Psychology (Functional Area: Clinical-Developmental)

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Open Access
Positive Body Image Among Female Emerging Adults: A Mixed Methods Design
(2014-07-09) Norwood, Sarah Jane; Rawana, Jennine
Recent research has highlighted the importance of considering positive body image (e.g., Swami, Hadji-Michael, & Furnham, 2008) that is not simply the absence of negative body image, but also the extent to which one appreciates and accepts one’s body as a whole (Avalos et al., 2005). Using a mixed-methods design, I sought to better understand positive body image (PBI) by examining the individual strengths associated with PBI and how PBI may protect against depressive symptoms over time. Study 1 was a quantitative investigation examining groups of strengths and barriers among female emerging adults (EAs) to examine characteristics that are associated with PBI and how PBI may protect against depressive symptoms. Participants (N = 1,464) completed a battery of measures at Time 1 (Mage = 20.23, SDage = 2.32) and a subset of participants completed the same measures three months later at Time 2 (n = 215, Mage = 20.01, SDage = 2.26). Results of the latent profile analysis revealed distinct groups of female EAs who differed on their levels of strengths and barriers. As hypothesized, women who reported higher strengths and lower barriers had higher levels of PBI and, in turn, lower levels of depressive symptoms. Further, women who reported lower levels of strengths and greater barriers reported lower levels of PBI. These findings suggest that it is not just the absence of barriers, but also the presence of strengths that are associated with emotional well-being. Study 2 was a qualitative analysis of female EAs with PBI (n = 16, Mage = 20.94, SDage = 2.14) that was conducted to understand how female EAs with self-reported PBI describe their feelings towards their body and what strengths they identify as most important with respect to their overall self and their body. Women reported an overall appreciation and acceptance for their body. With respect to one’s overall self, women most frequently identified specific traits as their greatest strengths, and with respect to their body, women most frequently spoke of internal attributes. Findings are discussed in terms of implications for future mental health promotion and intervention programs.
Open Access
Functional MRI Activation of Inhibitory Control in Adolescents and Young Adults with Multiple Sclerosis
(2014-07-28) Lysenko, Magdalena; Till, Christine
Inhibitory control, defined as the ability to withhold a response, is typically preserved in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), despite impairment in other executive functions. This study examined the concept of functional reorganization concerning inhibitory control using a simple Go/No-go (GNG) functional MRI paradigm in pediatric-onset MS. The control group demonstrated greater functional activation as compared with the patient group in several regions: cerebellum, brainstem, lateral occipital cortex, parahippocampal gyrus, precuneus, superior parietal lobe, precentral gyrus and superior frontal gyrus. Cognitively intact pediatric-onset MS patients show less brain activation than controls when inhibiting a simple motor response despite no differences in behavioural performance. Functional differences were observed in the posterior and anterior regions of the response inhibition network in the MS group suggesting a less developed attention network. Further characterization of cerebellar-neocortical connectivity is required to understand the potential for functional plasticity in response to injury in pediatric-onset MS.
Open Access
Emerging Adults' Mental Health Literacy and Mental Health First Aid Experiences: A Mixed-Methods Study
(2015-01-26) Morgan, Ashley Sarah; Wintre, Maxine A. G.
Mental health problems are a significant concern in Canada. Prevalence rates suggest that emerging adults are one of the most at risk age groups in terms of experiencing mental health problems. Canada has begun to recognize the importance of improved knowledge of mental health problems including recognition of specific disorders, knowledge of treatment options, and attitudes that promote appropriate help-seeking behaviour, a construct termed “mental health literacy” (MHL). The present mixed-methods study involved quantitative and qualitative components. The quantitative component involved an examination of MHL using novel online survey methodology and was focused on four disorders that often first occur or worsen during emerging adulthood: depression, substance abuse disorder, social anxiety disorder, and bulimia nervosa. Participants were N = 561 Canadian emerging adults, defined as individuals between the ages of 18 through 29 years (72.0% women). Recognition of specific disorders is a major component of MHL. Recognition rates in the current study ranged from moderate to strong (depression = 83.2%; substance abuse disorder = 69.8%, social anxiety disorder = 57.1%, and bulimia nervosa = 68.8%). Women had significantly better recognition rates than men with regard to depression and bulimia nervosa. The importance of recognizing that one has a mental health problem was identified as a key factor in the help-seeking process. Stigma was also identified as a barrier to help-seeking. The process of using one’s MHL to support someone with a mental health problem has been termed “mental health first aid” (MHFA). The qualitative component of the current study involved an exploration of participants’ (n = 10) MHFA experiences using a semi-structured interview. Using a thematic analysis approach, five major themes were identified in the data: (1) progression of recognition of a mental health problem, (2) the importance of mental health literacy, (3) the helping experience, (4) stigma, and (5) lessons learned. MHL and MHFA have been identified as important components in the broader initiative to improve mental health at the population level. Implications for future research and the application of the findings to prevention and intervention efforts are discussed.
Open Access
To Be, or Not To Be "Canadian": The Role of Acculturation Motivation in International Student Adjustment and Future Residency Intent
(2015-01-26) Dentakos, Stella; Wintre, Maxine A. G.
Increasing international student recruitment and post-graduation retention rates represent numerous political, economic, and sociocultural advantages for the host country. For Canada to reap such benefits, international students must first successfully transition to the Canadian environment. Given the challenges involved in cross-cultural transitions, the present study investigated the role of acculturation motivation in the international student experience. Using a mixed-methods design, acculturation motivation was measured in a sample of 266 international students (Mage = 21.92). A comparative thematic analysis revealed that international students with low acculturation motivation more frequently endorsed themes relating to a negative experience in Canada, whereas the opposite was observed in international students with high acculturation motivation. Following this qualitative exploration, quantitative analyses confirmed the predictive validity of acculturation motivation in both international student adjustment and future residency intentions. This mixed-methods approach not only validates and expands initial qualitative findings, but also supports the role of acculturation motivation in the international student experience.
Open Access
Executive Functioning and its Relationship to Academic and Social - Emotional Outcomes in Children with a History of Arterial Ischemic Stroke
(2015-01-26) Deotto, Angela Christine; Desrocher, Mary E.
Thirty-two pediatric patients with stroke and 32 demographically equivalent, healthy controls were tested on standardized measures of working memory, arithmetic, and spelling. EF and social-emotional behavioural data were collected via standardized parent questionnaires. Relative to controls, working memory performance of stroke participants was significantly lower across all tasks. Stroke participants demonstrated poorer functioning in both metacognitive and behavioural regulatory EF domains and significantly lower achievement on tests of math and spelling. Untimed pencil and paper arithmetic was an area of particular concern, as math impairment was documented in 40% of the tested stroke participants. Metacognitive EF abilities predicted academic achievement, and behavioural regulatory EF predicted social-emotional functioning. Furthermore, increased time since stroke and larger stroke lesions were associated with poorer academic outcomes, as indicated by retrospective analysis of a large patient database. Findings assist with accurate prognosis and indicate need for early post-stroke cognitive intervention in affected children and youth.
Open Access
Toward a Strength-Based Approach to Risk Assessments: An Examination of the Measurement and Clinical Use of Information about Youth Strengths
(2015-01-26) Gagnier, Karina Royer; Moore, Timothy E.
This dissertation consists of three studies concerning the measurement and clinical use of youth strengths in assessments of adolescents’ risk to reoffend. The first chapter provides a review of the theoretical frameworks of offender rehabilitation, the strength-based approach, and findings emerging from research on youth strengths. Rationales for each study in this thesis, derived from this literature, are also offered. Chapter 2 encompasses two empirical studies in which the extent to which a risk assessment tool (YLS/CMI) and its revised version (YLS/CMI 2.0) capture youth strengths was evaluated. These tools are based on the Risk-Need-Responsivity (RNR) model of offender rehabilitation. Standard practice in the clinical use of information about youth strengths was examined in these parallel studies. Power to predict recidivism was also assessed in the first study. Chapter 3 describes the validation of the Strengths Assessment Inventory-Youth Version (SAI-Y), a novel and more comprehensive strengths assessment tool than the actuarial measures used in Chapter 2. Finally, in Chapter 4, the results and significance of the three studies are discussed within a broader context and future directions for research are suggested. Three main conclusions can be gleaned from Chapters 2 and 3: 1) current tools derived from the RNR framework do not appear to be useful measures of justice-involved youth’s personal strengths; the SAI-Y is a more promising tool; 2) the process of integrating strengths in risk assessments is not consistent; and 3) the role of strengths as responsivity considerations within the RNR model remains to be investigated. Together, these findings constitute a step toward the operationalization and clinical use of youth strengths in risk assessments. They also highlight that justice-involved youths’ strengths can be measured accurately.
Open Access
Walking the Prevention Circle: Bearing Witness to an Indigenous Process for Knowledge Sharing
(2015-01-26) Yamada, Samantha Akemi; Pepler, Debra J.
Knowledge translation (KT) is a key factor in improving approaches to preventing and addressing violence, abuse, and mental health problems. Knowledge sharing in an Indigenous context to improve health outcomes (i.e., Indigenous Knowledge Translation – IKT) is thought to be different than western conceptions of KT; however, research on IKT is lacking. Walking the Prevention Circle (WTPC) is a community-capacity building program developed by and for Indigenous people with the aim of preventing violence in communities. This program provided a unique opportunity to collaboratively study effective knowledge sharing in an Indigenous context. Together with the leaders of WTPC, I aimed to identify and understand the elements and processes of knowledge sharing in the context of WTPC. I studied the types of knowledge being shared, the process of sharing knowledge, the tailoring of program content and process, and barriers and catalysts to knowledge sharing in WTPC. Qualitative data were gathered from interviews with nine facilitators from across Canada. I also observed the implementation of WTPC in one community. Interview and observation data were transcribed and coded in NVivo 10 using inductive thematic analysis. To increase validity, coding was done with the assistance of an independent Indigenous research assistant and initial themes were checked with the leadership of WTPC. The findings of this research confirm the importance of aligning the content and process of knowledge sharing with the unique aspects of an Indigenous context. Understanding the influence of colonization on Indigenous communities and the subsequent lack of safety around sharing knowledge in Indigenous contexts is key. Knowledge sharing in WTPC is characterized by a decolonizing approach designed to counter the layers of colonial harm with layers of safety. Facilitators take an attuned, responsive, and humble relational stance that values knowledge already in communities. This stance creates a paradigm shift that challenges the historically unsafe process of sharing knowledge. Findings can be used by communities to advocate for more culturally-safe processes for knowledge sharing and may lead to an expanded and more culturally-safe conceptualization of knowledge translation. Findings may also guide the Canadian Red Cross in ways that support and improve the WTPC program.
Open Access
A Program Evaluation of Toronto's Mental Health Court for Youth
(2015-01-26) Davis, Krista Marie; Moore, Tim
In recent years there has been growing concern regarding the mental health needs of young people involved with the criminal justice system. As a result, the Ontario Court of Justice opened its first mental health court for youth in Toronto, Ontario in 2011. Referred to as the Community Youth Court (CYC), the program is designed to provide specialized services to justice-involved youth with mental health needs, including substance use issues. The CYC is one of many mental health courts to have recently been introduced across North America. Despite the rise of such courts, there has been limited empirical research documenting their operation and effectiveness. The current dissertation is comprised of two manuscripts exploring a process evaluation of Toronto’s mental health court for youth. The first manuscript includes a theoretical appraisal of the court’s program model and a qualitative evaluation of program implementation based on service user (i.e., youth, parents) and key informant (i.e., judges, lawyers, mental health court workers, crown attorneys) views of the program. Interviews were conducted using semi-structured interview guides and analyzed using thematic analysis. The second manuscript documents the population served through the court, predictors of program completion, the operations of the court, as well as how the court addresses the mental health and criminogenic needs of youth. Results from the two studies provide insight into areas of strength, including the program’s ability to provide a supportive environment for youth, as well as engage and link youth and their families with treatment. Areas for continued program development are also discussed, with a particular focus on the need to assess and address aspects of criminogenic need in order to help reduce recidivism. Together, these findings provide a framework for an empirically-based mental health court program for youth.
Open Access
Parent and Family Factors Related to Children's Progress in Intensive Behavioural Intervention
(2015-01-26) Shine, Rebecca; Perry, Adrienne
The goal of this study was to examine the relationship between parent and family demographic, psychosocial, and involvement factors and the progress of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in Intensive Behavioural Intervention (IBI). Children’s cognitive rates of development and parents’ perceptions of children’s progress were used to measure children’s progress in IBI. Demographic (socioeconomic status, marital status, maternal employment, and having other children with disabilities), psychosocial (parent distress, and coping), and involvement (parent involvement in IBI, and self-efficacy surrounding involvement) factors were related to children’s progress in various ways. Specifically, maternal employment, and parental involvement in IBI were predictors of increased cognitive rates of development, and coping was a predictor of increased parental perceptions of children’s progress. Clinical implications include empirical evidence for encouraging parents to be involved in their children’s treatment, along with evidence supporting maternal employment.
Open Access
The Longitudinal Examination of Body Mass Index and Internalizing Symptoms among Canadian Adolescents
(2015-01-26) Ames, Megan Elizabeth; Wintre, Maxine A. G.
Child and adolescent overweight and obesity issues are a rising concern. The mental health correlates of weight issues for youth are gaining recognition within the literature. However, the cross-sectional literature indicates that the relationship between weight and mental health problems is unclear. Further, few longitudinal studies have been completed to date. Thus, the overarching goal of the present dissertation was to examine longitudinally the relationship between body mass index (BMI) and internalizing symptoms among Canadian youth (ages 10-17, N = 6,987, 50.6% boys) using Statistics Canada’s National Longitudinal Survey of Children and Youth (NLSCY), cycles 4 to 8. In order to achieve the abovementioned goal, the dissertation is presented as two distinct studies. Given differences in the availability of measures based on age group, developmental trajectories were mapped from ages 10 to 15 and follow-up measures were analyzed for ages 16 and 17. The first study focused on the relationship between the developmental trajectories of BMI and internalizing symptoms. This objective was achieved through a parallel-process growth curve analysis, whereby the latent variables (i.e., intercept, slope, and quadratic) of the growth curves of BMI and internalizing symptoms were regressed on one another to examine the relationships over time. Results indicated that there were gender differences in trajectories and in the relationships among trajectories. More specifically, the shape of the BMI trajectory among girls (i.e., linear) and boys (i.e., quadratic) differed, possibly reflecting gender differences in pubertal timing. Regarding the parallel-process analysis, among boys, factors of the BMI trajectory predicted changes in the trajectory of internalizing symptoms. Among girls, there was a bidirectional relationship between BMI and internalizing symptoms. As heterogeneity in BMI development exists, there may be groups of youth that are most vulnerable to problems. As such, the second study used growth mixture modelling to identify different trajectory classes of BMI. Then, the trajectories of internalizing symptoms and physical activity were modelled and plotted to explore patterns across classes. Three classes were found for both boys and girls: ‘normative,’ ‘increasing,’ and ‘decreasing’ classes. Demographic attributes such as socioeconomic status, pubertal status, parent health, and community setting, were examined as predictors of class membership. Significant attributes differed between boys and girls. For both boys and girls, youth in the ‘increasing’ classes demonstrated higher levels of internalizing symptoms and lower levels of physical activity compared to other classes. Findings highlight that gender differences exist in the relationship between BMI and mental health. Implications for research and practice are discussed.
Open Access
Using a Resilience Framework to Understand Aboriginal Parenting Practices in an Urban Aboriginal Community
(2015-01-26) Hart Litwin, Leah; Bohr, Yvonne M.
Aboriginal communities in Canada have been portrayed as showing maladaptive parenting practices. Urban Aboriginal women now make up the majority of Aboriginal women in Canada, and research shows that they may face additional challenges, yet there is little understanding of the risk and protective factors at play. This exploratory study examined the parenting styles of urban Aboriginal women with the aim of gaining a better understanding of culturally determined protective factors. Eighteen Aboriginal mothers provided qualitative and quantitative data. Results suggest that being strongly affiliated with the Aboriginal culture can act as a protective factor. A greater connection to the Aboriginal culture was associated with lower levels of stress, higher levels of perceived social support and increased positive parenting practices. Cultural affiliation was also associated with more optimal childhood outcomes. Further research needs to replicate these findings and investigate cultural traditions, and how they positively influence Aboriginal parenting.
Open Access
Screening for Psychopathology in Individuals with Autism using the Vineland - II
(2015-01-26) Wells, Kerry Lee; Bebko, James M.
Research has consistently shown that individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) in combination with an intellectual disability are at greater risk for developing psychopathology than are typically developing individuals. Individuals with ASD and intellectual disability are also at increased risk of psychopathology compared to those who have an intellectual disability alone. Given this risk, accurate monitoring and screening of psychopathology in this population is critical. However, there are few well validated measures of psychopathology designed specifically for this population. The Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales – Second Edition (Vineland – II; Sparrow, Cicchetti, & Balla, 2005) is a commonly used measure of adaptive skills, and includes an optional Maladaptive Behavior Domain. The Maladaptive Behavior Domain consists of four sections, Internalizing, Externalizing, Other, and Critical Items. The Vineland-II has been used extensively with individuals who have an intellectual disability as well as with individuals who have ASD. However, the Maladaptive Behavior Domain has been overlooked in the literature and little information on its reliability, validity, or clinical utility exists. The utility of the Maladaptive Behavior Domain as a screening tool for psychopathology in individuals with ASD and intellectual disability was examined. The Vineland-II was administered to the parents/caregivers of 231 individuals between the ages of 3 and 41 years (M = 10 years 4 months) with ASD and intellectual disability. A factor analysis of the items within the maladaptive domain revealed a solution composed of six factors, which were labelled Acting Out, Social Regulation, ASD, Emotion Regulation, Socially Inappropriate, and Self-Regulation. Five of the six new factors are substantially different from the original sections. The Externalizing scale was the only original Vineland-II scale that remained relatively intact. These results suggest that for individuals with ASD and intellectual disability the Internalizing, Other, and Critical Items scales do not measure any well-defined constructs and thus do not yield meaningful information. The new factors appear to better categorize the Maladaptive Behavior Domain of the Vineland – II for individuals with ASD and intellectual disability. The reorganization of the Maladaptive Behavior Domain will allow for better detection of different forms of psychopathology in ASD and intellectual disability.
Open Access
Identifying Attention Commonalities and Differences Between Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and Autism Spectrum Disorder
(2015-08-28) Oczak, Sara; Bebko, James M.
The present study examined one of Posner and Petersen’s (1990) attention networks (i.e., orienting – the ability to selectively focus on pertinent information) in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) as compared to Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (AD/HD). The orienting processes of disengagement (i.e., reallocation of attention away from one stimulus onto another) and shifting (i.e., movement of attention from one stimulus to another) were studied via a novel eye-tracking task designed to measure exogenous (externally-cued) and endogenous (internally-cued) attention. The study’s purpose was to analyse whether unique orienting impairments are present in ASD that are separate from those observed in AD/HD. The ASD group showed marginally-significant delays with exogenous disengagement and shifting as compared to the AD/HD group. The AD/HD group showed significantly greater fixation durations when disengaging their endogenous attention as compared to the ASD group. In conclusion, patterns of unique orienting deficiencies appear to be present in the ASD population.
Open Access
The Relationships Among Caregiver Culture, Caregiver Behaviours, and Infant Pain at 12 months of Age
(2015-08-28) O'Neill, Monica Claire; Riddell, Rebecca Pillai
Objectives: The study aimed to discern whether caregiver culture influenced infant pain expression at the 12-month immunization through caregiver behaviours. A moderated mediation model was developed to examine how caregiver behaviours mediate the relationship between caregiver heritage culture and infant pain. Caregiver North American acculturation was introduced as a moderator to examine how the model was impacted when heritage cultural identification and North American acculturation were congruent or incongruent. Methods: Infants (N = 393) with immunization data at 12 months of age were examined. Caregiver behaviour measures were emotional availability rating and proximal soothing behaviour frequency. North American acculturation was measured with a numeric rating scale. Heritage culture was a novel index created from an objectively derived, ‘individualism’ rating assigned to the caregiver’s self-reported heritage culture and the caregiver’s self-reported identification with their heritage culture (i.e., the Heritage Culture Identification and Individualism Index [HCIII]). Two moderated mediation models were estimated, examining infant pain at 1 and 2 minutes post-needle. Results: Regardless, North American acculturation, caregivers who had higher identification with heritage cultures that were highly individualistic (higher HCIII) tended to show greater emotional availability, which in turn predicted decreased infant pain at both 1 and 2 minutes post-needle. Next, caregivers who had higher HCIII scores showed more proximal soothing behaviours, which in turn predicted higher infant pain at 1 minute. Conclusion: The present findings further our understanding of the mechanism by which caregiver culture (and identification with that culture) impacts infant acute pain.
Open Access
The Development of Self in Relationships: Youths' Narratives of Change Through a Residential, Wilderness and Family Therapy Intervention
(2015-08-28) Riddell, Julia Kristene; Pepler, Debra J.
One exceptional intervention for youth struggling with addictive behaviour and mental health concerns is Pine River Institute (PRI), a program for youth that combines four distinct types of services: wilderness therapy, residential treatment, parent intervention, and aftercare services. The goal of this study was to capture the youth voice regarding their journey of change through the program. Specifically, I interviewed 10 youth at different stages of the program using a semi-structured interview guide and thematic analysis to analyze the transcripts. A model emerged from the interviews that delineates the core challenges youth faced before beginning the program, the changes they feel they had made, the elements of the program linked to these changes, as well as a description of how youth engaged with one of the core tasks of adolescence (identity formation in the context of relationships). The results of this study have implications for program development and program evaluation.
Open Access
The Relationship Between Caregiver Emotional Availability, Caregiver Soothing Behaviours, and Infant Attachment Style in an Acute Pain Context: A Longitudinal Analysis
(2015-08-28) Hillgrove-Stuart, Jessica S.; Riddell, Rebecca Pillai
Through this study, the relationships between caregiver behaviours seen in immunization appointments (i.e. emotional availability, proximal soothing, distraction, verbal reassurance, and pacifying) across the first year of an infant’s life and subsequent infant attachment were examined. Three research aims were addressed: (1) to describe caregiver behaviour trajectories during routine immunizations across the infant’s first year of life; (2) to relate these caregiver behaviour trajectories to subsequent infant attachment during the second year of life, and (3) to relate caregiver behaviour trajectories within each immunization appointment, at a given infant age, to subsequent infant attachment during the second year of life. A subsample of 130 caregiver-infant dyads was recruited from an ongoing longitudinal study. Dyads were videotaped during infants’ 2-, 4-, 6-, and 12-month immunization appointments and subsequently invited to participate in an assessment of attachment when infants were between 12 and 18 months of age at the local children’s hospital. Overall, caregivers remained fairly consistent in terms of their emotional availability and use of specific soothing behaviours during immunization appointments across the first year of life. Although caregiver emotional availability was not related to infant attachment, certain discrete caregiver soothing behaviours were. Higher frequencies of caregiver proximal soothing at 12 months were related to infants’ organized attachment, whereas steeper decreases in proximal soothing across the first year were associated with disorganized infant attachment. In addition, when caregivers engaged in proximal soothing for longer after their 12-month olds’ immunization(s), these infants were more likely to be secure or organized in their attachment. In addition, an accelerating U-shaped verbal reassurance trajectory was related to subsequent organized infant attachment, whereas caregivers of infants with disorganized attachment were characterized by a verbal reassurance trajectory that started out low, increased over time, and then decelerated (i.e., the increase slowed) by 12 months of age. Also, when caregivers engaged in verbal reassurance for longer after their 2 month olds’ immunization(s), these infants were more likely to be organized in their attachment. Clinical implications and suggestions for future research are discussed.
Open Access
Personal Strengths and Their Influence on Mental Health and Academic Outcomes
(2015-08-28) Nguyen, Hien; Rawana, Jennine
Building personal strengths is an inherent part of typical development. Existing research attests to the protective effects of key strengths, such as self-esteem, family connectedness, and positive peer relationships among children and adolescents (Van Voorhees et al., 2008). Despite the growing interest in the role of strengths during childhood and adolescence, few studies have examined strengths from developmental and multidimensional perspectives. In the current study, a developmental framework was applied to study the effect of groupings, or profiles, of personal strengths on both academic and social emotional outcomes among a sample of children and adolescents (N = 414; Mage = 12.58). Three distinct profiles of personal strengths were identified: a High Strengths, Moderate Strengths, and Low Strengths profile. Each profile was associated with a unique set of personal strengths. Age and gender differences were detected, indicating that older children were more likely to belong to the Moderate Strengths profile than younger children, and boys had a greater likelihood of belonging to the Low Strengths group than girls. Better mental health and academic outcomes were associated with a greater probability of belonging to the High Strengths profile, and a lower probability of belonging to the Low Strengths and profile. Lower academic engagement was associated with a greater likelihood of belonging to the Moderate Strengths profile. Findings from the current study contribute to the growing literature on strengths and positive youth development and are relevant to researchers, clinicians, educators, and policy-makers. Abstract
Open Access
The Conceptualization and Development of Youth Leadership: A Youth-Driven Model
(2015-08-28) Schnoll, Jessica Sara; Connolly, Jennifer A.
The aim of the current dissertation was to produce a model of youth leadership development, rooted in a youth engagement framework, created through the voices of youth leaders themselves. Participants were 16 youth leaders in the Respect in Schools Everywhere (RISE) Program, a school-based, youth engagement, anti-violence program. Three different qualitative methodologies were utilized to analyze the interviews of youth leaders to develop and validate this model of youth leadership development. Specifically, an inductive, cross-case and a deductive case-based thematic analysis of pre- and post-program interviews of seven youth leaders were conducted to describe and develop the model of youth leadership. A template analysis of nine other youth leaders’ post-program interviews was conducted to validate, confirm, and expand the model. A final model of youth leadership development was created that answers the following questions: (i) How do youth leaders understand and conceptualize leadership? (ii) What leadership-related development do the youth leaders report through their experience in a youth engagement program? (iii) What youth engagement programmatic practices, or mechanisms, are associated with the leadership-related outcomes? Specifically, youth conceptualized leadership as sharing knowledge, taking initiative, being a role model, having social skills, being respectful, and as a group process. For youth, leadership was seen as a collective capacity; one that relies on a team-based approach. Through applying the main tenets of youth engagement, such as meaningful involvement, opportunities to lead, and the support of a caring adult, youth endorsed development in their leadership skills, social network, self-concept, and engagement in their school and community. Overall, the findings of this study suggest that youth engagement is a promising model for developing youth leaders. Further, not only do youth have insights and skills to impact their schools and communities, but they also have important contributions to make to the development of theory and practice.
Open Access
The Return of Satellite Babies: Two Studies Exploring and Responding to the Needs of Reunited Immigrant Families
(2015-08-28) Whitfield, Natasha Theresa Madelaine; Bohr, Yvonne M.
In this era of globalization, transnational families have been found to engage in cultural practices of parent-child separation and reunification, wherein children and parents live continents apart for years, before being reunited as a family. In Canada, these practices are adopted by immigrant families in a number of cultural communities. As the existing literature has found parent-child separation and reunification practices of this nature to be linked to poor socioemotional functioning in children, parenting difficulties, and parent-child relationship challenges, this research aimed to examine and respond to the unique needs and challenges of reunited transnational families in Chinese, African/Caribbean, and South Asian Canadian immigrant communities. Toward that end, this research was comprised of two studies. Study 1 examined the child-focused concerns, parent-focused concerns, and parent-child relational concerns in the context of parent-child separation and reunification by means of focus groups and interviews with parents in three immigrant communities. Study 2 proposed, implemented, and evaluated a brief culturally sensitive intervention tailored to the needs of reunited immigrant parent-child dyads. Results from Study 1 revealed a host of parent concerns about child behaviour, parenting struggles, and parent-child relationship challenges across all three immigrant communities which began during periods of parent-child separation, and generally persisted and/or worsened post-reunification. These findings informed Study 2, the process and evaluation of which revealed similar patterns of difficulties in child and parent socioemotional functioning and parent-child relationships. The quantitative and qualitative results of Study 2 provided evidence supporting the efficacy of an adaptation of the PCIA-II/MAP intervention for reunited transnational families, with participant program satisfaction, and significant improvements in parental report of problems, stress, and negativity in their parent-child relationship, as well as parental stress-related distress. Positive shifts in child behaviour, parental attributions, and parent-child interactions and relationship quality were also noted from pre- to post-intervention. Together, these studies contribute important data to the literature on the needs of transnational families, and advocate for continued work in this area, in the interest of providing Canadian immigrant families with much-needed supports fostering positive child development, optimal parenting, and healthy parent-child relationships.
Open Access
Cognitive Development of Substance-Exposed Children Involved with an Early Intervention Program
(2015-08-28) Jeong, Jeihyun; Pepler, Debra J.
Although there is a vast literature on the developmental challenges among children with prenatal substance exposure, the evidence is limited in terms of understanding their developments in the context of an intervention. The current study aimed to examine the cognitive development of substance-exposed infants and young children in the context of an innovative early intervention and to explore the associations between the quality of the mother-child relationship, children’s temperament characteristics and their links to an aspect of cognitive development – intellectual functioning. The results indicated that children’s reactivity to physical environments as rated by their mothers was a significant predictor of verbal domain of intellectual functioning while children’s persistence on a goal was a significant predictor of non-verbal domain. These associations were also linked to the observational scores of children’s behaviors during dyadic interactions with their mothers. The importance of these findings as well as their implications and limitations were discussed.