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Being believed: Life history and the healing journey of Indian Residential School survivors
No full textA Thesis Submitted to the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Adult Education and Community Engagement, University of Regina. xi, 153 p.This study explored the lives of two Elders who are Indian Residential School Survivors and asked whether they felt that being believed was a component of their healing processes of overcoming violence at Indian Residential School. I used the notion of “being believed” as an experience linked to epistemic injustice (an injustice related to knowledge and power differences). A considerable part of the Survivors’ healing processes centred on their experience with an out-of-court reparations process known as the Independent Assessment Process (IAP), a compensatory component of the Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement (IRSSA). The study used life history research.
A necessary element of life history research is learning about the life of the storyteller, and this study encouraged the Elders/Survivors to tell their stories about their lives from their perspective, culture, and within broader societal circumstances. The Elders/Survivors discussed knowledge systems, systems of power, healing processes, knowledge dissemination, and the Indian residential school compensation programs, especially the IAP. One unexpected finding was the Elders/Survivors felt the support of non-Indigenous peoples in the dissemination of Indigenous knowledge was important. The results suggest how epistemic (in)justice can be better understood by adult educators whose work includes social justice and democratizing knowledge, including practices which can be used to develop policy linked to healing process programs or compensation programs.
Keywords: Elders, Survivors, Indian Residential Schools, Independent Assessment Process, epistemic injustice, healing process, life history, storytellingStudentye
Risk and protective factors associated with depression severity in Canada: a population-based study of the 2017-2018 Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS)
No full textA Thesis Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Psychology, University of Regina. ix, 63 p.Depression is a highly prevalent and costly contributor to the global burden of disease. Many empirically supported risk (e.g., sedentary behaviour) and protective (e.g., social support) factors associated with depression exist. Investigating the relationship of risk and protective factors with depression using a current, representative sample from the Canadian population provides utility for policy-makers and clinicians to shape messaging surrounding depression and target their future research and treatment effectively. The current investigation involved analysis of participant data (n = 113,290) from the 2017-2018 Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS). The CCHS makes use of psychometrically validated measures such as the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) and the Social Provisions Survey (SPS-10) to assess depression and related factors. Using regression models, sleep, sedentary behaviour, and social support were demonstrated as pertinent risk and protective factors to be considered in future longitudinal research oriented towards depression (p <.001). Being younger, particularly between the ages of 20 and 29, and female emerged as sociodemographic predictors of depression (p <.001). Counterintuitively, physical activity was not a significant predictor of depression severity in the current study. Results of the present research provide valuable insight into the health behaviours of Canadians as they relate to depression. To address the unmet need in terms of mental health services in Canada, the development and dissemination of a self-guided program to treat mild-to-moderate depression may help to reduce the burden on primary care, and the Canadian healthcare system as a whole
Parenting Challenges of Refugee Families in Canada during the COVID-19 Pandemic
No full textThis video shares the parenting challenges of refugee families in Canada during the COVID-19 pandemic and presents their recommendations on need-based support for refugee parents during this vulnerable time. This study was undertaken in Saskatchewan, Canada which has a noticeable increase in refugee families with children. Dr Shela Hirani and her team acknowledge the support of the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) and the University of Regina that funded this project
Web-Based Mindfulness Meditation as an Adjunct to Internet-Delivered Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Public Safety Personnel: Mixed Methods Feasibility Evaluation Study
No full textBackground: Public safety personnel (PSP) are individuals who work to ensure the safety and security of communities (eg,
correctional workers, firefighters, paramedics, and police officers). PSP have a high risk of developing mental disorders and face
unique barriers to traditional mental health treatments. The PSP Wellbeing Course is a transdiagnostic, internet-delivered cognitive
behavioral therapy (iCBT) course tailored to assist PSP with symptoms of depression, anxiety, and posttraumatic stress disorder
(PTSD). The initial course outcomes are promising, but some clients report some challenges with learning skills and recommend
adding additional resources. Mindfulness meditations, which help people to experience the world and their reactions to the world
in open and nonjudgmental ways, may complement the existing PSP Wellbeing Course.
Objective: This study aims to examine the feasibility of mindfulness meditations in iCBT tailored for PSP. Information was
gathered to evaluate engagement and client experiences with mindfulness meditations, symptom change, and the relationship
between mindfulness meditation use and symptom change.
Methods: A mixed methods study was conducted on PSP enrolled in the PSP Wellbeing Course who were offered 5 mindfulness
meditations during the program (ie, 1/lesson). Clients completed questionnaires on depression, anxiety, PTSD, anger, insomnia,
resilience, and mindfulness at pretreatment and at 8 weeks; an 8-week treatment satisfaction questionnaire; and brief weekly
measures of mindfulness meditation engagement. We used paired sample t tests (2-tailed) to assess changes in outcomes over
time and partial correlations to assess whether mindfulness meditation use predicted outcomes at posttreatment. A total of 12
clients were interviewed about their perceptions of the mindfulness meditations, and interviews were analyzed using directed
content analysis.
Results: Among the 40 clients enrolled, 27 (68%) reported using the mindfulness meditations, practicing for an average of 4.8
(SD 8.1) minutes each week. Most interviewees described the mindfulness meditations as beneficial but also reported challenges,
such as discomfort while sitting with their feelings. Clients provided suggestions for better integration of mindfulness into iCBT.
Overall, clients who completed the PSP Wellbeing Course with mindfulness meditations experienced statistically significant
improvements in symptoms of anxiety (P=.001), depression (P=.001), PTSD (P=.001), and anger (P=.001) but not insomnia
(P=.02). Clients also experienced improvements in resilience (P=.01) and mindfulness (P=.001). Self-reported time spent meditating
was not associated with changes in symptoms over time.This research was made possible by scholarship funding provided to CAL by the Canadian Institutes for
Health Research, Mental Health Research Canada, and Saskatchewan Health Research Foundation. This study was also supported
by PSPNET, which is funded by the Canadian Government’s Ministry of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness
Archer Library Award 2024 - Reflective Essay
No full textARTH 324/Canadian Art and Cultural Identity culminates in a final project of either an essay or curatorial report. As an aspiring art historian and curator, I chose to develop a curatorial report, which involved creating an electronic exhibition of artworks that were researched throughout the semester.
I am very interested in Regina-based art history and especially the “Regina Clay” ceramic folk art movement. My electronic exhibition included a return to the “Canada Trajectoires ‘73” exhibition, which was held in Paris in 1973 and involved a number of ceramists connected to Regina Clay. I obtained the French-language exhibition catalogue, written by Suzanne Page, through the Archer Library. The catalogue significantly informed my report, entitled “Regina 1973: Trajectories in Clay.
Home range, nest-site, and perch selection of great horned owls (Bubo virginianus) in a human-modified grassland
No full textA Thesis Submitted to the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Science in Biology, University of Regina. x, 127 p.Temperate grasslands have undergone extensive anthropogenic alterations, contributing
to an increased abundance of Great Horned Owls (Bubo virginianus) in these areas. Great
Horned Owls now nest within remnants of native grasslands, where they exert predation pressure
on at-risk species, such as the Greater Sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus). My research
aims to understand Great Horned Owl habitat selection to inform conservation efforts protecting
vulnerable grassland species from owl predation by: (1) identifying key habitat features
influencing nest site selection, (2) evaluating the impact of vegetation and anthropogenic
structures on movement patterns and perch selection, and (3) providing tangible targets for
habitat management to discourage Great Horned Owls from nesting and hunting in areas of
conservation concern.
In Chapter 2, I used community science and field surveys to identify 444 Great Horned
Owl nests and compared them to available sites (n = 1898) within the grassland ecoregions of
Saskatchewan, Canada. Logistic regression models compared land cover variables across three
spatial scales (3 km², 9 km², and 17 km²) surrounding the nests and available locations. The
abundance of trees, shrubs, power poles, wetlands and the length of flowing water (i.e., length of
creeks, rivers and streams) significantly influenced Great Horned Owl nesting selection at all
three spatial scales. Additionally, at the 3 km2, owls nested closer to roads and in areas with
lower open land cover. A habitat suitability map was subsequently created based on these
findings.
In Chapter 3, I tracked the movements of 16 adult Great Horned Owls using satellite
transmitters. Generalized Additive Mixed Effects Models were employed to compare vegetation
and perch characteristics between high-use (n = 183) and low-use (n = 102) perches to those at
and no-use locations (n = 112). Great Horned Owls selected perches based on the following
factors: (1) perch height, with an optimal range of 5-10 m, (2) distance from the perch to the nest
(high use: 395 m ± 639; low use: 1195 m ± 858), (3) surrounding vegetation height and density,
with high use sites having taller, denser vegetation compared to no-use, and (4) the heterogeneity
of bare ground, selecting areas with more varied bare ground. I also used Minimum Convex
Polygons to measure core use areas and home range sizes, with males further analyzed based on
habitat type. Males nesting in grassland-dominated areas had an average home range size of
12.35 km², nearly double that of owls nesting in cropland (6.69 km²), while core use areas were
similar, 0.51 km² in grassland and 0.54 km² in cropland.
In Chapter 4, I provided conservation recommendations to mitigate predation pressure
from Great Horned Owls on at-risk grassland species. Habitat management should prioritize the
removal of elevated structures, such as trees and abandoned buildings, within strategic distances
from conservation areas. Specifically, to discourage nesting all suitable perches should be
selectively eliminated within a 1-km radius of key sites such as grouse lekking areas, with further
consideration for extending removal efforts to 1.7 km and 2.8 km radii. To discourage hunting in
sensitive regions, perch removals should focus on areas within a 500 m radius of conservation
zones, with additional thinning of perches up to 1.5 km and 3 km away. Efforts should target
structures near water sources, roads, and human-disturbed areas while retaining shorter, denser
shrubs to support prey species.Studentye
Enseigner entre les lignes en Saskatchewan française (1905-1968)
No full textA Thesis Submitted to the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts in French & Francophone Intercultural Studies, University of Regina. viii, 135 p.Based on an analysis of historical school textbooks, exams and other educational resources, this study aims to identify the nature of linguistic representations transposed into the school materials used in French-speaking Saskatchewan between the creation of the province in 1905 and the advent of immersions schools in 1968. The threat of anglicism and English (in general), the “soft” pronunciation of French Canadians, the natural interweaving of language and history and the awareness that there is a formal level of language to adopt were concerns at the time.
The line between the imitation of a distinguished linguistic model inspired by Quebec’s classical colleges and the simplification of the language taught to French-speaking children in the province remained fragile. Founded in 1912, the Association catholique franco-canadienne de la Saskatchewan developed a series of initiatives with the aim of making French an attractive and valued language for the younger generation. Generally speaking, while not completely rejecting Quebec influence, francophone residents of Saskatchewan valued local thinking in education rather than idealizing what was done in a majority context. A certain distance needed to be maintained due to the Saskatchewan’s legal reality and the awareness that language is different in a minority setting.
Keywords: French-speaking education; Fransaskois; Textbook; Standard French; Education history; Association catholique franco-canadienne de la SaskatchewanStudentye
Variability of the Treated Biomedical Waste Disposal behaviours during the COVID lockdowns
No full textThis version of the article has been accepted for publication, after peer review (when applicable) and is subject to Springer Nature’s AM terms of use, but is not the Version of Record and does not reflect post-acceptance improvements, or any corrections. The Version of Record is available online at: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-024-32764-6Literature review suggests that studies on biomedical waste generation and disposal behaviors in North America are limited. Given the infectious nature of the materials, effective biomedical waste management is vital to the public health and safety of the residents. This study explicitly examines seasonal variations of treated biomedical waste (TBMW) disposal rates in the City of Regina, Canada, from 2013 to 2022. Immediately before the onset of COVID-19, the City exhibited a steady pattern of TBMW disposal rate at about 6.6 kg∙capita-1∙year-1. However, the COVID-19 pandemic and its associated lockdowns brought about an abrupt and persistent decline in TBMW disposal rates. Inconsistent fluctuations in both magnitude and variability of the monthly TBMW load weights were also observed. The TBMW load weight became particularly variable in 2020, with an interquartile range 4 times higher than 2019. The average TBMW load weight was also the lowest (5.1 tonnes∙month-1∙truckload-1) in 2020, possibly due to an overall decline in non-COVID-19 medical emergencies, cancellation of elective surgeries, and availability of telehealth options to residents. In general, the TBMW disposal rates peaked during the summer and fall seasons. The day-to-day TBMW disposal contribution patterns between the pre-pandemic and post-pandemic are similar, with 97.5% of total TBMW being disposed of on fixed days. Results from this Canadian case study indicate that there were observable temporal changes in TBMW disposal behaviors during and after the COVID-19 lockdowns.The research reported in this paper was supported by a grant from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (RGPIN-2019-06154) to the corresponding author. The lead author (P. Kumari) was also supported by a Mitacs Globalink research award
Paramedic students and their mental readiness for fieldwork
No full textA Thesis Submitted to the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Social Work, University of Regina. xii, 114 p.The present research elicits the mental health preparedness of paramedic students, in relationship to preparedness by their academic institution for fieldwork. Paramedic student’s mental health preparedness has not been extensively explored; improved understanding could result in better mental health services for paramedics-in-training. Paramedics are at a heightened risk for psychological distress. The research, led by a social worker, elicited paramedic student experiences prior to experiencing psychological distress. The research was conducted in Canada’s Prairie provinces, although no Manitoba participants opted to take part in this research. For the research, 43 participants completed the 12-question survey on study eligibility and mental health resiliency. Alberta accounted for 72% (n=31) of participants, and 28% (n=12) were from Saskatchewan. In total, 24 participants agreed to participate further in a Zoom focus group. The research used a phenomenological methodology, and the shared essences of paramedic student’s mental health preparedness were drawn from six focus groups. From those focus groups, four themes emerged. Resiliency as a coping strategy was believed to be developed from birth, as well as an emphasis on how experiences relating to emergency services can impact resiliency. The lack of standards for mental health supports in paramedic training programs were discussed. The need for effective communication with enhanced open learning was expressed. The importance of increased mental health information and recommendations for the future were emphasized. The research explored whether new paramedic students felt they were mentally prepared for the career to which they were soon embarking.
Keywords: focus groups, mental health preparedness, paramedic students, phenomenological methodology, social workStudentye
Community ecology of migratory bats in a northern sky island
No full textA Thesis Submitted to the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Biology, University of Regina. x, 96 p.Animal migrations are often motivated by the opportunity to exploit seasonal abundances of resources, a phenomenon particularly pronounced for species migrating to higher latitudes where seasonality is more extreme. Bats are the only mammalian order to have evolved flight, and three North American migratory bats are the long-distance migrating hoary (Lasiurus cinereus) and silver-haired bats (Lasionycteris noctivagans), and the regionally migrating little-brown Myotis bats (Myotis lucifugus). I describe a highly seasonal community of migratory bats in a northern “sky island” within the Cypress Hills of southern Saskatchewan, Canada, focusing on abundance trends, foraging behavior, niche ecology, and ecophysiology. By collecting data spanning 20 years, my first chapter describes that while long-distance migrating bats are experiencing population declines, the Cypress Hills currently has locally increasing abundances of hoary and silver-haired bats, likely driven by increased roosting habitat. Further in my second chapter, I found that three species of bat separate their ecological niches, allowing for current co-existence, but that silver-haired bats may experience competition with either the hoary or little-brown myotis. My final chapter describes the inter- and intra-specific differences of fur cortisol, a regulatory hormone often associated with stress. Notably, silver-haired bats exhibit elevated fur cortisol levels, but only in juveniles, suggesting it was transferred through their mothers milk while pups grew fur. Thus, female silver-haired bats likely have interactions within their environment causing increased cortisol circulation. Collectively based on my results, I postulate that long-distance migratory bats are disproportionally attracted to the Cypress Hills, and the local population of silver-haired bats may be experiencing increased inter- and intra- competition, resulting in heightened cortisol levels. Although each of the three bat species are seasonally abundant within the Cypress Hills, they are all currently experiencing population declines across their ranges. The environmental conditions hoary, silver-haired, and little-brown myotis bats face consist of highly seasonal resources in a relatively small area of land, while also experiencing habitat loss and increased risk during their annual migrations. My work
highlights the importance of both long-term studies and datasets, and lays the foundation to continue to study the summer ecology of at risk species.Studentye