that communities located at the metropolitan periphery lack capacity to provide equitable, inclusive and accessible services for minority populations. Moreover, there exist growing inequities in health and health care for refugee women. As a result of historical oppression, many Karen women arrived in Canada with lower literacy, lower education and exposure to trauma and violence; however, little is known about Karen women’s needs for resettlement. The purpose of this study was to examine community capacity in the context of Karen women’s resettlement, i.e. to understand the social and structural processes that impacted their mental health and well-being, the factors that intersected to support their resettlement process, and the ways the receiving community responded to their resettlement needs.
Ethnographic data was collected over a seventeen-month period, including participant observation and, in-depth individual and focus group interviews with Karen women, settlement workers, health care and social service providers (N=38). Drawing on postcolonial feminist theory and tenets of intersectionality and cultural safety, findings suggest that non-government organizations promoted successful resettlement and mitigated the effects of trauma by supporting Karen women’s health literacy. However, settlement reforms underpinned by neoliberal governance structures resulted in gendering and mainstreaming of settlement services, negatively impacting the Karen women and families’ ability to access health care services and social supports. The overall lack of knowledge about their needs, integrated support for translators and formal social support systems challenged nurses, allied health care providers and settlement workers in their attempts to provide equitable health care and social resources. These structural aspects of community capacity created contexts of increased vulnerability and dependency for Karen women. Capacity-building strategies fostering advocacy, collaborative partnerships, reciprocal support, and flexibility across service sectors (non-government organizations and primary and public health) facilitated community capacity to support the mental health and well-being of Karen women during resettlement. Recommendations are proposed for integrated systems of care that promote social justice and that are culturally safe and trauma- and violence-informed.Applied Science, Faculty of
Nursing, School of
Graduate
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Ritchie, Stephen D. "PROMOTING RESILIENCE AND WELL-BEING FOR INDIGENOUS ADOLESCENTS IN CANADA: CONNECTING TO THE GOOD LIFE THROUGH AN OUTDOOR ADVENTURE LEADERSHIP EXPERIENCE." Thesis, Laurentian University of Sudbury, 2014. https://zone.biblio.laurentian.ca/dspace/handle/10219/2206.
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Background: Promoting mental health for Indigenous youth in Canada is a well-documented
priority. Indigenous approaches to health promotion share similarities with the holistic process
in outdoor adventure and experiential education contexts. The purpose of this study was to
develop, implement, and evaluate an Outdoor Adventure Leadership Experience (OALE) for
Indigenous adolescents from one First Nations community in Northeastern Ontario, Canada.
Methods: Principles of community-based participatory research were used to guide this mixed
method study that included three phases. Phase 1 involved the development of a culturally
relevant OALE intervention. The intervention was available to adolescents, aged 12-18 years,
living in Wikwemikong Unceded Indian Reserve. Phase 2 consisted of a quantitative evaluation
of the effectiveness of the OALE, based on participant self-report. It focused primarily on
assessing resilience using the 14-Item Resilience Scale (RS-14). Using an ethnographic
approach, Phase 3 comprised a qualitative evaluation of the ways in which the OALE promoted
resilience and well-being.
Results: Phase 1 occurred over a period of 10 months (September 2008 to June 2009), and it
resulted in the development of an intentionally designed 10-day OALE program. The program
was implemented in the summer of 2009 and 2010 with 73 adolescent participants, aged 12-18
years. Results from Phase 2 revealed that there was a 3.40 point increase in mean resilience for
the adolescent participants at one month post-OALE compared to one day pre-OALE (n=46,
p=.011), but the improvement was not sustained one year later. Phase 3 results revealed that the
OALE facilitated the development of resilience and well-being by helping the adolescents
connect to Anishinaabe Bimaadziwin, an Ojibway concept that can be translated as the Good
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Life. Connecting involved an external experiential process of connecting with various aspects of
creation and an internal reflective process of connecting within to different aspects of self.
Conclusion: The OALE appears to be a program that helped the adolescents: (1) become more
resilient in the short-term, and (2) become more aware of Anishinaabe Bimaadziwin (the Good
Life) by providing opportunities for connecting with creation and self through a variety of
experiences and reflections that were unique for each youth.
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Zaher, Zulfia. "Social Media for Well-Being: A Mixed Method Approach to Examine the Use of SocialSupport and Mood Management." Ohio University / OhioLINK, 2018. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ohiou1521480522198018.
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Terrell, Shane Patrick. "A survey to describe current feeder calf health and well-being program recommendations made by feedlot veterinary consultants in the United States and Canada." Thesis, Kansas State University, 2012. http://hdl.handle.net/2097/13779.
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Master of ScienceDepartment of Clinical Sciences
Daniel Ulan Thomson
Consulting veterinarians (CV; n=23) representing 11,295,000 head of cattle on feed in the United States and Canada participated in a beef cattle health and well-being recommendation survey. Veterinarians were directed to an online survey to answer feeder cattle husbandry, health and preventative medicine recommendation questions. The CV visited their feedyards 1.7 times per month. All CV train employees on cattle handling and pen riding while only 13% of CV speak Spanish. All CV recommend IBR and BVD vaccination for high-risk (HR) calves at processing. Other vaccines were not recommended as frequently by CV. Autogenous bacterins were recommended by 39.1% CV for HR cattle. Metaphylaxis and feed-grade antibiotics were recommended by 95% and 52% of CV, respectively, for HR calves. Banding was more frequently recommended than surgical castration as calf body weight increased. The CV recommended starting HR calves in smaller pens (103 hd/pen) and allowing 13 inches/hd of bunk space. The CV indicated feedlots need to employ one feedlot doctor per 7,083 hd of HR calves and one pen rider per 2,739 hd of HR calves. Ancillary therapy for treating respiratory disease was recommended by 47.8% of CV. Vitamin C was recommended (30.4%) twice as often as any other ancillary therapy. Cattle health risk on arrival, weather patterns and labor availability were most important factors in predicting feedlot morbidity while metaphylactic antibiotic, therapy antibiotic and brand of vaccine were least important. This survey has provided valuable insight into feeder cattle health recommendations by CV and points to needed research areas.
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Lebihan, Laëtitia. "Trois essais économétriques sur le développement et le bien-être des enfants canadiens." Thesis, La Réunion, 2014. http://www.theses.fr/2014LARE0010/document.
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Cette thèse propose trois essais économétriques ayant trait au capital humain et au bien-être de l'enfant. Chacun des essais présente une méthodologie distincte afin de répondre à l'objectif concerné. Dans le premier chapitre, nous évaluons les effets à long terme d'une politique de services de garde universels au Canada sur le bien-être de l'enfant (santé, comportement, développement moteur et social). Nous montrons que la réforme a un effet négatif sur le bien-être des enfants d'âge préscolaire, mais ces effets tendent à disparaître lorsque l'enfant devient plus âgé. Nous trouvons que cette tendance persiste même dix ans après la mise en place de la réforme. Le second chapitre s'intéresse à l'effet de l'intensité des services de garde sur le développement cognitif des enfants d'âge préscolaire. Nous utilisons la méthode d'appariement à traitements multiples pour répondre à cet objectif. Nous montrons que les effets des services de garde sont grandement hétérogènes. Leurs effets varient selon le statut socioéconomique des familles, la scolarité ou non de l'enfant, le niveau d'intensité des services de garde ainsi que le mode de garde utilisé. Le troisième chapitre porte sur la modélisation des trajectoires des performances mathématiques des enfants canadiens de 7 à 15 ans ainsi que sur l'identification des facteurs de risque durant la petite enfance susceptibles d'influencer l'appartenance à ces trajectoires. La méthode utilisée est celle du Group-Based Trajectory Modeling de Nagin (2005)This thesis contains three econometric essays on child human capital and well-being. Each essay has a distinct methodology to meet the purpose. In the first chapter, we evaluate the long-term effects of a reform of universal child care in Canada on children's health, motor and social development, and behaviour. We show that the policy had negative effects on preschool children's well-being, but these effects tend to disappear as the child gets older. We find that this pattern persist even ten years after the implementation of the reform. The second chapter focuses on the effect of the intensity of child care on preschool children's cognitive development using propensity score matching with multivalued treatments. We show that the effects of child care are significantly heterogeneous and vary by family socioeconomic status, schooling or not of the child, the intensity of child care and the type of child care arrangement. The third chapter models mathematics trajectories of Canadian children aged 7 to 15 years and identifies risk factors during early childhood on the membership of these trajectories using Group-Based Trajectory Modeling (Nagin, 2005)
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Bartoszuk, Karin. "Emerging Adulthood in North America: Identity Status and Perception of Adulthood Among College Students from Canada and the United States." Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University, 2015. https://dc.etsu.edu/etsu-works/4.
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Hamelin, Paul Carleton University Dissertation Geography. "Social well-being; an analysis of the Canadian urban system." Ottawa, 1987.
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Mota, Natalie. "The experiences of female members in the Canadian military." Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, 2014. http://hdl.handle.net/1993/23699.
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Studies on the mental health of female military service members have mostly examined risk factors for negative outcomes rather than exploring what promotes psychological well-being. The theory of ‘salutogenesis’, or, ‘the origin of health’, strives to understand why many individuals are able to remain well amidst stressful conditions (Antonovsky, 1996). The present research explored how female soldiers engage in mental health maintenance. In Study 1, associations between negative psychological outcomes and social support, coping strategies, and spirituality/religious attendance were examined in a representative sample of female service members in the Canadian Forces. Differences from men with respect to these relationships were also investigated. Results showed that social support was the only protective correlate for multiple outcomes in women, while both social support and active coping were psychologically beneficial for men. Spirituality, avoidance coping, and self-medication were all associated with an increased likelihood of several outcomes in women, and the pattern of findings was similar overall in men. In Study 2, semi-structured interviews were conducted with active duty female members in the Canadian Forces in order to understand how women who had been on at least one deployment and who had not received mental health services in the past year, a proxy for current mental health, made sense of their military experiences. Transcripts were analyzed for nine participants using narrative analysis. A sense of belonging was found to be of utmost salience to the women, with several participants negotiating and constructing places that felt like home base to them, and with different degrees of attachment to the military versus civilian world. The findings of this work are discussed within the context of focusing prevention and intervention efforts on increasing belongingness, social cohesion, and a sense of home in the military for female service members.
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Albatnuni, Mawdah. "Prayer and Well-Being: Do Mindfulness, Optimism, Spirituality, and Social Support Mediate a Relationship Between Prayer and Well-Being in a Canadian-Muslim Population?" Thesis, Université d'Ottawa / University of Ottawa, 2020. http://hdl.handle.net/10393/40713.
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Research tells us that there is an effect of prayer on well-being. However, little is known about the mechanisms that underlie this relationship. In addition, much of the available data concerning prayer and well-being is based on Christians living in the United States, and our knowledge of how prayer and well-being are functionally interconnected in other faith groups, including Muslims, is sparse. The primary aim of this study was to understand how prayer impacts well-being in individuals of the Muslim faith. Specifically, four potential mediators of the relationship between prayer and well-being were examined; optimism, spirituality, mindfulness, and social support. These mediators were selected based on previous empirical work demonstrating the role these factors have in both religious practices and mental health. Optimism, spirituality, and social support are important mechanisms in the relationship between prayer and well-being in Christian samples, while mindfulness underlies the beneficial effects of contemplative practices on well-being in studies focused on Buddhist practices. In this study it is proposed that as a contemplative practice of the Abrahamic faith, Muslim prayer (salah) relates to well-being through the mediatory roles of optimism, spirituality, social support, and mindfulness. Participants (N=155) were recruited from local mosques, Muslim Student Associations of the University of Ottawa and Carleton University, local halal restaurants, and MuslimLink (an Ottawa-based Muslim newsletter). SurveyMonkey was used to gather information on participants’ prayer habits, and level of trait mindfulness, spirituality, optimism, social support, and subjective well-being. The data were analysed using a parallel multiple mediator model via the Monte Carlo confidence interval to test for the indirect effect of the mediator variables. Optimism and spirituality were both found to be mediators of the relationship between frequency of prayer and subjective well-being. While mindfulness correlated with both frequency of prayer and well-being, it did not mediate the relationship between the two. Social support correlated with frequency of prayer and not well-being and was not a mediator between the two variables. Psychological interventions that incorporate faith-based practices have been found to have greater effectiveness for religious patients. Understanding prayer and how it relates to well-being is important to implementing intervention and prevention strategies that are culturally informed thus better serving the Muslim population needs.
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Ellis, Kris. "Exploring Antecedents to Work Engagement and Psychological Well-Being within a Canadian Provincial Ministry." ScholarWorks, 2015. https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/578.
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A gap exists in organizational development strategies on why some individuals remain disengaged with their work. This study addressed whether a combination of specific contextual factors could support individuals, teams, and leaders to demonstrate the attitudes and behaviors consistent with work engagement. The theoretical frameworks of social constructivism, the conceptual framework of symbolic interactionism, and a hermeneutic inquiry approach were used to address how individual psychological traits/abilities of employees support work engagement. Nineteen employees of a Canadian provincial government ministry completed an engagement survey, MSCEIT, MBTI, and SDI assessments. They also participated in focus groups. Survey results showed high engagement scores. Focus group themes, derived from the Modified Stevick-Colaizzi-Keen method centered on perceptions of personal choice, passive resignation, and trust. Spearman's correlation results indicated a moderate, nonsignificant association between the MSCEIT, MBTI, SDI scores, and work engagement. Study results suggested 5 factors necessary for individuals to sustain engagement: the ability to balance a focus on others and impressions with a focus on ideas and concrete data, the ability to perceive and manage emotions, motivational values consistent with a concern for others, and leader and organizational support. Results from this study are expected to increase possible social change efforts focused on developing highly engaged teams that demonstrate a positive, fulfilling work-related state characterized by high energy levels, mental resilience, dedication, and involvement in work.
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Williams, Alexandra. "The well-being of Kenyan-Canadian parents and youth living in mixed families in Montreal." Thesis, McGill University, 2014. http://digitool.Library.McGill.CA:80/R/?func=dbin-jump-full&object_id=121460.
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This thesis examines the well-being of Kenyan-Canadian parents and youth living in ethnically- and racially-mixed families in Montreal. The objectives of the thesis are to determine whether there are challenges unique to immigrants belonging to small ethnic communities and living in racially- and ethnically-mixed families, and to educate policy makers and health practitioners as to needs that may be specific to this understudied group. The participants generally seem to be adapting well to life in Montreal, although the experience of racism and difficult y with language policies do generate some stress. Notably, the parents have taken advantage of possibilities afforded by other immigrant communities with greater institutional completeness to promote the well-being of their children. This suggests that an important role can be played by established immigrant communities in welcoming and assisting individual migrants without a receiving community, even when ethnic affiliation may be lacking.Cette thèse s'intéresse au bien-être de parents et d'enfants canadiens originaires du Kenya et vivant à Montréal dans une famille mixte sur le plan ethnique et racial. L'objectif de la thèse est de déterminer si les immigrants appartenant à une communauté immigrante de petite taille et vivant dans un contexte de famille culturellement mixte font face à des défis particuliers. Les retombées permettront de sensibiliser les décideurs politiques et les professionnels de la santé aux besoins particuliers de cette population encore peu étudiée. Les participants à l'étude ont, de façon générale, réussi à bien s'adapter à leur vie Montréalaise et ce, malgré un certain stress associé à des expériences de racisme et aux difficultés inhérentes aux politiques linguistiques. Les parents vivant en famille mixte ont quant à eux pu profiter des possibilités offertes par la communauté du conjoint, et ainsi eu accès à une plus grande complétude institutionnelle ce qui a favorisé le bien-être de leurs enfants. Ce constat met en lumière le rôle important qui peut être joué par les communautés immigrantes bien établies dans l'accueil et le soutien des immigrants qui ne peuvent compter sur une communauté d'accueil et ce, même si l'affiliation ethnique s'avère inexistante.
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McNeill, Kylie. "Understanding Burnout and Self-Regulation Capacity in Canadian Developmental and Elite Sport Coaches." Thesis, Université d'Ottawa / University of Ottawa, 2018. http://hdl.handle.net/10393/37913.
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The overarching aims of this research were to advance knowledge of coach burnout and interventions addressing this syndrome by investigating (a) the associations between burnout, well-being, self-regulation capacity, and perceived stress in coaches, and (b) the perceived impact of a self-regulation intervention implemented with coaches experiencing moderate to high levels of burnout. A sequential mixed methods design was employed to collect quantitative and qualitative data in two separate phases. In Phase 1, an online survey was used to collect cross-sectional quantitative data from a sample of 260 Canadian developmental and elite sport coaches to assess associations between the variables of interest (i.e., burnout, well-being, self-regulation capacity, and perceived stress). Selected based on data from Phase 1, five coaches experiencing moderate to high levels of burnout then participated in a self-regulation intervention in Phase 2, which involved completing a workbook and a reflective journal and participating in a semi-structured intake and outtake interview before and after the intervention, respectively. Four studies were carried out to address the overall aims of this research. Phase 1. The purposes of Study 1 were to identify profiles of psychological functioning within a sample of coaches based on burnout and well-being indices, and investigate whether coaches in these profiles differed in their capacity to self-regulate and their perceptions of stress. Findings of the two-stage cluster analysis revealed that 54% of the coaches were characterized by a “thriving” profile (i.e., relatively low burnout and relatively high well-being), while 14% of the coaches were characterized by a “depleted” profile (i.e., relatively high burnout and relatively low well-being). The remainder of coaches were characterized by an “at-risk” profile (i.e., relatively high burnout and moderate well-being), which suggests that experiencing symptoms of burnout may not necessarily preclude coaches from experiencing well-being. Moreover, thriving coaches reported higher levels of self-regulation capacity and lower levels of perceived stress than coaches in the two more maladaptive profiles. Depleted coaches also reported higher levels of perceived stress than at-risk coaches. These findings speak to the salience of effective self-regulatory capacity and stress management skills in coaches’ adaptive functioning. Finally, depleted coaches worked longer hours and were more likely to be remunerated for their coaching than thriving coaches, demonstrating the importance of monitoring these situational factors to ensure coaches’ optimal functioning. The purpose of Study 2 was to examine the associations between self-regulation capacity, perceived stress, and burnout in coaches, and more specifically, to test the intervening variable effect of perceived stress in the association between coaches’ self-regulatory capacity and their emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and personal accomplishment. Results of the structural equation modeling showed that coaches with greater self-regulatory competencies (i.e., self-control and self-observation) perceived less stress in their lives, and in turn, experienced less emotional exhaustion and depersonalization, and greater personal accomplishment (i.e., lower burnout). A direct association between these self-regulatory competencies and coaches’ sense of accomplishment was also found. This indicates that effective self-control and self-monitoring competencies may enable coaches to feel more efficacious in their coaching, regardless of their perceptions of stress. Phase 2. The purpose of Study 3 was to investigate coaches’ subjective experiences of burnout in order to shed light on the complex emotional nature of this syndrome. To this end, idiographic, first-person narrative accounts of the five coaches’ subjective experiences of burnout were provided. The narratives revealed that burnout was highly individualized and characterized by a variety of emotions (e.g., apathy, anger, dejection) linked to the dimensions of burnout. Burnout had negative implications for the coaches’ well-being (e.g., loss of enjoyment) and their coaching practice (e.g., yelling at athletes), and was associated with deficits in the coaches’ self-regulatory capacity (e.g., resistance to healthy eating and exercise). These findings underscore the need for interventions to help coaches effectively manage their personal and professional life and their symptoms of burnout. The purpose of Study 4 was to implement a self-regulation intervention with coaches experiencing moderate to high levels of burnout and examine the perceived impact of this intervention on their self-regulation capacity and experiences of burnout and well-being. A content analysis of the coaches’ outtake interviews and five bi-weekly journals revealed that all five coaches learned to self-regulate more effectively by developing various competencies (e.g., self-monitoring) and strategies (e.g., task delegation) throughout the intervention. Four of the coaches also perceived improvements in their symptoms of burnout (i.e., felt less emotionally drained, more engaged with their work and/or accepting of their athletes, and more effective in their coaching) and their well-being (e.g., experienced more positive emotions, satisfaction with life, and autonomy). Overall, the results of the current research shed light on important personal resources (i.e., self-regulation competencies) that can be strengthened to help coaches prevent or manage burnout and achieve greater well-being. This research also provides data on the first known empirical investigation of an intervention implemented with coaches experiencing burnout. As such, the findings from this dissertation make novel empirical and practical contributions to the literature on coach burnout.
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Van, Slingerland Krista. "Establishing Foundational Data on the Mental Health Functioning, Stress, Mood, Self-Regulation Capacity, and Perceptions of Coaching Climate of Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) Student-Athletes." Thesis, Université d'Ottawa / University of Ottawa, 2016. http://hdl.handle.net/10393/35492.
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Mental health has become increasingly important on post-secondary campuses across Canada, as the majority of university students represent the cohort of the Canadian populace that is most vulnerable to mental illness, substance abuse, and suicide. Evidence suggests that student-athletes, a visible and diverse sub-population of university students, are at equal risk of experiencing a mental illness (Reardon & Factor, 2010), but could be even more vulnerable to mental health challenges than their non-athlete peers (Neal et al., 2013; Watson & Kissinger, 2007), given the additional demands and pressures that they face. Problematic though, is that the culture of athletics and prevailing stigma surrounding mental illness can lead student-athletes to overreport their well-being and deny distress (Steiner, Denny, & Stemmle, 2010), as well as underutilize the mental health services available to them on campus (Lopez & Levy, 2013). Although researchers have investigated the mental health of American college students (e.g., Eklund, Dowdy, Jones, & Furlong, 2011) and attempted to understand the vulnerability of National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) student-athletes to specific mental illnesses (e.g., eating disorders and substance abuse, Reardon & Factor, 2010), no study to date has investigated the mental health of student-athletes competing in Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS), particularly not using a holistic lense. As such, the overall purpose of the present study was to provide foundational data relating to Canadian student-athletes’ mental health functioning and other relevant indices such as their stress levels, mood, capacity to self-regulate, and perceptions of coaching climate.
The first objective was to understand (a) the level and prevalence of mental health functioning (MHF) of student-athletes competing in the Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) system at two different time points in their academic year (Fall = Time 1, Winter = Time 2) and (b) whether significant differences existed in their levels of MHF (emotional, social, and psychological well-being) between Time 1 and Time 2 and based on gender, alcohol use, living situation, year of study, and type of sport. Results indicated that the student-athletes from 30 different Canadian universities experienced moderate to high levels of MHF at both time points, including those who reported a previous mental illness diagnosis. Furthermore, there was a higher prevalence of flourishing compared to languishing student-athletes at both time points. Repeated measures MANOVA tests indicated that student-athletes’ MHF did not significantly differ across time based on their gender, alcohol use, living situation, year of study, and/or type of sport. However, when a 5-way MANOVA test was conducted with the larger sample Time 1 data to have more statistical power, results revealed a significant main effect of gender, suggesting that women had significantly lower levels of social well-being than men during the first part of the academic/athletic year (see Article 1).
The second objective was to examine relationships between variables that could potentially influence the MHF of CIS student-athletes, namely, their stress, mood, self-regulation capacity, and perceptions of the coaching climate. A path analysis revealed that the student-athletes’ MHF was significantly impacted by the frequency of their maladaptive reactions to stressors, mood states, capability to self-regulate, and the climate fostered by coaches. The third aim was to determine if changes in student-athletes’ self-regulation capacity over the academic/athletic year were related to changes in the other variables of interest. A t-test was first run to establish whether there was a change in their self-regulation capacity from Time 1 to Time 2, however, their levels remained steady over these time points. A subsequent path analysis showed that change scores in self-regulation capacity were not significantly related to change scores in MHF, stress, mood, and perceptions of coaching climate (see Article 2). The hope is that the results of this study may inform the strategic directions of mental health promotion and maintenance programming designed for CIS student-athletes in the future.
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Ding, Wen Hao. "WHAT IS THE EFFECT OF IMMIGRATION ON THE CHANGES OF SUBJECTIVE WELL-BEING FOR NATIVE-BORN CANADIANS?" 2013. http://hdl.handle.net/10222/40666.
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This paper investigates how the immigration ratio affects the subjective well-being of native-born Canadians. I use microdata from the Canadian Community Health Survey during the period 2009 to 2010 and employ ordered probit and OLS models to examine this question. The results show that the geographic concentration of immigrants in Canada has a negative effect on native-born Canadians’ subjective well-being. Specifically, an increase of one standard deviation in the immigrant share in each health region is estimated to decrease life satisfaction by 1.28 standard deviation unit for natives. In addition, the effect of the immigration ratio on the life satisfaction of immigrants is significantly negative as well. Results indicate that the current immigrant selection policy in Canada does not benefit both natives and immigrants in the context of subjective well-being.the effect of immigration on the life satisfaction of native-born Canadians.
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Chowdhury, Iqbal Ahmed. "Family influences on the emotional well-being of newcomer youth in Canada." 2015. http://hdl.handle.net/1993/30694.
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An issue yet to receive much attention in the literature in medical sociology is how family systems may influence the emotional well-being of youth in Canada, particularly among newcomer youth. This study applies the family systems model of Kitzman-Ulrich and her colleagues as the principal theory to examine the emotional well-being of newcomer youth in Canada. Using data from the New Canadian Children and Youth Study (NCCY) on 979 newcomer youth, it explains how family systems and other factors may influence emotional health of newcomer youth. Data were analyzed using multiple approaches. The multivariate analysis includes seven Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) regression models – examining and comparing different groups: an overall model, and separate models for male, female, Mainland Chinese, Hong Kong Chinese, Filipino/a, and immigrant are performed. The results of this study reveal that variables within the family systems model are weak predictors of the presence of emotional problems among newcomer youth in Canada. Among four family systems variables used in the analyses, family cohesion, permissive parenting, and parental discipline are either weak or insignificant predictors; only parental praise is statistically significant. Furthermore, they are weak predictors compared with other factors beyond the family, such as age, time in Canada, being bullied at school, being immigrant, use of illegal/controlled substances, and being from a Mainland or Hong Kong Chinese group (for females only). The thesis ends with a discussion of limitations, future research, and policy suggestions.October 2015
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Asaam, Harriette Maamansa. "Mental health and well-being of refugees to Canada: a brighter future." 2015. http://hdl.handle.net/1993/30700.
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In the wake of war, political disturbance, or civil strife, there is little doubt that refugees are exposed to highly traumatic experiences. However, despite these challenges, four out of five refugees never experience long-term mental health or stress effects. Most existing studies have been limited to focusing on negative aspects of refugee mental health. Little research has been conducted on positive aspects of refugee mental health. This research uses the salutogenic model of health developed by Antonovsky to evaluate factors contributing to positive mental health outcomes among refugees to Winnipeg, Canada. Using reflexive sociological interviews with eight refugees to Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, I identify and analyze salutary factors associated with positive mental health and psychological well-being of refugees. Five thematic types of generalized resistance resources emerged from the interview accounts as salutary: support from macro and micro levels of interpersonal relationships; religious activities and spiritual beliefs/faith; hope for the future; educational opportunities; and employment prospects. Relevant salutogenic policy suggestions based upon this research may be incorporated into refugee resettlement programs and policies to promote refugee mental health in Winnipeg and also contribute to positive resettlement.October 2015
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Neff, Patricia Elizabeth. "Raising an ADHD child an examination of maternal well-being in Canada and the United States /." 2008. http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?did=1555898811&sid=2&Fmt=2&clientId=39334&RQT=309&VName=PQD.
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Thesis (Ph.D.)--State University of New York at Buffalo, 2006.Title from PDF title page (viewed on Nov. 25, 2008) Available through UMI ProQuest Digital Dissertations. Thesis adviser: Blair, Sampson Lee Includes bibliographical references.
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Mancini, Barbara. "Towards a Meta-theory of Career Integration: The Vocational Well-being of New Immigrant Professionals in Canada." Thesis, 2012. http://hdl.handle.net/1807/34800.
Full textAbstract:
The purpose of this study was to empirically support and elaborate upon an integrative theory of career development by examining the worklife adjustment and career development experiences of new Canadian immigrant professionals. In focusing on the participants’ subjective views, the study provided an understanding of the lived experiences of this unique life-career transition, and in so doing, aimed to elaborate upon existing theories of career development towards the development and empirical substantiation of a comprehensive, diversity- and culturally- sensitive integrated meta-theory of the career development of immigrants in Canada. A qualitative methodology was employed and transcripts of in-depth interviews were analyzed using a grounded theory approach to data analysis. The central themes within the narratives that emerged were contrasted against an integrative career development theory and career development theoretical constructs, with the goal of elucidating the role and function of such constructs in immigrants’ Canadian career development. The study’s findings and contribution of a diversity- and culturally- informed, integrated, and enriched meta-theory of career development have implications for career counselling, cross-cultural, immigrant, and vocational psychology literature and practice.
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Teschauer, Mark Daniel. "What’s happiness got to do with it? Wellbeing and sustainable development policy in Greater Victoria, British Columbia, Canada." 2013. http://hdl.handle.net/2152/22219.
Full textAbstract:
Planners often invoke wellbeing, sustainability, and related concepts when discussing planning initiatives, all of which are contested within their own separate literatures. Some of these planners, however, have begun drawing connections between the disciplines, a connection that very few in the planning academic literature are recognizing and studying. Using the Greater Victoria Happiness Index Partnership (HIP) in British Columbia as its primary case study, this thesis draws upon HIP’s experience in creating regional wellbeing indicators to better understand this relationship. It will investigate the efficacy of their efforts in affecting regional policy, explore their as well as the academic understandings of the wellbeing/sustainable development relationship, and draw recommendations that ultimately suggest a new means of applying this relationship in planning and other realms of public policy.text
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Badin-Bellet, Louise. "From cultural to supporting ecosystem services, the value of shelterbelts to prairie agriculture, Canada." 2013. http://hdl.handle.net/10170/669.
Full textAbstract:
Shelterbelts were established in the Canadian Prairies as a means to protect soil from wind erosion. Knowledge gaps remain about shelterbelts' ecosystem services to the agro-landscape, hence hiding farmers' trade-offs in a changing agriculture. This research first investigated shelterbelts' effect on soil biological activity and fertility. Soil samples were collected in September 2012 from sheltered and non-sheltered fields in the Rural Municipality of Stanley, Manitoba. Results showed that shelterbelts promote higher soil biological activity, potentially correlated to the enhanced organic matter and micro-climate adjacent to shelterbelts. A survey was then conducted to explore shelterbelts' cultural services to the local community. Results indicated that while shelterbelts were perceived to significantly benefit community well-being, they were mainly recognised for agricultural functions. We conclude that shelterbelts are a significant element of both supporting and cultural ecosystem services, contributing to the prairie agro-system resilience. Further research and quantification of shelterbelts' socio-ecological services is recommended.
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Tam, Benita. "The Effects of Weather and Climate Variability on the Well-being of a Rural and Urban Aboriginal Group in Ontario, Canada." Thesis, 2012. http://hdl.handle.net/1807/34937.
Full textAbstract:
The role of weather and climate variability on the health of Aboriginal people in Fort Albany and Toronto, Ontario, Canada is explored through four complementary research studies. The first study examined past temperature trends of Fort Albany (using climate records of Moosonee) and Toronto. Temperature variability was found to be greater in Moosonee than in Toronto, and day to day temperature minimum (Tmin) threshold exceedances of 5 degrees Celsius was found to have significantly declined in both Toronto and Fort Albany. The second study explored the effects of climate change on a rural First Nation group in Fort Albany. Observed environmental changes include changes in the timing of seasons, spring melt and ice freeze-up; warmer seasons, an increase in extreme and unpredictable weather, and changes in animal patterns. These changes have affected subsistence harvesting activities and community infrastructure, which have lead to increased health risks, though many community members have exhibited resiliency and adaptation. The third study compared current health status between an urban Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal group. Urban Aboriginal participants were found to be at greater risk to psychological distress and seasonal affective disorder (SAD) than non-Aboriginal participants. Moreover, those who self-rated their health as poor/fair were more likely to exhibit psychological distress than those who self-rated their health as good/very good/excellent. The fourth study compared the effects of weather and seasonal change among a rural First Nation group, an urban Aboriginal group and an urban non-Aboriginal group. Urban Aboriginal participants were most affected by weather while rural Aboriginal (i.e. First Nation) participants were least affected by weather. These studies demonstrate that both urban and rural Aboriginal groups may be at risk to climate change and weather-related changes; though specific implications may differ due to different lifestyles and capacities to adapt to environmental conditions.
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Takagi, Kaori. "Approach-avoidance goals and psychological well-being, health, and interpersonal relationship outcomes across Euro-Canadian, Japanese, and Mexican cultures." Thesis, 2005. http://hdl.handle.net/2429/16823.
Full textAbstract:
Japanese, Euro-Canadian, and Mexican university students listed their personal goals and
completed questionnaires on their psychological well-being, health, and interpersonal relationship
status at Time 1 (the beginning of the semester) and at Time 2 (the end of the semester). The
relationships between the kinds of goals they listed (i.e., approach or avoidance) and their
well-being, health, and interpersonal relationship status were assessed to investigate the
moderating role of culture among these relationships. The regression analyses revealed marginal
and significant interaction effects of culture and avoidance goals on psychological well-being,
health, and interpersonal relationship outcomes at Time 2. The results offer support for the
hypothesis: Compared with Canadians, Mexicans, and especially Japanese are less likely to
experience adverse effects in the areas of well-being, health, and interpersonal relationship
associated with avoidance goals.Arts, Faculty of
Psychology, Department of
Graduate
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Cunsolo, Willox Ashlee. "Lament for the Land: On the Impacts of Climate Change on Mental and Emotional Health and Well-Being in Rigolet, Nunatsiavut, Canada." Thesis, 2012. http://hdl.handle.net/10214/3545.
Full textAbstract:
As the impacts from anthropogenic climate change are felt around the globe, people are increasingly exposed to changes in weather, temperature, wildlife and vegetation patterns, and water and food quality and availability. These changes impact human health and well-being, and resultantly, climate change has been identified as the biggest global health threat of the 21st Century. Recently, the mental health impacts emerging from these changes are gaining increasing attention globally. Research indicates that changes in climate and environment, and the subsequent disruption to the social, economic, and environmental determinants of mental health, are causing increased incidences of mental health issues, emotional responses, and large-scale socio-psychological changes. Inuit in Northern Canada have been experiencing the most rapid climatic and environmental changes on the planet: increased seasonal temperatures; decreased snow and ice quality, stability, and extent; melting permafrost; decreased water levels in ponds and brooks; increased frequency and intensity of storms; later ice formation and earlier ice break-up; and alterations to wildlife and vegetation. These changes are decreasing the ability of Inuit to hunt, trap, fish, forage, and travel on the land, which directly disrupts their health, and is negatively impacting mental and emotional health and well-being. Through a multi-year, exploratory, qualitative case study conducted in Nunatsiavut, Labrador, Canada representing the first research to examine the mental and emotional health impacts of climate change within a Canadian Inuit context, Inuit indicated that climate change was impacting mental health through seven interrelated pathways: strong emotional responses; increased reports of family stress; increased reports of drug and alcohol usage; increased reports of suicide ideation and attempts; the amplification of previous traumas and mental health stressors; decreased place-based mental solace; and land-based mourning due to a changing environment. Data for this research was drawn from 85 in-depth interviews and 112 questionnaires conducted between October 2009 and October 2010. These findings indicate the urgent need for more research on climate-change-related mental health impacts and emotio-mental adaptive processes, for more mental health support to enhance resilience to and assist with the mental health impacts of climate change, and for more mitigation and adaptation policies to be implemented.Social Science and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) Joseph-Armand Bombardier Canada Graduate Scholarship (2008-2012); Health Canada's First Nations and Inuit Health Branch's Climate Change and Health Adaptation in Northern First Nations and Inuit Communities Program (2010-2012); Nasivvik Centre for Inuit Health and Changing Environments (2009-2011); and the Nunatsiavut Government's Department of Health and Social Development (2010-2011).
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Rim, Rokwha. "Improving biodiversity and community well-being in urban parks: a comparison of Seoul Forest Park (Seoul, Korea) and Stanley Park (Vancouver, Canada)." Thesis, 2010. http://hdl.handle.net/1828/3366.
Full textAbstract:
This research investigates how community-based stewardship and governance of urban parks benefits both biodiversity conservation and local residents‟ quality of life. The main objective of this research is to examine successful strategies to improve biodiversity and human well-being in urban parks. In this research, two stories of renowned city parks in metropolitan areas are interpreted: Seoul Forest Park in Seoul, Korea and Stanley Park in Vancouver, Canada. These parks are compared on the basis of the history of their creation and restoration, their strategic plans, challenges to managing the parks, the role of community-based stewardship, and the relationship between city governments and community stewardship groups. By comparing two famous metropolitan city parks, this study makes recommendations for each park. To understand the beneficial programs and approaches, I further explore how the parks‟ management plans address improvement in biodiversity, and how park governance and operations encourage it, particularly how stewardship groups have improved biodiversity.
Based on the research findings, this study drew several main benefits of community-based stewardship and governance of urban parks. First, supportive legislation, policies, and plans for biodiversity conservation have a decisive effect on the implementation of biodiversity improvement. Next, regular ecosystem monitoring and linking fragmented areas are mandatory to preserve and improve urban biodiversity. Also, urban green space restoration contributes not only to biodiversity conservation, but also to citizens‟ quality of life. In addition, listening to citizens‟ opinions, ensuring the safety of park users, offering cutting-edge services, and providing various cultural and educational programs, contribute to enhanced citizens‟ well-being in urban parks. Lastly, community-based stewardship groups play an essential role for improving biodiversity as well as citizens‟ quality of life in urban parks. Therefore, a successful partnership between the Parks Division in city governments and community-based stewardship groups creates a more powerful synergy that sustains biodiversity and human well-being.Graduate
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Kehyayan, Vahe. "Relationships between Quality of Life and Selected Resident and Facility Characteristics in Long Term Care Facilities in Canada." Thesis, 2011. http://hdl.handle.net/10012/6058.
Full textAbstract:
Background: Quality of life (QoL) of long term care facility (LTC) residents is being recognized as an important outcome of care by LTC providers, researchers, and policy makers. For residents, measurement of QoL is a valued opportunity to express their perception of the quality of their daily life in the LTC facility. For clinicians, self-reported QoL provides useful information in planning and implementing resident-centred care.
Purpose: The purposes of this study were: (1) to examine the distributional and psychometric properties of the interRAI Self-Report Nursing Home Quality of Life Survey (interRAI_QoL Survey); and (2) to explore the relationship of selected socio-demographic and clinical characteristics of residents and LTC facility attributes with residents’ self-reported QoL.
Methodology: This was a cross-sectional observational study. A convenience sample of 48 volunteer LTC facilities from six Canadian provinces was involved in this study. Nine hundred and twenty eight (928) residents agreed to participate in this study. Resident inclusion required an interRAI Cognitive Performance Scale score of 0 (intact) to 3 (moderate impairment). Residents’ self-reported QoL was measured by trained surveyors using the interRAI_QoL Survey instrument. Residents’ socio-demographic and clinical characteristics were obtained from the most recentResident Assessment Instrument –Minimum Data Set 2.0 prior to the QoL interviews. LTC facility attributes were measured by a survey form specifically designed for this purpose. Descriptive statistics were used to describe the participating LTC facilities, the sample of residents, and residents’ self-reported QoL. Psychometric tests for reliability (test-retest and internal consistency) and validity (content and convergent) were conducted. Bivariate analyses were conducted to examine the relatioships between QoL and resident and facility charateristics. Multivariate linear and logistic regression analyses were conducted to identify predictors of residents’ QoL.
Results: The study confirmed the feasibility of assessing LTC facility residents’ self-reported QoL. The findings showed positive ratings of some aspects of residents’ daily lives while negative ratings in other aspects. Psychometric tests showed that the interRAI_QoL Survey instrument had test-retest reliability, internal consistency, content validity and construct (convergent) validity. Several resident and facility characteristics were associated with self-reported QoL. Religiosity and highest education level attained were significantly and positively associated with QoL. Other resident characteristics such as age, gender and marital status were not. Mild cognitive impairment, depression, aggressive behaviour, hearing impairment, bowel and bladder incontinence, and extensive assistance in activities of daily living were significantly but negatively associated with QoL. LTC facility ownership showed significant association with QoL. Residents in municipal LTC facilities followed by private LTC facilities reported higer QoL in contrast to charitable LTC facilities. Profit status, accreditation and leadership stability were not associated with QoL. Residents in rural settings reported significantly higher QoL than those in urban settings. Facility size (measured in number of beds), registered nurse hours of care, nursing staff turnover, and ratios of registered to non-registered nursing staff did not have a significant association with QoL. However, higher management hours and total hours of care had significant and positive associations with residents’ overall QoL. Multiple linear regression showed that residents’ religiosity, degree of social engagement, post secondary education, dependence in activities of daily living, and positive global disposition, and LTC facilities situated in rural settings and ownership type together accounted for 24% (adjusted R2=0.24) of the variance in overall QoL (the dependent variable). In logistic regression, low QoL was used as the binary dependent variable. Residents who were religious, were socially engaged and had a positive global disposition were less likely to report low QoL. In contrast, residents with dependence in activities of daily living and post secondary education were more likely to report low QoL. Residents in LTC facilities located in rural settings and operated by municipal or private operators were less likely to report low QoL compared to charitable facilities.
Strengths and Limitations: This study had several strengths, including a sample of 928 residents who self-reported on their QoL and the use of RAI-MDS 2.0 for objective, external indicators of QoL. This study had several limitations, including response bias due to method of sample selection, inability to draw causal inferences due to study design; limited generalizability due to use of a convenience sample, lack of monitoring of surveyors for the integrity of resident interviews, and exclusion of residents with cognitive performance scale scores of more than three or inability to communicate in English. Future research should address these limitations. As well, future research should conduct more stringent psychometric analyses such as factor analysis and use multi-level modeling procedures.
Implications: The findings of this study have implications for improving residents’ QoL, LTC facility programming, future research, and social policy development.
Conclusion: QoL can be measured from resident self-reports in LTC facilities. Self-reports from residents may be used by clinicians to plan and implement resident-centred care. There are significant associations of residents’ QoL with select resident socio-demographic and clinical characteristics and facility attributes. Some of these resident characteristics and facility attributes may serve as predictors of QoL.
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Quinless, Jacqueline. "Decolonizing bodies: a First Nations perspective on the determinants of urban indigenous health and wellness in Canada." Thesis, 2017. http://hdl.handle.net/1828/8000.
Full textAbstract:
Through a research partnership with the First Nations Health Authority (FNHA) and using mixed methods participatory action research this Dissertation critically engages with dominant Western-based knowledge systems of well-being from a decolonizing standpoint to better understand the determinants of Indigenous health and well-being. This study specifically asks: what are the main factors effecting different dimensions of well-being for Indigenous peoples living in urban centres, how does engaging in traditional land-based activities and cultural ways of life affect well-being, and to what extent does intergenerational trauma impact well-being? Thirteen key informant interviews were conducted with FNHA members involved in the development of the First Nations Perspective on Health and Wellness (FNPOW) to garner knowledge about the thoughts, feelings, belief systems, values, and knowledge frameworks that are embedded in this perspective. A multi-level statistical model was developed informed by the First Nations Perspective on Health and Wellness, the 2012 Aboriginal Peoples Survey and 2011 National Household Survey, to produce health and wellness outcomes. Using a strength-based approach to well-being this study shows that the FNPOW advocates self-determination, and implementing the perspective in research work offers a pathway to generating measures of health and wellness rooted in Traditional knowledge systems, and a pathway to decolonizing bodies. These outcomes are a form of social capital reflective of Indigenous values that can be utilized as a resource to strengthen community capacity to support Indigenous self-determination.Graduate
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Neufeld, Eva. "Suicide-Related Behaviour in Later Life: Examining Risk and Protective Factors among Older Adults Receiving Home Care Services in Ontario, Canada." Thesis, 2013. http://hdl.handle.net/10012/7662.
Full textAbstract:
Suicide in later life is a growing public health concern that is expected to increase as the baby boom generation reach late adulthood. In the general population, older adults have rates of suicide that are higher than any other age group. The rate of suicide is particularly higher for older men. In Canada, older men between 80 and 84 years have rates of suicide approximately six times greater than older women the same age. Older adults living in the community are a sub-set of the population that are at high risk for suicide yet are not typically a focus of suicide research. As a result they remain hidden from the view of mental health promotion and suicide prevention programs until a decline in mental status brings them to the attention of formal mental health care services. Improving our understanding of suicide in later life particularly among community-residing older men can inform suicide prevention strategies. To improve this understanding, the goals of this research were three-fold: to comprehensively describe the sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of community residing older adults who have experienced suicide-related behaviour; to describe the rates, risk and protective factors, and predictors of suicide-related behaviour among this population; and to compare these findings to a subpopulation of community-residing older adults with neurological conditions. To achieve these aims, this research utilized a secondary data analysis approach using health information from multiple linked datasets. The Canadian Institute of Health Information (CIHI) performed record linkages between Ontario hospital administrative data (Discharge Abstract Database, National Ambulatory Care Reporting System, and Ontario Mental Health Reporting System) and Ontario home care data (Home Care Reporting System). Home care data are sourced from the Resident Assessment Instrument–Home Care (RAI-HC) Assessment Instrument, the provincially mandated assessment tool used to identify the strengths, preferences and needs of all long-stay home care clients. The RAI-HC contains over 350 items across a wide range of domains including health, functional status and resource use. Linkages of these data records between home care and hospital sectors enabled the prospective examination of community-residing older adults with recent suicide-related behaviour. This is one of the first national and international studies to use the RAI-HC to examine older home care clients with experiences of suicide-related behaviour.
The study samples consisted of Ontario home care clients aged 60 years or older assessed with the RAI-HC between April 2007 and September 2010. Clients’ initial RAI-HC assessment was examined followed by corresponding hospital records for suicide-related behaviour (N = 222,149). The prevalence of suicide-related behaviour for the sample was 1.01% (n=2,077) with higher rates for older men than women. Rates were examined across geographic regions of Ontario. Descriptive analyses demonstrated that older adults with suicide-related behaviour had more indicators of psychiatric distress (including cognitive impairment) and psychosocial dysfunction than the general home care population. Multivariate analyses showed significant effects for age and gender in the prediction of suicide-related behaviour after adjusting for risk and protective covariates. Tangible areas for intervention were revealed that may reduce future suicide risk such as managing alcohol use and dependence, managing pain, increasing positive social relationships, and reducing social isolation. Time-to-event analysis supported the multivariate regression findings. Analyses of two subpopulations of older adults with neurological conditions (dementia and Parkinson’s disease) demonstrated marked differences in suicide risk and protective factors compared to the general home care population. Findings suggest that a one-size-fits-all approach to suicide prevention and intervention is not appropriate for persons with these conditions, as their specific risk and protective factors need to be taken into consideration.
This study based on provincial data covering the home care sector in Ontario defined high risk groups of older adults and provided evidence for risk and protective factors associated with suicide-related behaviour. Findings point to several areas that should be assessed by home care professionals to reduce risk in the older home care client population. This multi-dimensional profile of high risk older adults will assist in initiating a policy dialogue regarding the need for targeted suicide prevention strategies in Ontario’s home care sector.
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Richardson, Christopher Galliford. "An investigation of the measurement of mental well-being and its relationship with health status using data from the National Population Health Survey of Canada." Thesis, 2004. http://hdl.handle.net/2429/17195.
Full textAbstract:
This dissertation is centred on the application of structural equation modeling (SEM) techniques to examine the measurement of mental well-being (MWB) and its relationship with health status using longitudinal data from the Canadian National Population Health Survey (NPHS). The first manuscript contains the results of a study (n = 1782) examining the factor structure of a 6-item version of the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES) included in the NPHS. Nested confirmatory factor analyses indicate that the items are best modeled as two correlated dimensions interpreted as a measure of self-competence and a measure of selfliking. The second manuscript contains the results of a study testing the age-based measurement invariance, temporal stability and moderating ability of Antonovsky's Sense of Coherence Scale (SOC) using longitudinal data from the NPHS. Results of multi-group longitudinal factor analysis support the measurement invariance across age and stability over time, of the SOC for the following age groups: 19 to 25 years (n = 1257); 30 to 55 years (n = 5326); and 60 plus years (n = 2213). A series of regression models were employed to test the ability of sense of coherence (SOC) to moderate (i.e., buffer) the health impacts associated with the experience of a recent stressful life event using data from the 1998-1999 and 2000- 2001 NPHS. A significant moderating effect in the expected direction was found when predicting self-reported health (SRH). However, the moderating effect of SOC was not significant when predicting number of self-reported visits to a physician during the previous year. The last manuscript contains the results of an investigation (n — 4842) examining the extent to which socioeconomic status (income adequacy) predicts current SRH and future change in SRH in addition to tests of the hypothesis that MWB (i.e., self-esteem and SOC) mediates the relationship between current SES and SRH. The results of a latent growth model indicate that SES is positively related to SRH assessed at the same time, but not to the linear change in SRH over the subsequent 6 years. Both SOC and self-esteem appear to partially mediate the impact of SES on SRH.Medicine, Faculty of
Population and Public Health (SPPH), School of
Graduate
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Prouse, Stephanie. "The Koza Centre - an alternative to the custody of federally sentenced women in Canada." 2016. http://hdl.handle.net/1993/31909.
Full textAbstract:
This practicum explores potential for a new prison typology for federally sentenced women within Canada. The Koza Centre is an alternative to designs and practices currently in place that have the potential to create barriers to successful rehabilitation and reintegration.
The primary intention of this work is to understand the issues and needs that are shared by many women who have come into conflict with the law and respond with an appropriate design. The methodology for this includes a brief history of women’s imprisonment in Canada and current political contexts, an analytical framework focused on overall well-being, and precedent studies. From this, programming and strategies have been developed that inform an evidence-based design.
The result is a design focused on rehabilitation through the building of healthy relationships, ties to the community, programming that fosters successful reintegration, and supportive interior design that facilitates the well-being of those within the space.February 2016
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Nguyen, T. Thao. "The role of relational and cultural self-construals in marital satisfaction and psychological well-being : a comparison between Vietnamese and Anglo individuals in marital relationships in Canada /." 2005. http://gateway.proquest.com/openurl?url_ver=Z39.88-2004&res_dat=xri:pqdiss&rft_val_fmt=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:dissertation&rft_dat=xri:pqdiss:NR11607.
Full textAbstract:
Thesis (Ph.D.)--York University, 2005. Graduate Programme in Psychology.Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 105-116). Also available on the Internet. MODE OF ACCESS via web browser by entering the following URL: http://gateway.proquest.com/openurl?url_ver=Z39.88-2004&res_dat=xri:pqdiss&rft_val_fmt=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:dissertation&rft_dat=xri:pqdiss:NR11607
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Magassa, Moussa. "How Muslim students endure ambient Islamophobia on campus and in the community: resistance, coping and survival strategies: Recommendations for university administrators, faculty, and staff on how to support Muslim students’ social well-being and academic success." Thesis, 2019. http://hdl.handle.net/1828/11199.
Full textAbstract:
This study critically explores Muslim students’ experiences on campus and in the community and identifies the opportunities, barriers, and constraints in students’ academic and social relations with peers, university personnel and communities at large. The study provides practical recommendations grounded in evidence for university administrators, faculty, staff and other stakeholders in the areas of service delivery, policy, programs, and educational curriculum development and instruction. The study utilizes a constructivist grounded theory methodology informed by semi-structured interviews of 32 Muslim students in undergraduate and graduate programs as data collection methods. Ambient Islamophobia was uncovered as the central phenomenon. I use a group of theoretical categories, subdivided into properties and dimensions, to illustrate my theory. These theoretical categories are further regrouped into five themes, which illustrate: (1) the ambient and endemic nature of Islamophobia on campus and in the community; (2) the causal conditions of ambient Islamophobia and the processes by which Muslim students become aware and contextualize the complex and multilayered Eurocentric and Orientalist ideologies, beliefs, attitudes and behaviors that entrench Islamophobia; (3) the impacts/ consequences of ambient Islamophobia that affect Muslim students cognitively, affectively and behaviorally; (4) the coping and resistance strategies Muslim students develop to counter ambient Islamophobia and achieve social well-being, academic success; and (5) the longing for belonging, while confronting expectations held about Canada and studying at the university. Understanding the processes and foundations of ambient Islamophobia can be used by stakeholders to develop more inclusive policies, programs and classrooms to support the social and academic success of Muslim students on campus.Graduate
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Reinsch, Candace C. "Adding science to the mix of business and pleasure: an exploratory study of positive psychology interventions with teachers accessing employee assistance counselling." 2013. http://hdl.handle.net/1993/14436.
Full textAbstract:
This research project explores whether the delivery of positive psychology interventions in the workplace through an employee assistance program (EAP) can improve employees’ authentic happiness/flourishing as well as decrease symptoms of depression.
A small convenience sample of 13 Manitoba public school educators accessing employee assistance were recruited for a quasi-experimental research design. Nine participants were randomly assigned to the experimental group and the remaining participants assigned to the control. Experimental group members participated in a six session psychoeducational, experiential, and process-oriented positive psychotherapy group that met once a week over six weeks.
Experimental group participants’ scores on the authentic happiness/flourishing measure increased by a statistically significant 9% and depression scores decreased by a statistically significant 45% from pre-intervention to one month post-intervention. The study’s findings therefore provide promising confirmation that positive psychology interventions delivered through EAPs can make a meaningful difference as both secondary prevention and primary enhancement strategies in the workplace.
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Schimmele, Christoph Michael. "Racial Status and Mental Health among Canadian Adults." Thesis, 2013. http://hdl.handle.net/1828/5066.
Full textAbstract:
This study examined the relationship between race and mental health among Canadian adults. The purpose was to assess how social organization contributes to the racial distribution of mental health. The study defined mental health as a multi-dimensional construct that includes negative, positive, and subjective facets. The empirical analysis compared East Asians, South Asians, Blacks, Aboriginals, and mixed race persons to Whites on major depression, psychological distress, psychological well-being, and self-rated mental health. Separate comparisons were made for women and men because the relationship between race and mental health could be conditional on gender. Using individual-level data from the Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS) 1.2 and aggregate data from the 2001 Canadian Census, the study hypothesized that racial differences in mental health could reflect differences in stress exposure, socioeconomic status, social embeddedness, and neighborhood environment. The main assumption was that higher stress exposure, economic hardship, social isolation, and neighborhood disadvantage could compromise the mental health of racial minorities. The study also examined whether social support and coping behaviors protected racial minorities from these health-damaging effects. The findings do not present a straightforward or a consistent set of conclusions. Although there is a good rational to believe that racial minorities should have worse mental health than Whites, this is not always or even mostly the case. Only Aboriginal women have a consistent disadvantage. For the most part, racial minorities have similar mental health as Whites, and even have an advantage in a few instances. Since the analysis covered the negative, positive, and subjective dimensions of mental health, it provides robust evidence to support this conclusion. However, the findings also demonstrate that low socioeconomic status and insufficient social resources can indeed have health-damaging effects. These factors explain some of the observed disadvantages in mental health that racial minorities experience or suppress an advantage among them.Graduate
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So, Vivien Wing Yin. "Exploring mismatches between adolescent perceptions and ideals of parenting in Chinese Canadian families: Cross-cultural and cultural perspectives." Thesis, 2016. http://hdl.handle.net/1828/7421.
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Using cross-cultural and cultural perspectives, this thesis investigated ideals of parenting and the relations between parenting mismatches and youth adjustment in a sample of adolescents from Chinese immigrant families and Canadian non-immigrant families. Asian traditional parenting techniques have been linked to both positive and negative outcomes in Asian immigrant youth. This study sought to clarify these mixed findings by focusing on adolescent interpretations of parenting, specifically their opinions of how parents should behave, which is referred to as parenting ideals. Parental behaviours of warmth, reasoning, monitoring, and harsh discipline were investigated. Results indicated that adolescents from Chinese immigrant families and Canadian adolescents desired similar levels of these parenting behaviours from their fathers and mothers, with the exception of harsh discipline behaviours. Amongst Chinese adolescents, some findings supported the hypothesis that cultural orientation is related to parenting ideals. Parenting mismatches, or discrepancies between actual and ideal parenting, were hypothesized to be related to more depressive symptoms and lower self-esteem. Findings supported this hypothesis in the dimensions of parental warmth and monitoring, but not reasoning. Low endorsement of perceptions, ideals, and mismatches in harsh discipline precluded strong conclusions about this parenting dimension. Directions for future research and implications for parent education and clinical settings were discussed.Graduate
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vivienso@uvic.ca
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Buchanan, Susan Louise. "Sociocultural influences on body image discrepancy experiences and psychological well-being in Canadian school-age boys and girls." 2006. http://hdl.handle.net/1993/20763.
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Da, Costa Iara Regina. "Being Brazilian, Becoming Canadian: Acculturation Strategies, Quality of Life, Negative Affect, and Well-being in a Sample of Brazilian Immigrants Living in the Greater Toronto Area." Thesis, 2014. http://hdl.handle.net/1807/65653.
Full textAbstract:
Acculturation is a predominant feature of today’s society and one that has unique implications for immigrants’ mental health. Given that two thirds of Canada’s population growth is due to immigration, understanding the effects of acculturation on newcomers should be a central focus of academic research. The present study utilized an exploratory quantitative method to investigate the associations between acculturation strategies, quality of life, and negative affect in a sample of 180 Brazilian immigrants living in the Greater Toronto Area. The mediating and moderating roles of quality of life (QOL) were explored, as well as which patterns of acculturation strategies were associated with enhanced well-being, represented by low negative affect (NA), high QOL, and high Satisfaction with Life in Canada (SLCI). Clusters analysis identified patterns of acculturation strategy use, resulting in four acculturation profiles: integrated, assimilated, separated, and marginalized. Results indicated that QOL did not act as either a mediator or moderator of the relationship between acculturation profiles and NA. With regard to well-being indicators, acculturation profiles successfully predicted NA and SLCI, with the Assimilated being the most favourable profile evidenced by its lowest NA and highest SLCI levels. While acculturation profiles did not predict QOL, the trend of the Assimilated profile being predictive of favourable well-being was also present as its members reported slightly higher QOL than their counterparts from other profiles. Well-being risk and protective factors are presented. The results highlight the importance of including control variables in future research in order to uncover the unique impact of acculturation on the mental health of immigrants. Implications for practice and future research are also discussed.
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Andre, Alestine Mary Terese. "Nan t'aih nakwits'inahtsìh : The land gives us strength : the medicine plants used by Gwich'in people of Canada's western Arctic to maintain good health and well being." Thesis, 2006. http://hdl.handle.net/1828/1258.
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Proverbs, Tracey Angela. "Social-ecological change in Gwich’in territory: cumulative impacts in the cultural landscape, and determinants of access to fish." Thesis, 2019. http://hdl.handle.net/1828/11086.
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In the territory of the Gwich’in First Nation, in Canada’s Northwest Territories, environmental, sociocultural, and economic changes are affecting relationships between communities and the land and water. In this thesis, I used two research projects to explore the impacts of social-ecological change in Gwich’in territory by examining cumulative impacts in the cultural landscape, and determinants of access to fish and well-being. In the first part of my MA, I used spatial overlay analysis to quantify and map: 1) cultural feature intensity, 2) cumulative environmental disturbance, and 3) overlap between disturbances and cultural features. I also interviewed four regional cultural heritage experts, who contributed critical insights into representing Gwich’in cultural features. The first two analyses indicated that overlay methods can facilitate understandings of land use and cumulative impacts, illustrating Gwich’in territory as a cultural landscape encompassing widespread, dense cultural features and diffuse, lower intensity cumulative environmental impacts. The third analysis showed that overlaying cultural feature and disturbance data is a novel, straightforward step to better incorporating cultural impacts in cumulative impact assessments. Many of the changes I mapped are affecting fishing practices central to Gwich’in livelihoods. To better understand these changes, in the second part of my MA I explored the relationship between drivers of access to fish and well-being amidst social-ecological change, by interviewing 29 Gwich’in individuals. My interviews showed that socioeconomic and environmental barriers have decreased access to fish. However, access to fish remains critical and related to well-being, driven by various socioeconomic factors. Many of these factors are reflected in sharing networks and adaptive practices that are encompassed in ecological monitoring and land-based education. These factors may strengthen Gwich’in fishing livelihoods, and highlight the importance of programs like the Rat River Char Monitoring program, and land-based education like the Ganahghootr’onatan – Teetł’it Land Based Learning Project.Graduate
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Berze, Ottilia E. "Assessing foresight to advance management of complex global problems." Thesis, 2019. http://hdl.handle.net/1828/10713.
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Many people do not like thinking about the future. If they do, over 50% of Canadians think “our way of life” (p. 7) will end within 100 years and over 80% of Canadians think “we need to change our worldview and way of life if we are to create a better future for the world” (Randle & Eckersley, 2015, p. 9). There is a good reason for this. Alarms have sounded over global urgent complex problems with potential for catastrophic consequences such as the development of artificial intelligence, climate change, mass extinction, nuclear war and pandemics (Marien & Halal, 2011). Society is also increasingly fragmenting as imminent crises build on lack of understanding, the sense of incapacity to act, fear, distrust, blame and a lack of hope. This struggle for humanity’s survival is complicated by the turbulent global environment in which institutions continue to follow path-dependent trajectories set forth in a different time and context. Governments at various levels face a problem of “fit” between current structures and processes, that have not progressed sufficiently to meet changing needs of a global society mired in complexity and governance challenges.
However, hope exists. Incremental progress on many fronts and a massive amount of efforts and resources are being engaged worldwide. There are emerging fields, lenses and tools that can potentially alleviate complex problems and address this emergency. The purpose of this dissertation is to understand and assess dialogue-based foresight practices being applied towards complex problems in Canada to provide insights into how these practices can assist society to alleviate global urgent complex problems and their impacts, within this backdrop of looming crises.
Foresight, alternatively known as future studies or scenario-building, is a forward-looking practice recognized and used globally with over 100 research organizations focused on foresight, widespread usage by firms and over 18 countries involved in foresight activities (Berze, 2014b). Overall literature findings suggest foresight is widely and at least incrementally effective with a number of impacts in various areas (Calof, Miller, & Jackson, 2012; March, Therond, & Leenhardt, 2012; Meissner, Gokhberg, & Sokolov, 2013) but the extent of this effectiveness, the mechanisms involved, and the specific foresight benefits per type of project needs further research and evidence. For instance, limited literature exists on whether foresight can transform complex situations and if so, under what conditions. Thus, opportunities exist for assessing and increasing foresight’s impact.
This dissertation is a contextualized, systematic empirical study that taps into transdisciplinary literature and practice, case studies of how foresight has been used to address specific types of complex problems in Canada, as well as surveys and interviews with foresight experts and participants. This dissertation uses a foresight community scan and a comparative case study approach to provide practical and theoretical benefits to foresight and complex problem area stakeholders. The research focuses on studying the broad interactions of foresight and identifying the impacts of dialogue-based foresight projects on people and the outcomes of complex problems.
The dissertation concludes that dialogue-based foresight is a valuable and unique practice for ameliorating complex problems and their consequences. Insights are offered towards dialogue-based foresight’s potential contributions within the context of other efforts directed at humanity’s struggle for survival and global complex problems. These insights can then foster the further development and application of dialogue-based foresight on a global scale to alleviate complex problems and their effects. The dissertation outlines recommendations on key next steps to realize these potential contributions.Graduate
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Richard, Alexis. "Bonheur et politique : une étude comparée des provinces canadiennes." Thèse, 2017. http://hdl.handle.net/1866/20352.
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MacLeod, Suzanne. "From the "rising tide" to solidarity: disrupting dominant crisis discourses in dementia social policy in neoliberal times." Thesis, 2014. http://hdl.handle.net/1828/5213.
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As a social worker practising in long-term residential care for people living with dementia, I am alarmed by discourses in the media and health policy that construct persons living with dementia and their health care needs as a threatening “rising tide” or crisis. I am particularly concerned about the material effects such dominant discourses, and the values they uphold, might have on the collective provision of care and support for our elderly citizens in the present neoliberal economic and political context of health care. To better understand how dominant discourses about dementia work at this time when Canada’s population is aging and the number of persons living with dementia is anticipated to increase, I have rooted my thesis in poststructural methodology. My research method is a discourse analysis, which draws on Foucault’s archaeological and genealogical concepts, to examine two contemporary health policy documents related to dementia care – one national and one provincial. I also incorporate some poetic representation – or found poetry – to write up my findings. While deconstructing and disrupting taken for granted dominant crisis discourses on dementia in health policy, my research also makes space for alternative constructions to support discursive and health policy possibilities in solidarity with persons living with dementia so that they may thrive.Graduate
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