Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Understanding The Effects Of Physical Activity On Executive Functioning And Psycho-Emotional Well-Being In Children With Adhd, Hannah B. Bigelow

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

A short bout of physical activity has been shown to improve executive functioning in children. However, the implications for children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) has been understudied. We examined the impact of a 10min bout of physical activity on executive functioning and psycho-emotional well-being in children with ADHD. Participants engaged in two lab-based sessions separated by 1-week: a physical activity session and a control session. The physical activity session included a 10min bout of moderate-intensity biking, with a pre-post battery of cognitive and psycho-emotional assessments. The control session consisted of 10mins of silent reading. We used functional imaging …

Pregnancy In Peril: The Impact Of Conflict On Antenatal Care And Skilled Birth Attendant Utilization In The Democratic Republic Of The Congo And Burundi, Bianca R. Ziegler

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

As of 2019, over two billion people globally reside in conflict-affected areas, and as a result, face negative health implications. Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo are among those countries classified as fragile and conflict-affected situations, resulting in disproportionally high maternal mortality rates. Grounded in Andersen’s Model of Healthcare Utilization, this thesis employed multivariate binary logistic regressions to examine factors which influence antenatal care and skilled birth attendant usage in these two countries. Findings indicate that women living in high conflict regions were significantly less likely than those in low conflict regions to have their first antenatal care …

Airborne Observations Of Thermal Anisotropy From Urban Residential Neighbourhoods In Salt Lake City, Utah, Samantha J. Claessens

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Urban surface temperatures are important variables in urban climatological processes. This thesis examines the directional variability of remotely sensed urban surface temperatures (thermal anisotropy or Λ) for three vegetated residential neighbourhoods in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA. Airborne thermal remote sensing using a thermal imager sampled the directional brightness temperature (DBT) at three times within a day for each site. Results indicate that temporal variability over a 20 – 30-minute flight was not negligible. Average DBT were then extracted from atmospherically corrected images and plotted on polar plots. For low density residential neighbourhoods Λ is increased with increasing tree-canopy coverage …

The Sequelae Of Psychological Symptoms Exhibited By Children Exposed To Trauma: A Developmental Perspective, Ying (Annie) Yang

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Children who experience developmental trauma often exhibit a constellation of symptoms across several psycho-social-bio domains. This study explored the symptom clusters that school-age children and adolescents who have experienced maltreatment exhibit and whether these children/adolescents can be differentiated from those without trauma histories. Using data from the Child and Youth Mental Health instrument, exploratory factor analyses of clinical items were completed for children/adolescents who have experienced maltreatment. Six factors for children (i.e., dysregulation in cognitive processes, dysregulation in self-concept, externalizing behaviours, violent or high-risk behaviours, indicators of withdrawal and depression, and hyperarousal and anxiety behaviours) and 5 factors for adolescents …

Examining The Impact Of Participatory Agroecology On Social Capital, Sustainable Land Management And Nutrition In Smallholder Farming Communities In Malawi, Moses Mosonsieyiri Kansanga

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Globally, hunger has been on the rise, with concentration among smallholder farmers who paradoxically constitute the majority of the world’s food-producing population. In sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) where smallholder agriculture dominates, the persistent failure of the agricultural system to address the food needs of the population has been linked to the interactive effect of multiple drivers, including climate change, environmental degradation, social inequalities, political instability and the increased alignment of smallholder farming towards an input-intensive model. Over the past few decades, most governments in SSA have resorted to an input-intensive production approach for improving smallholder agriculture, which emphasizes the use of …

Exploring The Impacts Of Learning Challenges For Children Not Yet Identified With A Learning Disability, Giuseppe D. Capozza

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Significant learning challenges can manifest years before children are often eligible to be diagnosed with a Learning Disability (LD). Without a formal diagnosis, many children are often limited in the resources and supports that may receive and critical opportunities for early intervention are missed. This study sought to understand and assess the impact of learning challenges experienced by school-aged children (Grades 1 to 9) who had not yet formally received a diagnosis. Ten parents were recruited from London, Ontario and its surroundings counties (Elgin, Middlesex, Oxford) who were caring for children with significant learning challenges. Data were collected using a …

Microdosing Mindfulness: Understanding The Effects Of Brief Mindfulness Meditation In Children With Adhd, Marcus D. Gottlieb

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Mindfulness Meditation (MM) is receiving increased empirical support as a method for addressing ADHD symptomology. Research shows that MM interventions lasting weeks or months promote key aspects of cognitive and psycho-emotional functioning in youth with ADHD. Using a pre-post within-subjects design, we sought to determine whether a single MM session supports neurocognitive and/or psycho-emotional functioning in youth with ADHD. Sixteen participants aged 10-14 completed measures of executive and psycho-emotional functioning before/after a 10-minute MM session and silent reading control. Functional neuroimaging assessed whether MM supported changes in prefrontal cortex (PFC) activation during cognitive tasks. We found that a single MM …

Essays On Housing Markets, Yuxi Yao

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Housing assets have long been the most important assets in household portfolios. Therefore, understanding the long-run trends of the key indicators in the housing market is important for understanding household housing tenure choice and asset allocation, evaluating household welfare, and analyzing financial stability. My thesis consists of three chapters accounting for the changes in homeownership rates, cross-city distribution of prices and rents, and aggregate housing prices in the United States for the past several decades.

Chapter 2 focuses on the decline in the homeownership rate among young households since 1980. I find that while some of the college graduates merely …

Investigating Elementary School Food Programs: Impacts On Child Knowledge And Dietary Behaviours, Paige Colley

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Good nutrition is an important part of maintaining a healthy lifestyle. A balanced diet can promote positive health outcomes, protecting against health problems caused by nutritional deficiencies. Canada has reported poor diet quality and high rates of overweight and obesity among children. Obesity has been linked to several non-communicable diseases including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and some forms of cancer. Efforts to improve lifelong, healthy eating behaviours must be implemented.

This dissertation investigated the impacts of school food programming on child nutrition. A Centrally Procured School Food Program (CPSFP) was implemented at 30 elementary schools in Southwestern Ontario, Canada. …

Recognizing Relational Boredom And Coping With It Through The Introduction Of Novelty, Kiersten Dobson

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Relational boredom is a pervasive and potentially damaging relationship experience, but accurately perceiving these experiences in one’s partner may offer the opportunity for corrective action. The current studies examine whether romantic partners are accurate and biased in their perceptions of each other’s relational boredom (Studies 1-3), how these (in)accurate perceptions are associated with relationship quality (Studies 1-3), and the best practices for incorporating relationship maintenance behaviours to cope with the knowledge of one’s partner’s boredom (Studies 4-6). Studies 1 and 2 examine romantic couples’ accuracy, bias, and the consequences of these constructs on relationship quality cross-sectionally, while Study 3 examines …

Ken Moore: A National Story Of An Indigenous Athlete, James C. Mccormick

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The shortage of Indigenous representation in sport history literature is unmistakable. Interest is growing to acknowledge stories of untold numbers of Indigenous athletes who remain inconspicuous in Canadian sport history. One way to accomplish this is to publicize the national stories of these athletes as the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) recommends. This thesis, which focuses on the life of Ken Moore, presents his accomplishments as an athlete, but moreover, offers a version of his national story by shedding light on the challenges he faced as an Indigenous athlete. The paper includes an assessment of the responsibilities of the TRC, …

Maternal Immune Activation Alters Fetal Brain Development And Enhances Proliferation Of Neural Precursor Cells In Rats, Kelly J. Baines, Dendra M. Hillier, Faraj L. Haddad, Nagalingam Rajakumar, Susanne Schmid, Stephen J. Renaud

Brain and Mind Institute Researchers' Publications

Maternal immune activation (MIA) caused by exposure to pathogens or inflammation during critical periods of neurodevelopment is a major risk factor for behavioral deficits and psychiatric illness in offspring. A spectrum of behavioral abnormalities can be recapitulated in rodents by inducing MIA using the viral mimetic, PolyI:C. Many studies have focused on long-term changes in brain structure and behavioral outcomes in offspring following maternal PolyI:C exposure, but acute changes in prenatal development are not well-characterized. Using RNA-Sequencing, we profiled acute transcriptomic changes in rat conceptuses (decidua along with nascent embryo and placenta) after maternal PolyI:C exposure during early gestation, which …

The Impact Of Partners In Doubles Racquet Sports And Interpersonal Emotional Regulation, Sarah J. Deck

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The overall purpose of this dissertation was to understand the impact that partner play has in doubles racquet sports (tennis, badminton and squash) on emotions, coping and emotional regulation. Study 1 laid the groundwork to understanding the impact (positive or negative) that the different types of partner play (playing well, playing normal, or playing poorly) has in these dyads. Participants (N=103) were randomized into one of three scenarios (written vignettes) designed to manipulate partners play and asked to fill out a questionnaire packet based on the scenario read. Findings of Study 1 showed that there was a difference in the …

An Examination Of Child And Youth Mental Health Service Urgency In Ontario, Valbona Semovski

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Ontario’s capacity to treat children and adolescents in mental health crisis is outweighed by the number and needs of individuals requiring treatment. A lack of standardized assessments for prioritizing individuals has contributed to long wait times for treatment and a paucity of information to help prioritize those requiring urgent services. This study examined whether sector (e.g., school, hospital), sex, age, legal guardianship, interpersonal and school conflict, intellectual disability and comorbid health conditions predicted greater mental health service urgency in 61,448 children (ages 4 to 18 years) assessed using the interRAI Child and Youth Mental Health Screener. Additionally, differences in mental …

The Relationship Between Schizotypal Traits And The Perceptual Processes Of Multisensory Integration, Temporal Processing, And Speech Perception, Anne-Marie Muller

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Multisensory integration, the binding of sensory information from different sensory modalities, may contribute to perceptual symptomatology in schizophrenia, including hallucilllnations and aberrant speech perception. Differences in multisensory integration and temporal processing, an important component of multisensory integration, are consistently found in schizophrenia. Evidence is emerging that these differences extend across the schizophrenia spectrum, including individuals in the general population with higher schizotypal traits. In two studies, the relationship between schizotypal traits and perceptual functioning is investigated. We hypothesized associations between higher schizotypal traits and decreased multisensory integration, increased auditory speech distractibility, and less precise temporal processing. In Study 1, higher …

A Longitudinal Person-Centred Investigation Of Commitment In Newcomers To The Military, Brittney K. Anderson

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Organizational commitment is a force that binds individuals to their company through their desire, obligation, and need to stay. Employees who are committed to the organization are more likely to demonstrate higher engagement, greater satisfaction, and fewer intentions to leave their company. Research has also demonstrated that investigating how each of the three forms of commitment – affective, normative, and continuance – interact allows for better prediction of employee outcomes. Using person-centred approaches, previous research has shown that there are typically five to seven profiles of commitment, and that membership in these profiles has implications for employee behaviours. However, little …

The Measurement Of Job Satisfaction Among Workplace Leaders: Scale Development And Validation Of The Leader Satisfaction Assessment, Erica A. Sutherland

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

As one of the most well-researched constructs in I/O psychology, the job attitudes literature is saturated with assessments of job satisfaction. However, none of these measures have explicitly examined the nature of job satisfaction among workplace leaders, a subset of employees who have the potential to influence organizations in substantive and meaningful ways. As such, the purpose of this dissertation was to examine the measurement of job satisfaction among leaders. A series of interviews and open-ended survey questionnaires were administered to a diverse group of leaders, employed across a variety of organizations and industries, to identify what facets contributed most …

Resonance, A Step Towards A Fluency For Complexity: The Science, Language, And Epistemology Of Gregory Bateson, Won Jeon

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

This thesis confronts the urgency with which new language and vocabulary is required to move beyond linear assumptions in mainstream science and humanities, as well as global policy making. I examine Gregory Bateson’s body of work in history and philosophy of science, psychiatry and psychotherapy, anthropology, biology and ecology designed to communicate the necessarily interdisciplinary consideration for a nonlinear and recursive investigation of the self, other, and environment. Such intellectual forays cannot be dismissed as non-scientific. I offer definitions and contextualizations of key terms derived from cybernetics, new materialisms, and posthumanism (such as emergence, process, paradox, metaphor, fractality) to speak …

What Explains The Relationship Between Spatial And Mathematical Skills? A Review Of Evidence From Brain And Behavior, Zachary Hawes, Daniel Ansari

Brain and Mind Institute Researchers' Publications

There is an emerging consensus that spatial thinking plays a fundamental role in how people conceive, express, and perform mathematics. However, the underlying nature of this relationship remains elusive. Questions remain as to how, why, and under what conditions spatial skills and mathematics are linked. This review paper addresses this gap. Through a review and synthesis of research in psychology, neuroscience, and education, we examine plausible mechanistic accounts for the oft-reported close, and potentially causal, relations between spatial and mathematical thought. More specifically, this review targets candidate mechanisms that link spatial visualization skills and basic numerical competencies. The four explanatory …

Diffusion Dispersion Imaging: Mapping Oscillating Gradient Spin-Echo Frequency Dependence In The Human Brain., Aidin Arbabi, Jason Kai, Ali R Khan, Corey A Baron

Brain and Mind Institute Researchers' Publications

PURPOSE: Oscillating gradient spin-echo (OGSE) diffusion MRI provides information about the microstructure of biological tissues by means of the frequency dependence of the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC). ADC dependence on OGSE frequency has been explored in numerous rodent studies, but applications in the human brain have been limited and have suffered from low contrast between different frequencies, long scan times, and a limited exploration of the nature of the ADC dependence on frequency.

THEORY AND METHODS: Multiple frequency OGSE acquisitions were acquired in healthy subjects at 7T to explore the power-law frequency dependence of ADC, the "diffusion dispersion." Furthermore, a …

Considerations For School Reopening In Ontario: Building A More Resilient Education System For Recovery, Prachi Srivastava

Education Publications

School closures in Ontario affect over 2 million elementary and secondary school students. Ontario issued the first school closure announcement on 12 March 2020 to take effect for an initial period from 14 March to 4 April 2020, compelling all publicly funded elementary and secondary schools to close during this time.On 17 March 2020, the government declared an official state of emergency under s 7.0.1 (1) of the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act. This required the immediate closure of all private schools as defined in the Education Act and of all licensed child care centres, amongst other public …

Developing A Feasible Survey For Community Organizations To Evaluate A Healthy Relationships Program, Maria C. Ibanez

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

For community-based organizations that work with vulnerable youth, evaluation measures and activities are important strategies for assessing a program’s impact on youth on different outcomes. However, rigorous program evaluation involving pretest-posttest measures and control trials are impractical to implement in community settings. It is critical for organizations to continuously measure programming efficacy, as it is an issue of accountability, ethical responsibility, and program improvement. Additionally, funders, policymakers, and stakeholders typically require organizations to monitor the effects of programming in their setting to continue receiving support. However, organizations conduct program evaluation under many constraints. There is an emergent need for a …

Implementation Adherence And Perspectives Of The Physical Activity (Play) Policy Study: A Process Evaluation, Monika B. Szpunar

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

This study entailed a process evaluation of the Childcare PhysicaL ActivitY (PLAY) Policy. Early childhood educators (ECEs) in childcare centres (n = 5) delivered the policy (which included 8 recommendations) and documented adherence (i.e., dose) in daily implementation logs. Program evaluation surveys (n = 21) and interviews (n = 10) were completed post-intervention to assess barriers/facilitators, feasibility, enjoyment, and likelihood of future implementation. Descriptive statistics and thematic analysis were conducted. Adherence was highest for delivery of child-directed play (85.9%) and lowest for delivery of frequent outdoor periods (16.5%). Participants reported they were likely to continue policy implementation, …

On Guard For Thee: Global Citizenship And Canada-U.S. Relations, Erika Simpson

Political Science Publications

The article explores the evolving dynamics between Canada and the United States amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, highlighting divergent approaches and their implications for global perception. It contrasts Canada's cooperative, evidence-based response under Prime Minister Justin Trudeau with U.S. policies characterized by isolationism and "me first" strategies. Canada's proactive humanitarian aid efforts, international solidarity initiatives, and commitment to sustainable development goals are emphasized as core elements of its global identity. The piece underscores Canada's bid for a UN Security Council seat, framing it as an opportunity to advocate for multilateralism and solidarity on the world stage.

Can Community Gardens Improve Food Banks And Food Centers? Lessons From Two Southwestern Ontario Cases, Sydney Phillips

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

This thesis examines the efforts of the Local Community Food Center in Stratford, Ontario and the Women’s Rural Resource Center in Strathroy, Ontario to establish community gardening programs. The research centers on qualitative interviews with 9 key informants and 16 participants conducted from June to August of 2019, as well as participant observation in the gardens and the day-to-day operations of the institutions. The primary aim of this research was to understand how relationships between food banks, food centers, and community gardens function, and how community gardens can affect the food choices of regular users of food banks and food …

After The Great Lockdown, Far-Sighted Global Cooperation Will Be Heralded And Lauded As Wise, Erika Simpson

Political Science Publications

The article argues against prioritizing military spending in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, advocating instead for global cooperation and investment in human security and development. It critiques the allocation of resources towards defense capabilities, urging governments to redirect funds to critical sectors like healthcare, education, and employment to address economic challenges exacerbated by the pandemic. Highlighting UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres' call to cease armed conflicts in favor of combating COVID-19 collectively, the piece emphasizes the need for a paradigm shift towards sustainable, cooperative solutions rather than militarization. It questions the effectiveness and ethical implications of continued military investments amid …

Characterizing Putative Sexually Dimorphic Effects Of A Propionic Acid Induced Autism Spectrum Disorder Phenotype In Adult Male And Female Rats, Katie C. Benitah

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Research suggests that certain gut and dietary factors may worsen symptoms in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Studies have shown that treatment with the bacterial product, propionic acid (PPA), elicits neuroinflammatory and behavioral responses in rats that are characteristic of ASD in humans. A consistent male bias in ASD prevalence has been observed, and several sex-differential genetic and hormonal factors have been suggested to contribute. However, most studies of ASD, including those involving PPA, focus on males. The present study explored putative sex differences in the effects of PPA (500mg/kg) on a rat behavioral ASD phenotype and the influence of the …

What Moves, Why, And How: The Contribution Of Austronesian, Lisa Demena Travis, Diane Massam

Austronesian Formal Linguistics Association (AFLA)

No abstract provided.

Subjecthood And Unmarkedness In Niuean, Rebecca Tollan

Austronesian Formal Linguistics Association (AFLA)

No abstract provided.

V=Nya In Colloquial Malay, Mathieu Paillé

Austronesian Formal Linguistics Association (AFLA)

No abstract provided.