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Exploring Disparities Experienced by Black, Indigenous, People of Colour When Accessing Health-Related Services
No full textBlack, Indigenous, People of Colour (BIPOC) experience disproportionate disparities when they access colonial Canadian health and mental healthcare services. The colonial Canadian healthcare system contains systemic barriers throughout various institutional levels that perpetuate harm to BIPOC populations that are trying to access supports. Due to systemic inequities, many of these disparities and the extent of harm are under researched. To bridge this research gap, this capstone will through a literature review, explore inequities experienced by BIPOC populations when accessing colonial Canadian health-related services and expand on where some of these disparities originate from. It provides an in-depth review of the implications that cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) has when utilized by psychotherapists without cultural sensitivity practices and awareness of inequities experienced by BIPOC populations. Furthermore, this capstone will explore potential ways to reduce and address these institutional disparities. Through systemic change at various levels from education of health-related professionals at the university level to the available cultural sensitivity training for healthcare professionals and holding larger institutions accountable for ensuring culturally safe practices there could be a reduction in disparities for BIPOC populations when accessing colonial healthcare services
What to Expect When You’re Expecting to be a Dad: Exploring the Psychosocial Factors Influencing Mental Health Outcomes During the Transition to Fatherhood
No full textThrough a comprehensive literature review, this capstone addresses the psychosocial factors that impact the psychological outcomes of the transition to fatherhood. Historical literature has primarily focused on mothers when exploring the impacts of the transition to parenthood. This capstone seeks to address the research gap by focusing on fathers, a minority population. The research has been guided by Vygotsky’s social constructivist theory (SCT) and employed the following research question, what psychosocial factors influence the psychological outcomes of the transition to fatherhood? (1978). Through a thematic analysis of 12 articles, the synthesis of findings revealed three main themes, each with subsequent sub-themes, which are discussed in depth: social pressures, solidifying the fatherhood identity, and support factors. This work describes the relevance of these findings to the counselling profession and details recommendations for clinical practice, illustrating the benefit of this work to support improved mental health outcomes for new dads. This work provides final conclusions, recommendations for future research, and a professional reflection
Inducing Flow in Athletes Through Mindfulness: Understanding the Mechanisms
No full textThis capstone investigates how mindfulness facilitates flow experiences in athletes through mechanisms grounded in Flow Theory and Self-Determination Theory (SDT). Synthesizing recent empirical and theoretical literature, the project identifies attentional control, emotion regulation, decentering, and resilience as key mediators linking mindfulness to optimal performance states. Evidence from interventions such as Mindful Sport Performance Enhancement (MSPE) and the Flow Training Program (FTP) demonstrates that structured mindfulness programs enhance athletes’ focus, emotional stability, and self-regulated motivation, leading to improved performance outcomes. Meta-analytic and neurobiological research further support these findings, showing moderate-to-large effects and strengthened prefrontal-limbic connectivity following mindfulness training.
Despite promising results, current studies remain limited by short durations, self-report measures, and cultural homogeneity, reducing generalizability. Future research should adopt longitudinal and cross-cultural designs, employ multi-method assessments, and integrate stronger ethical practices to ensure participant well-being. Overall, this capstone positions mindfulness as a foundational process for fostering flow, resilience, and self-determined engagement in sport, bridging contemplative practice and performance psychology
Experiences of shame among women diagnosed with ADHD in adulthood
No full textThis counselling psychology research project examines the main question: How and in what ways do feelings and experiences of shame show up for women prior to being diagnosed with ADHD in adulthood, and how have chronic feelings of shame shaped their view of self and impacted their well-being throughout their development? To answer this question, a synthesis of the current and relevant research is conducted within this study as well as a presentation of the clinical recommendations needed to support this population therapeutically and within future research. Themes are created through a deductive thematic analysis of the literature, and a critique of the studies' methods and ethical approaches is conducted. Themes are found and highlighted such as the prevalence of shame experiences for women with latediagnosed ADHD throughout their development, the isolation and distress of chronic shame, and the infiltration of shame within multiple aspects of the women's lives were found. Additionally, shame seems to be the internalization of years of external judgment, character blaming, and ostracization for behaving outside of the gender and neurotypical norm. Mental health clinicians and researchers are recommended to be aware of and reflective upon this silent but common phenomenon within their work. It is advised that energy and effort it directed towards addressing the of experience of chronic shame in women with ADHD through researching and utilizing empirically supported treatment and diagnosis to curb the negative impacts shame can have on female-identifying individuals
Parental Conflict and Adolescent Attachment Styles in Individualistic vs. Collectivistic Cultures
No full textThis capstone project examines the impacts of interparental conflict on adolescents' attachment styles, comparing differences across individualistic and collectivistic cultures. Adolescence is a less researched developmental stage, which plays a crucial role in adulthood. Existing research heavily leans toward Western populations, failing to take cultural differences into account. This literature review examines articles published within the 5–7-year range that highlight the impact of parental conflict exposure on adolescents’ attachment and mental health across different cultures. Findings from this review demonstrated the adverse effects of interparental conflict on adolescents’ attachment and mental health, taking into account mitigating factors such as support and external components. The importance of a more culturally infused attachment-based therapy model has been discussed, along with its benefits within communities, schools, and clinical practice. The study also identifies potential gaps and limitations in research, in hopes that future researchers can address them to build a stronger understanding
It is Not That Simple: An Exploration into the Reality of Childhood Trauma
No full textTrauma is an inevitability in a person's life; everyone will encounter something that will leave lasting scars. In looking to understand trauma phenomenology, research is performed predominantly on adults, utilizing reflection on early childhood to extrapolate on the effects of trauma in childhood. Two of the main reasons this model is used are the legalities surrounding researching children and the social stigma associated with acknowledging and labelling maltreatment in the most vulnerable. In attempting to comprehend childhood trauma manifestations, findings from neurological studies on brain maladaptation following traumatic exposure provides one piece of the puzzle. Desiring to measure the impacts of developmental trauma in childhood, a group of practitioners in the field began intentionally researching the impacts of relational, social, and developmental trauma in early childhood with the goal of crafting a formal diagnosis to address the diagnostic gap. This capstone integrates trauma research with the intersection of the medical system, with a view towards how the medical system can be changed to better serve those with complex mental health conditions
Examining Educators’ Perspectives Regarding Implementing a Bimodal Bilingual Deaf Education Pedagogy in a Regional Program
No full textHistorically, deaf education pedagogy has shifted between oral/aural instructional methodology and sign systems. The problem addressed in this study is that educators’ diverse perceptions can hinder the fidelity of implementing a bimodal bilingual pedagogy within the deaf education classroom. This leads to the perpetuation of inequities and marginalization of deaf students who use ASL and affiliate with Deaf culture and the Deaf community. The purpose of this study was to examine educators’ perspectives regarding implementing a bimodal bilingual deaf education pedagogy in a program in the Western United States. The translanguaging framework for deaf education grounded the study. Research questions asked participants about student diversity, methods of instruction, assessment, and benefits and challenges of bimodal bilingual instruction. A qualitative descriptive design was used. Eighteen educators participated in either a focus group or an individual interview, and responses were analyzed using inductive thematic analysis. Five themes were identified: Educators prioritize language, vocabulary and self-advocacy skills by leveraging small group or individual instruction. ASL is used as the primary language for whole-group instruction. Deaf students' language needs and access to Deaf role models are prioritized over social integration in isolating mainstream environments. Active training is essential for effective incorporation of both ASL and spoken English instruction to accommodate language-diverse students. Finally, families need accessible resources for creating deaf-friendly spaces in the home. The implications of the results are that hearing educators should critically evaluate their own position, privilege, and power; training is a critical first step; regionalization and critical mass are critical for building language and self-advocacy skills; a formal language policy is warranted; and families need training and resources. The contributions to practice include addressing the gap between theory and practice of implementing a bimodal bilingual pedagogy
Special Educator Belonging, Efficacy, and Shared Responsibility: A Case Study on Inclusive Settings and Collegial Relationships
Get PDFThe problem addressed in this study was that although special educators are essential members of a public school faculty, their feelings of belonging, efficacy, and perceptions of shared responsibility are not well supported by the conditions in the school setting. This qualitative descriptive case study aimed to provide a deeper understanding of special educators' perspectives on how inclusion practices influenced their professional experiences, using a conceptual framework that combined social learning theory and sensemaking theory. The study used a multiple case study design with a sample of 10 secondary level special educators in Massachusetts who had at least one year of experience in inclusive classroom settings. Data were collected through a combination of open-ended questionnaires, semi-structured interviews, and reflective journaling. Purposive and snowball sampling methods were used to recruit participants. Data coding and analysis involved hand coding and used reflexive thematic analysis to identify patterns and identified six themes within the data. The key findings demonstrated that special educators' professional experiences were shaped by the unique interplay between workplace environments, personal beliefs about their effectiveness, and role interpretation. The research reinforced that relying on isolated efforts to support special educators’ sense of efficacy and belonging is insufficient. The study's implications for practice suggest that fostering intentional collaboration, clarifying roles, and strategically reallocating resources are necessary to create a shared understanding of collective roles. This study makes a significant contribution to the body of research and literature on special education and provides actionable guidance for administrators and policymakers
Attendance Matters: A Qualitative Descriptive Design on Teachers’ Instructional Strategies for Accommodating Chronically Absent Students
No full textThe problem addressed was that teachers who work in urban elementary schools lack the instructional strategies to accommodate chronically absent students. The purpose of this qualitative descriptive design was to obtain the experiences and perspectives of urban elementary teachers on accommodating instructional strategies for chronically absent students. The theoretical framework that structured this study is based on Bandura’s social learning theory. This theory emphasizes that observation serves as the foundation for learning to take place in an environment in which individuals learn by modeling and imitating the behaviors of others. Bandura’s process of observation and imitation helped to facilitate insight into how learning occurs in a social context. Twelve participants who met the eligibility criteria embodied the sample population. Each was purposefully chosen based on availability. Data was gathered from an open-ended questionnaire and descriptive responses. An inductive analysis was applied by coding and categorizing to identify themes based on the responses of the participants. Six themes originated from the findings. The participants acknowledged the benefits of tailored instruction, differentiated instruction, and multiple instructional models and strategies to accommodate the instructional needs of chronically absent students. The participants also stated that the lack of instructional time, the disengagement of students, and the lack of administrative support were significant factors that contributed to the struggles teachers confront when accommodating the instructional needs of chronically absent students. The teachers also voiced a compelling need for more collaboration and a desire for more support outside the classroom, like professional learning opportunities. Future research should include longitudinal studies on why students who regularly attend school come to school