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Language Acquisition, Mental Health, and Acculturation among Migrants in Canada
No full textThis dissertation examines the integration of first-generation migrants in Canada, focusing on the constructs of acculturation, language proficiency, and mental health. With nearly a quarter of Canada\u27s population comprising migrants (Statistics Canada, 2022), understanding their adjustment is critical. Acculturation, language proficiency, and mental health can all have an impact on the success of migrants in their new country (Balidemaj et al. 2019; Brance et al. 2023; Iversen et al. 2014; Rousseau et al. 2019; Rashtchi et al. 2012; Salami et al. 2019). There are a limited number of studies examining these variables in relation to certain migrant groups, such as refugees within the Canadian context (Maehler, 2021). This dissertation intends to extend our knowledge of relations among mental health, acculturation and language proficiency through four studies. Study 1 examined newcomer migrants\u27 demographics, mental health, and language acquisition compared to those of the Canadian-born population. This study uses two large datasets to underscore the significance of language proficiency in shaping health trajectories. Study 2 narrowed the focus on Iranian immigrants as a specific ethnic group. This study revealed the important associations between acculturation strategies and first-generation immigrants’ mental health. Studies 3 (Time 1) and 3 (Time 2) further examined the relationships among mental health, language acquisition, and acculturation among first-generation immigrants. Findings indicate that while examining the large datasets, duration of residence shows some associations with mental health effects, but the effect size is very small. A more focused examination of these variables facilitated by Study 2 and Study 3 (Time 1 and Time 2) revealed that acculturation strategies and language proficiency significantly influence mental health, while the length of stay in Canada is not associated with mental health outcomes when other variables are included. The results derived from both standardized measures and interviews revealed that an integrative acculturation strategy is associated with better mental health outcomes. The findings from this dissertation advocate for policies that support bi-cultural identity, maintaining heritage culture appears beneficial for adjustment and well-being. Acquiring the mainstream culture may increase awareness of mental health resources, discover paths to receive treatment, and communicate mental health needs. The results underscore the importance of continued, diverse longitudinal research to enrich the understanding of immigrants’ experiences. Further implications for each study are discussed
Integrating Biodiversity Protection and Climate Mitigation in Nature-based Climate Solutions: An Indicator Analysis
No full textClimate change and biodiversity loss have been recognized as complex, interconnected issues that require synergistic and mutually reinforcing policy solutions. Given the ambitious commitments by the Canadian government to abate the two “wicked problems”, this study investigates whether the government has constructed a policy framework that synthesizes climate and biodiversity concerns through policy integration and mainstreaming processes. Through a semi-systematic and comprehensive content analysis approach, this study assesses the degree to which biodiversity protection and climate mitigation have been effectively mainstreamed into federal policies, programs, and instruments. Specifically, the study constructs an evaluative framework based on established “best practices” of Nature-based Climate Solutions, as present in the academic and policy literatures. The framework is then applied to 26 federal policies, programs, and instruments to reveal the government’s achievements and shortcomings in terms of mainstreaming climate and biodiversity objectives. The established policy attributes, indicators, and measures in the framework were then used to assess on breadth and depth scales the government’s commitment to address and to put in place operational policy mechanisms to implement these commitments. The content analysis reveals that the federal government is often ambitious but has not constructed actionable mechanisms to implement the mainstreaming of climate and biodiversity. Specifically, 8 out of the 16 indicators exhibited higher breadth scores than depth scores. Additionally, the evaluative framework showed that the federal government scored a cumulative total of 74 out of 128, highlighting the significant effort still required to achieve mainstreaming objectives. The study goes on to discuss the major discrepancies and concerns, and provides recommendations for policymakers to encourage the development of effective mainstreaming processes in Canada
Disentangling Counter-Empathy: Scale Development and Structural Analysis of an Emerging Construct
No full textCounter-empathy is an emotional or behavioural response that is opposite to the assumed emotional state of another. Unsurprisingly, counter-empathy has been associated with various negative outcomes like aggression and violence. However, a challenge with traditional empathy measures is that low scores can ambiguously represent either apathy—a lack of emotional response—or counter-empathy. Despite the clear need, there is a lack of psychological measures that clearly distinguish different dimensions of counter-empathy. Furthermore, the literature pertaining to counter-empathy is scattered, with most work focusing on specific counter-empathic constructs rather than the broader phenomenon. Through a series of studies, I provide evidence for a three-dimensional model of counter-empathy including schadenfreude (feeling pleasure from witnessing another’s misfortune), gluckschmerz (feeling discomfort from witnessing another’s good fortune), and affective sadism (deriving pleasure from intentionally undermining others\u27 positive emotions and amplifying their emotional distress). Based on this model, I also developed an accompanying trait measure of counter-empathy. Starting with an initial pool of 120 items, I used exploratory (Study 1a: n = 361; Study 1b: n = 416) and confirmatory factor analyses (Study 2: n = 392) to establish a 30-item scale. I introduce the Various Indices of Counter-Empathy (VICE) scale as a valid, internally consistent, and structurally coherent tool for assessing counter-empathy. The VICE demonstrates strong associations with narcissism, psychopathy, Machiavellianism, and aggression, highlighting its utility in discerning other maladaptive personality traits and socially aversive behaviours. To better understand how existing counter-empathic constructs fit together and fit within my three-dimensional model, I analyzed existing measures of counter-empathic constructs and found evidence that other counter-empathic constructs may be lower-order facets of schadenfreude, gluckschmerz, and affective sadism. In Study 3 (n = 378), I demonstrate the ability of the VICE to predict opposite emotional and behavioural reactions to specific scenarios
Exposing White Supremacist Ideologies: How Awareness Influences Beliefs in Western BC\u27s White Working Class
Get PDFTheodore Allen posits that the white working class plays a pivotal role in anti-racist and anti-capitalist movements. The capitalist system, he argues, sustains itself by fostering an identification with whiteness among the white working class, which impedes alliances across racial lines and perpetuates ignorance regarding capitalism\u27s limitations. This qualitative study seeks to explore the potential for disrupting white supremacist ideologies among white working-class individuals through heightened awareness of whiteness. Grounded in Critical Race Theory (CRT) and Critical whiteness Studies (CwS), the research aims to expose these ideologies by fostering critical reflection and anti-racist behaviours. The study employs a comparative approach to address the question: How does heightened awareness of whiteness affect white supremacist ideologies among white working-class individuals in Western BC, Canada? The methodology includes circle table conversations, educational activities, and preand post-surveys to gauge shifts in ideologies. By analyzing the intersections of whiteness and class, this research aims to contribute to anti-racist efforts by promoting understanding and solidarity within white working-class communities. The findings will address a gap in the literature on race and class dynamics, providing insights into how whiteness operates and its implications for perpetuating racial inequalities. Ultimately, the research aspires to disrupt the entrenched structures of whiteness, fostering a path towards collective healing and social equity
Recoloring in Hereditary Graph Classes: Structure and Decomposition
Get PDFIn this thesis we study reconfiguration problems in graph theory. A reconfiguration problem is generally defined on the solution space of a problem for which a configuration can be defined as a feasible solution, for example, a coloring of a graph. In Chapters 1 through 4 we study the reconfiguration of vertex colorings. The reconfiguration graph of the k-colorings, denoted Rk(G), is the graph whose vertices are the k-colorings of G and two colorings are adjacent in Rk(G) if they differ on exactly one vertex. The basic question investigated here can be phrased as follows: Given a graph G and two k-colorings of G, can we transform one into the other by changing the color of one vertex at a time while maintaining a proper coloring at each step.
A graph G is said to be k-mixing if Rk(G) is connected and said to be recolorable if G is l-mixing for all l larger than the chromatic number of G. The l-recoloring diameter of a graph G is the diameter of the reconfiguration graph Rl(G). Several attempts have been made to study the recolorability of graphs defined by forbidden induced subgraphs. We prove that, for a fixed graph H, every H-free graph is recolorable if and only if H is an induced subgraph of P4 or P3+P1. We also start an investigation into this problem for classes of graphs defined by two forbidden induced subgraphs. In Section 3.3 and Section 3.4, we study the problem for subclasses of triangle-free graphs and 2K2-free graphs, respectively.
In Chapter 4, we develop techniques to use the modular decomposition of a graph to prove that it is recolorable. We apply these techniques to study recolorability of several subclasses of P5-free graphs.
In Chapter 5, we study reconfiguration in tournaments. We define an independent set in a tournament as a set of vertices which induce a transitive subtournament. We prove that deciding whether we can transform one independent set of a tournament to another independent set under token addition and removal is PSPACE-complete. In Sections 5.3 and 5.4 we study reconfiguration of independent sets in tournaments under the token sliding model
Bringing Servicewomen into Focus: Exploring Methods for Indexing Second World War Archival Photographs at Library and Archives Canada
Get PDFThe Second World War saw women officially serving in the Canadian military in capacities other than nursing, breaking into roles historically held by men. The service of over fifty thousand Canadian women is documented in photographs held at Library and Archives Canada; photographs that allow historians to widen the lens on the traditional narrative, but only if they can find them. This article presents two methods for indexing archival photographs and highlights the particular challenges of identifying servicewomen in the archival record and bringing our aunties and grandmas into focus
Review of A Thirst for Wine and War: The Intoxication of French Soldiers on the Western Front by Adam D. Zientek
Get PDFReview of A Thirst for Wine and War: The Intoxication of French Soldiers on the Western Front by Adam D. Ziente
Review of Through Their Eyes: A Graphic History of Hill 70 and Canada’s First World War by Matthew Barrett and Robert C. Engen
Get PDFReview of Through Their Eyes: A Graphic History of Hill 70 and Canada’s First World War by Matthew Barrett and Robert C. Enge