Pathways To Active School Travel: The Influence Of Individual, Sociodemographic, And The School Neighborhood Factors, Nathaniel C. Frisbee

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

This thesis evaluates the influence of school environment, sociodemographic, and household characteristics on the likelihood that a child will use active school travel (AST). Situated within Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory, the research examines intrapersonal, interpersonal, environmental, and policy factors impacting AST. Data is sourced from various publicly available sources and a province-wide survey. Two studies were conducted to address the key research questions. The first study employs spatial analysis within a geographic information system (GIS) to quantify built environment attributes such as sidewalks, road length, greenness, and dwelling density. Statistical techniques reveal that student age, length of sidewalks, and outdoor …

Bamboo For People And Primates: An Ethnography Of 'Convivial Connections' Between Conservation, Development And Identity On The Ecuadorian Coast., Tamara L. Britton Ma

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The coastal province of Manabí Ecuador has some of the highest rates of deforestation in Latin America, and remaining fragments are home to two primate species threatened with extinction – the mantled howler monkey (Alouatta palliata aequatorialis), and the Ecuadorian white-fronted capuchin (Cebus aequatorialis). Manabí is also reputed to contain the greatest concentration of Guadua angustifolia bamboo in the country, and the development of a sustainable bamboo economy is being promoted by some as a solution to the social and environmental issues that plague the region.

This thesis uses an ethnoprimatological approach to explore the messiness …

The Association Between Prenatal Maternal Stress, Infant Brain Volumes, And Temperament During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Amber L. Di Paolo

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Prenatal maternal stress (PNMS) is associated with altered trajectories of infant socio-emotional and brain development, including brain structures such as the amygdala and prefrontal cortex (PFC). During the COVID-19 pandemic, which was a major global stressor, PNMS was significantly elevated, yet the impact on infant neurodevelopment remains uncertain. The objective of the present study was to determine whether PNMS during the pandemic was associated with infant amygdala and PFC volumes as well as temperament. In addition, we examined whether social support and resilience during pregnancy were protective factors.

Participants were enrolled in the Canadian ‘Pregnancy during the COVID-19 Pandemic’ cohort …

Making De-Prioritized Gifts/Donations/Inventory Discoverable For Researchers, Alie Visser, Christina Zoricic

Western Libraries Presentations

This poster discusses a project to oversee the quality control and brief description of over 21,000 rare and unique items donated to the library in an unprocessed “backlog” spanning decades. The goals of this project include making the material discoverable and requestable by researchers, establishing labour benchmarks for material processing, and assigning an appropriate receiving library to items for inventory control in preparation for the cataloguing unit’s move to a new physical location.

Following a system migration from Sierra to Alma, the library was left with over 21,000 unprocessed items that were not represented in the library’s discovery system. Lacking …

Flood Hazard And Vulnerability Mapping Using Deep Learning And Earth Observation Data, Nafiseh Ghasemian Sorboni

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Urban flood risk assessment is critical for safeguarding lives and infrastructure amid frequent floods. Recent advances in Earth Observation (EO) data enable the creation of flood risk maps with enhanced spatial and temporal resolutions. While traditional Machine Learning (ML) algorithms lack optimal feature selection, Deep Learning (DL) algorithms excel in extracting complex patterns from EO data. This dissertation delves into the estimation of flood hazard and vulnerability within urban environments through DL algorithms and EO data. Several innovative methodologies were proposed: 1) A Convolutional Siamese Network (CSN) was devised for urban flood mapping using SAR satellite imagery. This method employed …

Integrating Environmental, Geographic And Network Context Into Human Mobility Analysis, Milad Malekzadeh

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The study of human mobility provides a clear framework for examining and predicting a wide range of human activities. Irrespective of the approach, understanding mobility is not just about tracking movement but also about comprehending the context in which it occurs. This can be achieved by incorporating and integrating a variety of data sources into our mobility data analysis. This thesis uses three data sources—WORKANDHOME GPS tracking data, mobile network data, and NYC Yellow Taxi data—to thoroughly investigate how human mobility is related to environmental factors, geographical contexts, and community structures.

The research begins with an evaluation of the effects …

Botho - Inspired Social Entrepreneurship In Sport: A Decolonial Intersectional Perspective On Social Entrepreneurship In Sport, Denise Kamyuka Ms

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Botswana is on a mission to reach high-income status by 2036. Therefore, the government has called for inclusive economic growth from all sectors of the economy, including the sport sector. Social entrepreneurship (SE) is recognized as a viable tool for inclusive economic growth as it presents economic opportunities for marginalized populations (particularly African women). The literature shows that SE will be beneficial in Botswana, given its high unemployment rate for women (26%) and the high percentage of female-led households (45%). However, the government’s strategies for growing the sport sector do not mention SE. In this dissertation, a group of Batswana …

Strategic Transformation Through Collaborative Innovation: Fostering Dynamic Capabilities At A Regional College Campus, Dave Shorey

The Dissertation in Practice at Western University

This Dissertation-in-Practice (DiP) explores the transformative potential of collaborative innovation at Lakeside College’s Peninsula Campus, a rural-serving regional college campus in Ontario, Canada. Employing constructivist and systems thinking, this DiP examines the barriers to innovation and strategic adaptation at the Peninsula Campus. The findings highlight the challenges of systemic underfunding, bureaucratic inertia, underdeveloped dynamic innovation capabilities, and the critical role of leadership in dismantling these barriers. Analysis reveals that a culture valuing cocreation, open communication, shared leadership, and a strong ethical foundation that explicitly commits to community engagement enhances innovation. By enhancing dynamic capabilities, the campus can better sense emergent …

Quantifying The Effects Of Climate On The Radial Growth Rates Of Urban Trees In Toronto, Ethan R. Cade

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Despite the importance of trees to urban ecosystem services and citizens’ well-being, they are an understudied aspect of modern ecology. Although some studies have been conducted in other countries, no urban dendroclimatological work has been conducted in Canada. I investigated the impact of climate on urban tree growth, focusing on Toronto. I collected cores from five tree species: red oak, European linden, sugar maple, Norway maple, and Austrian pine, from street and park locations. I found a difference in environmental stress by location and by species, with street trees exhibiting negative correlations between summer temperature and growth. Norway maple and …

"It’S Not A Science Isolated In A Bubble": Grave Encounters In Forensic Anthropology In Colombia And Peru, Franziska Albrecht

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

My doctoral research explores the experience of forensic anthropologists in places of sociopolitical unrest, specifically focusing on Colombia and Peru. Forensic anthropologists, who specialise in identifying skeletal remains, analysing skeletal trauma, and providing expert opinions on the circumstances of death, often serve as expert witnesses in legal proceedings. However, in Latin America, the concept of witnessing extends beyond the courtroom, encompassing a broader spectrum of knowledge generation. This dissertation examines the diverse encounters faced by forensic anthropologists in Colombia and Peru, including encounters with human remains and the legacies of political violence, encounters with the families of the missing, perpetrators, …

Good Vibes Are Contagious: Exploring Within- And Between-Person Predictors Of Grit In Group Environments, Rachel K. Edwards

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The groups we belong to and people we surround ourselves with can influence our goal pursuit through the types of goals we pursue and effort we put into pursuing them. Grit is one psychological construct encompassing passion and perseverance for goals that has yet to be thoroughly examined as it emerges across specific contexts. This thesis explored how perceptions of the group environment and group member goal interest and perseverance interact to influence individual context-specific grit. Study 1 examined a student club sample to investigate between-person associations of variables across groups exhibiting different levels of perceived interdependence. Study 2 aimed …

The Impact Of Emotional Sounds On Arousal And Task Performance, Brian Wu

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

In times of emotional arousal, it is hypothesized that neural processes are triggered to “heighten” our senses to better respond to threatening stimuli. Some studies have tested this by exposing participants to emotional sounds to determine their impacts on visual acuity but have found mixed results. Previous studies have not investigated interactions between arousal induced by emotional sounds and visual acuity. Participants (N = 42) performed an orientation detection task while presented in silence or with sounds that varied in valence. Results displayed comparable accuracy across conditions but significantly faster response times during the presentation of negative sounds on the …

Period Poverty And Menstrual Perceptions Among Unhoused Menstruators In An Urban Center In Southern Ontario, Kristina D N Fernando

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The purpose of this study is to uncover, describe and examine period poverty among unhoused menstruators accessing an urban shelter in Southern Ontario. Situated in a postmodern feminist lens and explored through thematic analysis, I employ participant observations and semi-structured interviews with shelter residents (n=13) and shelter staff (n=3) to conduct an exploratory case study at Dahlia Women and Family Shelter. The study findings suggest that menstruators at Dahlia experience period poverty and undergo significant challenges to their menstrual hygiene management. Menstrual perceptions were also found to vary based on the menstrual education that menstruators received …

Essays On Firms And Climate Change, Emmanuel Murray Leclair

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

This thesis comprises three chapters examining firms' and markets' responses to regulation within the context of climate change.

In Chapter 2, I analyze how steel firms in India would respond to counterfactual carbon pricing, revealing a 70% emissions reduction for a carbon tax equivalent to 2,000 INR/ton (25 USD/ton) of carbon dioxide equivalent. By developing and estimating a rich production model, I find that only 18% of this reduction stems from fuel-switching within firms, while the majority comes from output reallocation across firms. This is because firms are differentially exposed to the tax, which increases the competitiveness of cleaner firms …

On Mothers And Measures: The (Re)Production Of Mothering Ideologies In Psychological Measures Of Motherhood, Ella R. Keogh

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Across disciplines, researchers look to motherhood as a site of theorization about the growth and wellbeing of the population because of their important role in biological and social reproduction. Psychologists frequently study motherhood and as such play an important role in producing an ideal maternal subject. Past research has shown that the measurement tools we use in psychology are laden with bias, stereotypes, and ideologies about the group being studied and as such are producing ideologically charged results that filter into the world under the semblance of scientific objectivity (McClelland et al., 2020). Using critical measurement analysis, I found that …

Planetary Exploration Via Fully Automatic Topological Structure Extraction Using Adaptive Resonance, Jonathan Kissi

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Renewed interest in Solar System exploration, along with ongoing improvements in computing, robotics and instrumentation technologies, have reinforced the case for remote science acquisition systems development in space exploration. Testing systems and procedures that allow for autonomously collected science has been the focus of analogue field deployments and mission planning for some time, with such systems becoming more relevant as missions increase in complexity and ambition. The introduction of lidar and laser scanning-type instruments into the geological and planetary sciences has proven popular, and, just as with the established image and photogrammetric methods, has found widespread use in several research …

Shakamohtaa: Connecting And Coming Together To Support International Student Career Readiness, Sabreena Macelheron

The Dissertation in Practice at Western University

Abstract

In the evolving Canadian landscape, permanent residency acquisition has undergone a transformative shift from land sales to educational credential procurement. Canadian higher education markets post-secondary qualifications to international students (IS) seeking migration routes, posing nuanced challenges. IS, despite holding higher education credentials, often find themselves relegated to non-field specific jobs due to existing disparities in the Canadian job market. Amid this equation, IS grapple with the essential need for pre-and-post graduate career experiences to fulfill eligibility criteria for permanent residency application. This pursuit extends beyond merely aligning with their credentials, requiring conformity to approved national occupation codes aligned with …

Listening To Transgender And Autistic Voices: Reflecting On Affirming Research And Mental Health Practices, Kameron Bm Kirbyson

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Those who are both autistic and transgender/gender diverse, an often-overlooked group, face difficulties accessing gender-affirming care and appropriate therapy and have higher rates of mental health complications. This study focused on listening to the voices of people who live with both of these identities through semi-structured interviewing and by centring the writer who is also autistic and transgender. Seven participants shared their experiences and highlighted issues they have come up against while trying to access care. Thematic analysis revealed several themes that were sorted into barriers and strengths. Barriers included autism symptoms, complex medical factors, interactions with institutions, traumatic events, …

Bioarchaeological Knowledge Mobilization And The Museum As Knowledge Broker, Teegan Muggridge

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Knowledge mobilization – the process of creating, disseminating, and using knowledge to generate real-world value and impact – is essential in research. The highly contextual nature of human remains poses unique challenges for successful bioarchaeological knowledge mobilization, requiring these projects to address historico-cultural, sociopolitical, and ethical contexts in order to mobilize knowledge in a way that is both accurate and appropriate for diverse communities. This thesis considers the way that museums, as places of community heritage and engagement, may serve as knowledge brokers, facilitating meaningful interactions between researchers and the wider public. Exploring museum professional perspectives in conjunction with an …

Educators’ Perspectives On Teacher Mental Health And Professional Development., Sybil Hw Chan

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Educator wellness is inextricably linked to their ability to teach and support students in the classroom. However, limited research has examined the factors that influence educator mental health in Canada, and the role of mental health-based professional development in these relationships. Therefore, the present mixed-method, multi-phase study examined the current knowledge, understandings, and beliefs about professional development and mental wellness for Canadian teacher candidates and associate teachers. Results from a binomial logistic regression found that higher educator psychological distress was positively correlated with presenteeism, and negatively correlated with workplace psychological safety. A reflexive thematic analysis of twelve semi-structured interviews further …

Caught Off Guard: The Fascinating Power Of Surprise In Capturing Covert And Overt Attention, Shahd Abu-Jazar

Brescia Psychology Undergraduate Honours Theses

Attention is a critical mental process that allows individuals to focus on pertinent information and filter out distractors. This study's primary goal was to examine how surprise draws attention, which is significant as it may have an impact on memory and learning. This study examines the influence of surprise on attentional capture, both overt and covert, across different levels of outcome predictability in everyday situations using repeated measures ANOVAs. Building on the concept that unexpected events can trigger heightened alertness and memory encoding, we hypothesized that scenarios with less-known outcomes would elicit a stronger attentional response compared to known and …

Retrospective Pre-Post Evaluation Of A Healthy Relationships And Mental Health Promotion Program For 2s/Lgbtqia+ Youth, Nikita Kalwani

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Research has found that 2S/LGBTQIA+ youth experience disproportionately high mental health concerns and barriers to accessing support. Protective factors such as school-based support, peer support, and mental health interventions have been found to buffer this risk. The Healthy Relationships Program (HRP) for 2S/LGBTQIA+ Youth is a positive mental health promotion program that aims to build resiliency, bolster healthy relationship skills, and promote well-being among 2S/LGBTQIA+ youth. This study aimed to evaluate the outcomes, effectiveness, and feasibility of implementing this program within Gender and Sexuality/Gay-Straight Alliances (GSAs) in secondary schools. Data from students (N = 17) and GSA advisors who …

Perceived Parental Pressure And Coping Mechanisms In Undergraduate Students, Ariel Tran

Brescia Psychology Undergraduate Honours Theses

With the rising pressure and competition to succeed academically, it is common for students to feel pressured to perform at a certain level. When this pressure to perform primarily stems from parental figures, there are inconsistent studies determining the effect of parental pressure, the student’s ability to cope with those stressors, and the internalization of those pressure to succeed. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to uncover the relationship between perceived parental pressure, self-oriented perfectionism and coping self-efficacy amongst first year university students. A sample of 70 female students completed a series of self-reported questionnaires that included an abbreviated …

The Relationship Between Covid-19 Social Isolation, Social Anxiety, And Locus Of Control, Phoebe B. Everest

Brescia Psychology Undergraduate Honours Theses

The current study examined the post-pandemic effects of social isolation following Covid-19. The researchers were interested in social anxiety disorder (SAD) levels among young women and predicted that the personality variable of locus of control (LOC) could influence SAD levels. Participants were recruited from the only all-female university in Canada, Brescia University College (N=64). The researchers correlated the variables of interest using the Lubben Social Network Scale (LSNS-R), Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale (LSAS), and Rotter’s internal-external control scale. The researchers hypothesized that there would be a negative correlation between pandemic social engagement and current levels of SAD. This hypothesis was …

Exploring Counsellors’ Insights Into Effective Support For Clients With Low Income, Skylar Rego

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Individuals with low income may experience a greater need for mental health services due to the substantial life challenges and stressors they experience. However, more research needs to explore what has been effective in improving services for this population. The present study addressed this gap through counsellors’ perspectives to identify what has been helpful when working with low-income populations. Counsellors completed an interview regarding their personal and professional experiences working with low-income populations, answering the question, “What have you found to be the most helpful aspects of counselling with clients facing low income?”. Participants then completed a sorting task using …

Exploring The Feasibility And Outcomes Of Concurrent Parent And Child Mindfulness-Based Interventions, Melissa Read

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Mindfulness-Based Interventions (MBIs) have shown to be effective in improving child and parent outcomes, including parental stress (Burgdorf et al., 2019; Friedmutter, 2016), child behaviour problems, and child executive functioning (Cheang et al., 2019; Donald et al., 2019; Dunning et al., 2019). The field of mindfulness has evolved to include parents and children together in programs, called parallel or concurrent parent and child MBIs. Children who have experienced adversity may be at a greater need for MBIs, as MBIs target stress and emotion regulation, areas where these children may need greater support (Bethell et al., 2016; Brenmer, 2003). As a …

Social Location & Counsellor Identity: A Reflexive Analysis Of Social Power And The Therapeutic Use Of Self, Stephanie R. Page

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

It has become widely appreciated that health and mental health are impacted by interconnected systems of inequity and individual social location. With demand for psychological services increasing in Canada, there does exist a need to better understand how social location relates to counselling. A random sample of 19 CCPA registered Canadian Counsellors were interviewed and asked about their social location. Participant responses were transcribed and qualitatively analyzed using the Six-Phase Model for Reflexive Thematic Analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2022). One theme and two sub-themes were carved out: Participant Asset Experiences (25), Self-Identification (15), and Blind Spots (10). Findings relate to …

Exploring Food Insecurity And Its Relationships To Perceived Stress And Sleep Quality In Female Undergraduate Students, Zainah Tk Abushanab

Brescia Psychology Undergraduate Honours Theses

This study investigated whether students who scored high in Food Insecurity, would have higher levels of Perceived Stress and lower Sleep Quality. Additionally, this study sought to clarify different types of stressors and their individual contribution to Sleep Quality Risk and Subjective Mental Health. The sample consisted of 65 female undergraduate students at a university in London, Ontario. A Kendall’s tau-b correlation analysis revealed a significant positive correlation between Food Insecurity and Sleep Quality Risk. A significant positive correlation was also found a significant, positive relationship between Food Insecurity and Perceived Stress. Additionally, a significant negative relationship was revealed between …

Anxiety In Children And Adolescents With Autism Spectrum Disorder: Behavioural Phenotypes And Environmental Factors, Caitlin E. Leachman Miss

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Anxiety is the most prevalent comorbidity among children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The phenotypical presentation of anxiety among children and adolescents with ASD is lacking within the literature. This study sought to differentiate behavioral phenotypes associated with anxiety in children with ASD from anxiety in typically-developing children. Participants completed a series of child and parent reports measuring anxiety, depressive symptoms, ASD symptom severity, emotional problems, parental stress, and socioeconomic factors. Three distinct anxiety profiles, including moderate, high, and low, were identified. Results demonstrated that depression is the strongest predictor of high anxiety among children and adolescents with …

Barriers To Working With Low Income Clients As Experienced By Counsellors, Riley Keast

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

This study aimed to answer the question “what are the perceived barriers or challenges counsellors experience when working with low income clients in their practice following COVID-19?”. Participants were recruited via mass email sent to professionals registered with the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association (CCPA), who then completed a survey via Qualtrics (n = 322). 113 Canadian counsellors from across Canada were interviewed. Data obtained from interviews was analyzed using concept mapping software GroupWisdom. Participants (n = 29) grouped the statements into seven themes including: barriers due to low income and employment, systemic barriers for clients, barriers due to …