This two-year qualitative clinical study investigates the intea-psychic (within a person) and inter-relational (between people) effect of maternal ambivalence in female psychotherapy relationships. The participants are five, low-income single mothers, and I am the therapist researcher. Ambivalence describes the co-existence of loving and hating feelings. In traditional psychoanalytic theory, ambivalence originates in the developing infant's relationship to the mother and forms the basis of all adult relationships. A mother's experience of ambivalence is viewed as a regressive return to an earlier emotional experience with her mother. Maternal ambivalence is a feminist psychoanalytic concept developed by Parker (1995, 1997). Parker expands the Freudian and post-Freudian object relations concept of ambivalence using the perspective of the adult mother. In Parker's conceptualization of maternal ambivalence, a mother experiences feelings of ambivalence towards her infant and child that are not simply regressive, but are part of her normal adult development as a mother. Each mother's experiences and expressions of maternal ambivalence are affected by her social and cultural context of mothering. Each woman is consciously and unconsciously affected by her psychosocial constructions of maternal ambivalence and brings her beliefs and experiences into the clinical relationship. Through highlighting the narratives and interpreting the transference and counter-transference material, this study shows the impact of maternal ambivalence on the therapeutic alliance of women working with women in clinical social work. The therapeutic alliance refers to the quality of the relational bond between the therapist and client. This population of mothers was selected because they represent a significant group of clients seen in various clinical social work Dangerous Connections settings, such as youth protection, non-profit counseling agencies, and community centers. In this manuscript-based thesis, I present two of my participants' cases as an indepth exploration of my research process, its analysis, and the applicable theories I used. This research process indicates that in seeking to develop a more culturally and gender sensitive clinical practice and therapeutic connections, social workers may benefit from reflectively challenging their internalized psychosocial idealizations and denigrations of motherhood.

This is a study of the economic and social adjustment of a group of mentally deficient young people. All the subjects of this study were declared in Juvenile Court at various dates to be children who were neglected by their parents. On this account their legal guardianship was transferred by court order to a child welfare agency. Through this Agency they were placed in carefully selected foster homes where they remained for different periods.

Critical social work theories have taken a prominent place in Canadian social work curriculums and academic social work literature in recent years. The prevalence of critical social work theory is understandable considering that the content of critical theories can help social workers grapple with how to carry out a practice that is centrally concerned with social justice. However, critical social work theories have generally been presented abstractly, with little attention placed upon the particular contexts of social work practice. As a result, not much is known about how critical social work theory is actually applied in practice. This is especially important in the context of child protection, where issues of oppression and power are particularly acute. / This thesis is premised on the assumption that an understanding of the context of child protection work is necessary in order to develop a critical social work theory that is applicable to this field. The thesis examines the context of child protection practice by exploring the subjective experiences of 14 front-line child protection workers. Drawing on in-depth interviews that focus on day-to-day practice, this thesis suggests that child protection work involves dealing with a range of fears that influence workers' practice, including their fears about children being harmed and about their own physical and professional vulnerability. As well, child protection workers presented a picture of the ways that their legislative and organizational context shaped their work. These factors of child protection appeared to influence a practice in which relationships and interventions with clients were focused on monitoring parents' completion of a series of tasks and children were constructed as vulnerable, individual, and rights-bearing. Ideas for a critical child protection practice are offered, based on these results. In particular, a critical child protection practice that includes the adoption of more detailed attention to the internal worlds of parents, child-care workers and children is discussed.

This research presents a new way to improve inclusiveness for the variety of transgender self-identities in clinical settings. The spectrum of transgender identities were clustered into two groups: the fixed -- representing transgender individuals who preferred identification with the gender binary male or female, and the fluid -- representing transgender individuals that favor openness and flexibility on the gender continuum. Furthermore, different scales, the Memorial University of Newfoundland's Scale of Happiness (MUNSH) (Kozma, & Stones, 1980) and Bradley's Well-Being Scale (BWB) (Bradley, 1994), Self-Confidence Scale (Oakley, 1996, 1998) and Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) (Cohen, 1994) were investigated for their reliability with transgender clients. The fixed and fluid transgender groups were then used as the key criterion for investigating differences in quality of life (QOL), self-confidence, stress and counselling satisfaction. Using combined quantitative as well as qualitative methodology, data was analyzed for a sample of 145 transgender people. Mean age was 42.27. Quality of life for the fluid transgender group was <extremely low,> the group difference was not significant Stress was expectedly very high in both groups, but interestingly self-confidence was also high. The mean difference between the fixed (M=17.44) and fluid (M=20.82) transgender groups was statistically significant. One in four transgender individuals identified either as <neutral> or <dissatisfied to very dissatisfied> with their counselling experience. The dissatisfaction was higher in the fluid transgender group. One hundred eleven transgender participants (111) completed seven open-ended questions and 11 participated in a semi-structured, face-to-face interview process, guided by thirteen questions. The stories of the participants demonstrated how a gender specific upbringing affects transgender individuals through: themes of shame, guilt, and anger. While, transgender individuals developed survival techniques such as daydreaming and fantasizing, negative coping methods such as alcohol abuse, drug abuse and self-harm were also common. Family was identified as the dominant factor in reinforcing gender appropriate behaviour. To improve clinical care these findings should be taken into consideration.

Normative ideas of age and stage-based transitions are built into policies and practices related to aging. However, how the issues of loss and depression impact older people's experiences of transition are often less prevalent. This paper discusses the sub-theme of loss identified within data from the Late Life Transitions Project; a SSHRC funded research project. In this thesis, qualitative interviews were analyzed from 30 community-residing seniors from diverse social backgrounds. Focused exploration of the everyday ways in which older people discussed major transitions and turning points revealed a strong subtheme of loss. Findings presented are related to the types of loss, the various barriers to integrating loss, coping mechanisms and the impact of social location on loss. Such discussions inform understandings of the ways in which older people discuss and make sense of their loss, and may provide guidance to plan interventions that are more relevant to older people's late life experiences.

This three article dissertation contributes to the growing child protection placement literature by providing the first Canadian series of interconnected province-wide longitudinal studies identifying age-specific factors associated to when and for whom placement, placement changes, and family reunification are most likely to occur. This information can assist child protection authorities in making program and policy decisions regarding existing family preservation and placement support efforts as well as new initiatives and interventions aimed at targeting the most vulnerable.DESIGN/METHODS: Two different data sources were merged to create the province-wide dataset used for this dissertation. One data source is comprised of anonymized longitudinal clinical-administrative child protection data from all sixteen mandated child protection jurisdictions in the province of Québec. The second is comprised of provincial data extracted from the 2006 Canadian Census used to create a neighbourhood area socioeconomic disadvantage composite index. The first study examines when and for whom initial out-of-home placement is most likely to occur for 127,181 children investigated for maltreatment for the first time between April 1, 2002 and March 31, 2010. The second study examines when and for whom out-of-home placement changes are most likely to occur for 29,040 children admitted to out-of-home care for the first time between April 1, 2002 and March 31, 2011. The third study examines when and for whom family reunification is most likely to occur for 24,196 children admitted to out-of-home care for the first time between April 1, 2002 and March 31, 2011. Cox proportional hazard regression models are used in all three studies. FINDINGS: The majority of children served by the Québec child protection system are not placed in out-of-home care, and the majority of those who are experience less than one placement change and return to live with their families within less than six months of initial out-of-home placement. The three studies suggest that there are two discrete age-specific sub-groups who experience problematic placement trajectories, one described as younger children living in unsafe environments due to family difficulties and a lack of appropriate and adequate parental care and the other described as older children manifesting child-specific high risk behaviours which compromise their safety and/or the safety of others, as well as their development. However, all children, irrespective of age, are less likely to reunify with their families if they were placed as a result of parent's high risk behaviours and a lack of appropriate and adequate parental care. This dissertation also suggests that an increase in the number of maltreatment investigations significantly increases children's chances of placement, placement changes, and decreases their chances of returning to live with their families. Similarly, an increase in the number of placement changes decreases children's chances of returning to live with their families. Youth criminal behaviours also statistically explain older children's chances of removal, changing placements and reunification; specifically, older placed children receiving youth criminal justice services are more likely to experience frequent placement changes and less likely to return to their families. Last, this dissertation confirms the association between neighbourhood area socioeconomic disadvantages and the increased risk of experiencing problematic placement trajectories, suggesting that an increase in neighbourhood area socioeconomic disadvantages significantly increases children's chances of placement, placement changes (only for older children) and decrease their chances of returning to live with their families. / Cette étude contribue à la littérature croissante sur les trajectoires de placement des enfants dans le but d'identifier les caractéristiques spécifiques ou une combinaison de caractéristiques associées aux placements, aux changements de placement, et à quand les réunifications familial sont les plus susceptibles de se produire. CONCEPTION/ MÉTHODES: Cette étude se base sur des données clinico-administratives des seize centres jeunesse de la province du Québec. Les cohortes principales extraites de cette étude sont constituées de 127,181 enfants provenant d'enquêtes pour mauvais traitements (article 1), et deux sous-cohorte de 29,040 (article 2) et 24,196 (article 3) enfants placés entre 2002 et 2011, suivis de leur entrée jusqu'en septembre 2011. Un compte rendu détaillé de l'historique de maltraitance de ces enfants peut être construit en utilisant un certain nombre de mesures provenant de ces données. Les données sur la composition de la famille, l'emploi et le revenu ne sont pas encore systématiquement saisi dans tous les établissements de la protection de la jeunesse et ne sont donc pas disponibles par le biais des données clinico-administratives des centres jeunesse. Par conséquent, les données provinciales extraites du recensement canadien de 2006 ont été utilisées pour créer un indice de défavorisation socio-économique. Les modèles de régression de risques proportionnels Cox ont été utilisés pour évaluer les effets indépendants des caractéristiques des enfants afin de déterminer pour qui et quand les placements sont les plus susceptibles de se produire (article 1), pour qui et quand les changements de placement sont le plus susceptibles de se produire (article 2), et pour qui et quand les réunifications familiales sont les plus susceptibles de se produire (article 3).RÉSULTATS: La majorité des enfants desservis par le système québécois de protection de la jeunesse ne sont pas placés, et la majorité de ceux qui sont placés connaîtront des placements stables, et seront réunifies avec leur familles en moins de six mois. Les trois études suggèrent qu'il existe deux sous-groupes distincts qui ont des trajectoires de placement problématiques : les jeunes enfants vivant dans des environnements à risque en raison de difficultés familiales et de manque de soins parentaux appropriés et adéquats; et les enfants plus âgés pour qui les défis ne sont pas spécifiques à la famille, mais plutôt liés à la manifestation de problèmes de comportement mettant en danger leur sécurité ou la sécurité des autres, ainsi que leur développement. Cependant, tous les enfants, sans importance d'âge, sont moins susceptibles de retourner vivre avec leur famille si elles ont été placées en raison des difficultés familiales et de manque de soins parentaux appropriés et adéquats. Cette thèse suggère également que l'augmentation du nombre d'enquêtes sur la maltraitance augmente les chances de placement et les changements de placement, et diminue leurs chances de réunifications familiales. De même, une augmentation du nombre de changements de placement diminue les chances de réunification familiales. Les enfants qui recevaient des services en tant que jeune contrevenant étaient plus susceptibles de changer de placement et moins susceptibles de retourner vivre avec leur famille. Dernièrement, cette thèse confirme l'association entre la défavorisation socio-économique et les trajectoires de placements problématiques, en suggérant qu'une augmentation de la défavorisation socio-économique augmente considérablement les chances de placement et de changements de placement (pour les enfants plus âgés seulement), et diminue les chances de réunifications familiales.

This study explores the impact of racism on the identity construction of Black Nigerian youth in Montreal. Several themes, related to socialization, family, education, integration, employment, racism, marginalization and social exclusion emerged from phenomenological interviews of 10 Nigerian youth, 5 parents and 3 community leaders. These expressions of their lived experiences exposed the negative impact of racism and racist discourses of the Canadian society on minority groups. It simultaneously showed, through the acquisition of pro-social skills, the extent that marginalized groups, as depicted by Nigerian youth, formulate resiliency and strategies to resist and deconstruct their "othering," in order to construct a healthy identity.

No description available.

This study is an evaluation of a natural support system, a community-based programme serving the aged living alone. A Telephone Reassurance Service was chosen to demonstrate the capacity of a low technology service to enhance the Well-Being of this growing segment of the population. / The effect of the Telephone Service on an aged population was studied. The aim was to examine those who join, as opposed to those who do not; the benefits of the Service, as well as its costs. A profile of a Joiner, and its benefits emerged; costs were demonstrated to be negligible as the programme is run by volunteers. Inherent in the findings is the viability and importance of the community in serving its aged. / This project is a preliminary study suggesting a methodology for broad-based investigations to measure the usefulness of a Telephone Reassurance Service for different populations of the aged.

Clients involved with child protection systems due to issues of neglect are known to have multiple needs. The issues that they confront are personal, situational, and social in nature. The emphasis on risk reduction in many jurisdictions within North America has meant that needs have been given less priority. The aim of the exploratory study was to gain a better understanding of both the nature of needs and risks in cases of child neglect in Ontario, as well as the similarities and differences in the views of clients and child protection workers. It is posited that through the acquisition of knowledge in those areas, that improvements can be made in assessing and planning, in creating agreed upon expectations about the objectives of intervention, and in developing a better balance between the addressing of needs and risks. / For the study, an instrument was designed to measure client perceptions of their problems and needs. It was compared with workers' perceptions of risk as contained in the risk assessment instrument completed by all child protection workers in Ontario. The Client Perception of Problems and Needs Scale was administered to 77 parents receiving services from Family and Children's Services of Renfrew County due to concerns about child neglect. / The finding that participants felt their needs were greatest in dealing with issues of stress, child behaviour and mental health issues, and in coping with socio-economic disadvantage was congruent with the few studies that have been conducted on the perceptions of child protection clients about their needs and problems. The analysis of the risk assessment data provided evidence that reliance on risk reduction at the expense of needs-based approaches, is not warranted. Few similarities were found in the perceptions of clients and workers about the issues of greatest concern. However, it was surprising that few concerns emerged about the clients' living conditions, or the affective interaction between clients and their children. Finally, the study demonstrated that the participants were able to recognize their problems, used various coping strategies for dealing with them, and were able to articulate strengths and resources on which they relied.