DTheses (Athabasca University)
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EXPERIENCES OF ADULTS WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER AND THE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT
Full text linkThe purpose of this thesis was to understand the experiences of adults with autism spectrum disorder in the emergency department. A literature review was conducted that showed a dearth of information on this topic. I utilized qualitative descriptive (QD) methodology to gain knowledge from blogs to learn about the phenomenology of autistic adults – or their caregivers – when seeking medical attention in an emergency department. This research revealed three themes that created barriers to healthcare: a lack of knowledge from healthcare providers as it relates to autism, patient sensitivities, and communication difficulties.2024-0
PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND PERIODONTAL DISEASE IN ADULTS
Full text linkPhysical activity has been shown to improve many chronic inflammatory conditions. Periodontal disease is a chronic inflammatory condition that affects the oral tissues. This study will explore whether there is a relationship between physical activity and periodontal disease in adults using the 2017 American Academy of Periodontology Classification System. 25 adults diagnosed with periodontal disease subjectively reported their physical activity using the Godin-Leisure Time Index and wore a FitBit fitness tracker to measure their daily step count as an objective measure for one week. Periodontal disease was measured using the American Academy of Periodontology Classification System to determine the stage and grade of periodontitis. Linear regression found that there was no relationship between physical activity, using moderate to vigorous physical activity levels and average daily walking steps, and periodontitis. This study was inconclusive, and a larger sample size would be beneficial in determining if there was a relationship between physical activity and periodontal disease.2024-0
MYTHIC-HEALING FOR THE SOUL WOUND: AN AUTOETHNOGRAPHY WITH SHAMANICALLY-GUIDED ART THERAPY
Full text linkThis study aims to explore and understand shamanically-guided art therapy using arts-based autoethnographic methods of inquiry. Additional purposes are to describe the theoretical foundation for shamanically guided art therapy, weave together theory from Western psychology and shamanism within a two-eyed seeing framework, outline a shamanic ontology and research paradigm, advocate for the field of counselling to intervene at a higher ontological level and demonstrate how shamanically guided art therapy may be implemented in a therapeutic setting. To accomplish these aims, I created a shamanic art therapy process and applied this method for data collection and analysis as the artist-researcher-participant. I found that the shamanically-guided art therapy process is a powerful, evidence-based, culturally responsive, creative method that provides deep and immediate access to the participants' subconscious as well as the broader collective unconscious. Through this method, surprising patterns of mark-making reveal wise insights and initiate change processes that intervene at the mythic level of engagement with reality. Potential implications for this research include individual, family, and community healing, focusing on intergenerational trauma of Canada’s First Nation, Metis, and Inuit populations.2024-0
EXPLORING ONLINE APPROACHES FOR CLINICAL POSTCONFERENCE IN NURSING EDUCATION WITH CLINICAL INSTRUCTORS
Full text linkClinical education involves nursing students working in a healthcare setting under the supervision of a clinical instructor or preceptor. Traditionally, the final hour of a clinical shift is dedicated to post conference, an opportunity for learners to gather and engage in debriefing and critical reflection for the purpose of learning from their experiences. Several factors, such as lack of time and energy, can impact the quality of critical reflection during clinical post conferences. The purpose of this interpretative phenomenological analysis research was to explore clinical instructors’ experiences with clinical post conference, either in-person, online or blended, and the meaning critical reflection has for each of them, within the context of conferencing. Data was collected with in-depth, semi-structured interviews, which were audio-visual recorded. An interpretative phenomenological analysis, along with a hermeneutic circle, were used to identify themes regarding clinical post conference (in-person, online or blended) and critical reflection. Both idiographic and convergent themes were identified, which highlighted the value instructors hold for clinical post conference within nursing education, and I make recommendations to prepare educators for online or blended approaches for teaching and learning. Some of the themes have provided a foundation to develop recommendations for planning a meaningful clinical post conference learning experience for both nursing instructor and learner.2024-0
THE EFFECTS OF DISRUPTION ON MANAGER-LEADER PSYCHOLOGICAL CAPITAL DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC
Full text linkThe world is volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous, increasing by the week. On top of this, extraordinarily disruptive events capable of altering humanity’s status quo are occurring with increasing frequency.
The recent COVID-19 pandemic is one such event, and its disruptive effects on the psychological capital of manager-leaders and their followers in organizational settings during the first 18 months of the pandemic is the focus of this research. Psychological capital comprises four first-order constructs: hope, self-efficacy, resilience, and optimism.
A pragmatic mixed-methods study of phenomenological interviews of 21 participants, from frontline support staff to Chief Executive Officers of various organizations, was conducted between May and October 2021. Two quantitative assessments supported these qualitative interviews.
Several important findings regarding the effects of disruption on the psychological capital of the workers emerged from the data:
1) The disruptive effects of the COVID-19 pandemic affected all 21 interviewees, but the effects varied widely in meaningful ways.
2) All interviewees reported experiencing multiple significant adverse effects attributed to the pandemic, but almost all could relate at least one substantial positive outcome they ascribed to the pandemic.
3) Individuals in the study who exhibited the highest levels of psychological capital not only described experiencing significantly less negative stress than individuals with the lowest levels of psychological capital, they also tended to view the pandemic disruption as a rare opportunity for individual growth and advancement, as well as a strategic opportunity for their organizations.
4) The specific circumstances and context of each individual significantly affected their level of psychological capital while their psychological capital was simultaneously affecting their circumstances and context in a bi-directional and mutually influential dynamic.
Finally, this study contributes to psychological capital theory’s body of knowledge by providing an in-depth qualitative examination of the construct. Drawing on the actual lived experience of workers during a complex and demanding event and presenting practical evidence of the disruptive effect on their psychological capital provides a new perspective for the construct while offering pragmatic recommendations for building individual and organizational psychological capital.2024-0
MORAL DISTRESS IN AN OVERCROWDED EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT: UNDERSTANDING THE NURSES’ EXPERIENCE
Full text linkNursing in the Emergency Department (ED) is a rewarding and dynamic challenge. ED nurses face challenges on the job every day and moral distress is one such example. Moral distress is a phenomenon that has been described in over 30 years of nursing literature but infrequently focuses on the challenges specific to the ED. In the ED environment nurses can face challenges related to overcrowding and are being forced to take care of their patients in hallways and other inappropriate care spaces, while other patients wait for extended periods in waiting rooms without treatment or assessment. This study employs a qualitative descriptive approach to examine the experience of moral distress in nurses who are working in overcrowded EDs. This thesis describes the ED nurses’ experiences of moral distress when working in an overcrowded ED.2024-0
QUALITY TRANSNATIONAL DISTANCE EDUCATION: A MIXED-METHODS STUDY ON INTERNATIONALIZATION OF HIGHER EDUCATION
Full text linkGlobalization has catalyzed new opportunities and risks for higher education institutions, prompting a transformation in defining quality to measure and encompass internationalization, including transnational distance education. This study aims to identify quality dimensions to support internationalization efforts for transnational distance education, assess the impact of an internationalization quality dimension on research outputs, and understand perceptions of quality through the reflection of transnational distance learners. Using an exploratory sequential mixed methods design, this three-phased investigation begins with a qualitative content analysis of five international quality assurance frameworks to identify internationalization quality dimensions for transnational distance education. Informed by the findings of the first phase, the second phase incorporates a bibliometric analysis to measure international research collaboration outputs of three open universities and nine of their national counterparts. The third phase, also an international research collaboration, explores the experiences of three transnational distance education learners and their two faculty mentors using an in-depth collaborative autoethnography approach to define quality in transnational distance education. Twenty-seven internationalization indicators were conceptualized within a typology, predominately embedded in curriculum and governance dimensions, revealing a misalignment between research and practice. One of these indicators, international research collaboration, was further examined. Findings suggest the credibility of international research collaboration as a proxy for quality and academic excellence, demonstrating a 12.3% article citation increase in peer-reviewed publications. Finally, from the perspectives of transnational distance learners, quality is related to access, curriculum design, social and emotional support, and relevancy across contexts. A summary of the findings and implications in this manuscript-based dissertation are discussed, presenting international research collaboration as a quality dimension and measurable indicator across all levels of education systems. Recommendations are shared to support quality efforts in transnational distance education.2024-0
SELF-MANAGEMENT EDUCATION FOR ADOLESCENTS WITH HEADACHES: A PILOT STUDY
Full text linkHeadache disorders affect around 25% of children in North America and are one of the most frequent health complaints. Pediatric headache disorders are associated with impairments in daily functioning, sleep problems and increased rates of anxiety and depression. Self-management plays an important role in chronic disease. In adults with headache disorders, self-management education has successfully improved self-efficacy. However, to our knowledge, no studies have evaluated this in a pediatric population. A pre-post comparison pilot study was conducted to evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of the protocol and intervention, including an assessment of the informed consent form, eligibility criteria, data collection method, recruitment rate, retention rate, and participant satisfaction. Participant-reported outcomes were collected to preliminarily evaluate changes in self-efficacy two weeks after attending an in-person, 90-minute, theory-guided headache self-management education session. Changes in behaviour related to sleep, caffeine intake, physical activity, and diet were also assessed. Seventy-five individuals met eligibility criteria and 37 signed informed consent, for a recruitment rate of 49%. Thirty participants received the intervention and 24 completed all the follow-up questionnaires, for a retention rate of 80%. Only 13 responses to the feedback survey were received, however, all responses were very satisfied. Headache self-efficacy increased following the intervention, while chronic illness self-efficacy was unchanged. The most common behavioural change was consuming less caffeine, followed by physical activity, diet, and sleep. Information from this pilot study can be used to refine the intervention, assess recruitment potential, and conduct a larger scale observational or randomized controlled trial.2025-0
ELECTRONIC NONVERBAL CUES (eNVC) AND DEEPER LEARNING: ARTOGRAPHIC TAPESTRY OF ONLINE NARRATIVES
Full text linkIn this study, I delve into the intricate tapestry of communication in online education, focusing on the interplay between verbal and nonverbal cues in asynchronous online course discussion forums. Specifically, I explore electronic nonverbal cues (eNVC), such as silence and chronemics, that constitute significant yet often overlooked components of communication in text-based online learning environments. My research addresses this gap by exploring how aspects of eNVC can either promote or hinder deeper learning through interaction and engagement. The exploration is grounded in the lived experiences and perceptions of individuals well-versed in higher education discussion-based online courses. To encapsulate these nuanced perspectives, I adopted a qualitative approach under an interpretive/constructivist paradigm and engaged six participants within an artography methodology. As part of this methodology, I wove a tangible tapestry to represent my learning journey through reflexivity. This tapestry served as a metaphor for intertwining the verbal and nonverbal threads I was investigating. As a researcher-weaver, I have meticulously intertwined the unique narratives of the participants, both metaphorically and literally, into this dissertation tapestry. Through rigorous reflexivity and analysis of the emerging themes, I gained insights into becoming a deeper learner. The four main thematic threads were: To and Fro Again, signifying dynamic engagement through dialogic interactions; Negative Space, emphasizing the role of silence; Reflexive Apprenticeship, underscoring modeling; and Layered Growth, denoting the progressive nature of deeper learning. The findings of this study contribute to the discourse on enhancing online education by spotlighting the overlooked nonverbal dimensions of online communication and their potential for fostering meaningful
ENVC AND THE DEEPER LEARNING TAPESTRY
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learning experiences. Furthermore, it provides recommendations for improving pedagogical practice in asynchronous contexts by harnessing the power of eNVC.2024-0
EXPLORING ONLINE APPROACHES FOR CLINICAL POSTCONFERENCE IN NURSING EDUCATION WITH CLINICAL INSTRUCTORS
Full text linkClinical education involves nursing students working in a healthcare setting under the supervision of a clinical instructor or preceptor. Traditionally, the final hour of a clinical shift is dedicated to post conference, an opportunity for learners to gather and engage in debriefing and critical reflection for the purpose of learning from their experiences. Several factors, such as lack of time and energy, can impact the quality of critical reflection during clinical post conferences. The purpose of this interpretative phenomenological analysis research was to explore clinical instructors’ experiences with clinical post conference, either in-person, online or blended, and the meaning critical reflection has for each of them, within the context of conferencing. Data was collected with in-depth, semi-structured interviews, which were audio-visual recorded. An interpretative phenomenological analysis, along with a hermeneutic circle, were used to identify themes regarding clinical post conference (in-person, online or blended) and critical reflection. Both idiographic and convergent themes were identified, which highlighted the value instructors hold for clinical post conference within nursing education, and I make recommendations to prepare educators for online or blended approaches for teaching and learning. Some of the themes have provided a foundation to develop recommendations for planning a meaningful clinical post conference learning experience for both nursing instructor and learner.2024-0