De plus en plus, les gens doivent apprendre à intégrer de nouvelles identités dans leur concept de soi, ce qui est souvent la source de conflits identitaires. Afin de réduire ces conflits identitaires, plusieurs chercheurs proposent que d’avoir des identités bien intégrées augmente le bien-être psychologique (Amiot, de la Sablonnière, Terry & Smith, 2007; Benet-Martinez & Haritatos, 2005; de la Sablonnière, Amiot, Sadykova, Cardenas, & Gorborukova, 2010). Jusqu’à ce jour, aucune stratégie favorisant cette intégration identitaire à été suggérée. Parallèlement, diverses études sur l’écriture démontrent qu’écrire aide à organiser et structurer les idées tout en augmentant le bien-être psychologique (Lyubomirsky, Sousa & Dickerhoof, 2006; Pennebaker & Graybeal,2001; Pennebaker & Seagal, 1999; Smyth, 1998). Notre hypothèse est que l'écriture faciliterait le processus d’intégration identitaire des identités conflictuelles dans le soi. Nos études 1 et 2 démontrent qu’écrire sur les conflits identitaires, comparativement à écrire sur un sujet neutre ou ne pas écrire, est associé à une augmentation de bien-être seulement chez les gens qui rapportent un haut niveau d’intégration identitaire. Nos études 3 et 4 confirment qu’en offrant plusieurs sessions d’écriture tout en adaptant les directives de rédaction, les participants augmentent leur niveau d’intégration identitaire et de bien-être indépendamment de leur niveau initial d’intégration identitaire. Des analyses de contenu sur les textes d’écriture des participants ont été étudiées afin d’approfondir notre compréhension. / More and more, people must learn to integrate new identities in their self-concept, which is often the source of identity conflicts. To reduce these identity conflicts, previous research suggests that high levels of identity integration increases psychological wellbeing (Amiot, de la Sablonnière, Terry & Smith, 2007; Benet-Martinez & Haritatos,2005; de la Sablonnière, Amiot, Sadykova, Cardenas, & Gorborukova, 2010). So far, no strategy to promote identity integration was suggested. In parallel, the action of writing about a negative experience demonstrates that writing helps organize and structure ideas while enhancing psychological well-being (Lyubomirsky, Sousa & Dickerhoof, 2006; Pennebaker & Graybeal, 2001; Pennebaker & Seagal, 1999; Smyth, 1998). Thus, we hypothesize that writing will facilitate the integration of conflicting identities into the self. Studies 1 and 2 reveal that writing about identity conflicts, as compared to writing about a neutral topic or no writing, is associated with superior levels of psychological well-being only for participants scoring high on identity integration. Studies 3 and 4 confirm that several writing sessions using clearer writing instructions helped participants to increase both levels of identity integration and psychological well-being regardless of the initial level of identity integration. Analyses of participants’ written content were performed to deepen our understanding. / Je reconnais l’aide financière du Centre d’études ethniques des Universités montréalaises (CEETUM), du Ministère de l’Éducation – Aide Financières au Études (AFE), et ainsi que de l’Université de Montréal (Département de psychologie et Faculté des études supérieures) dans la réalisation de ce mémoire.

Chaque jour, nos comportements sont influencés par les normes sociales qui nous entourent. En agissant selon les normes sociales, l’individu agit en conformité avec les comportements les plus consensuels et ainsi reçoit de l’approbation de son groupe. Malgré le fait que les normes sociales sont au coeur de nombreuses recherches, les processus cognitifs qui mènent un individu à agir selon elles sont encore inconnus. Les processus cognitifs expliquant le comportement sont, par ailleurs, expliqués dans la littérature sur les comportements motivés par l’atteinte de buts qui stipule que les stratégies cognitives seraient nécessaires afin d’émettre un comportement. Dans ce travail, nous proposons que les stratégies soient les processus cognitifs qui mènent un individu à agir selon une norme sociale. Deux études ont été menées et les résultats de ces deux études démontrent que les individus agissent selon une norme sociale parce qu’ils peuvent générer les stratégies nécessaires pour y arriver. Les implications théoriques et méthodologiques sont discutées. / Each day our behaviours are influenced by the social norms that surround us. When behaving according to social norms, the individual acts in accordance with the most consensual behaviours and thus receives approval from his/her group members. Notwithstanding the fact that social norms are at the centre of much research, the cognitive processes that lead an individual to act according to them are still unknown. However, the cognitive processes explaining behaviour are present in the literature on goal directed behaviour which states that cognitive strategies are needed achieve a behaviour. In this paper, we propose that strategies are the cognitive processes that lead an individual to act in accordance with a social norm. Two studies were conducted and the results of both studies show that individuals act according to social norms because they can generate the necessary strategies to reach the normative behaviour. The theoretical and methodological implications are discussed.

Acculturation is a predominant feature of today’s society and one that has unique implications for immigrants’ mental health. Given that two thirds of Canada’s population growth is due to immigration, understanding the effects of acculturation on newcomers should be a central focus of academic research. The present study utilized an exploratory quantitative method to investigate the associations between acculturation strategies, quality of life, and negative affect in a sample of 180 Brazilian immigrants living in the Greater Toronto Area. The mediating and moderating roles of quality of life (QOL) were explored, as well as which patterns of acculturation strategies were associated with enhanced well-being, represented by low negative affect (NA), high QOL, and high Satisfaction with Life in Canada (SLCI). Clusters analysis identified patterns of acculturation strategy use, resulting in four acculturation profiles: integrated, assimilated, separated, and marginalized. Results indicated that QOL did not act as either a mediator or moderator of the relationship between acculturation profiles and NA. With regard to well-being indicators, acculturation profiles successfully predicted NA and SLCI, with the Assimilated being the most favourable profile evidenced by its lowest NA and highest SLCI levels. While acculturation profiles did not predict QOL, the trend of the Assimilated profile being predictive of favourable well-being was also present as its members reported slightly higher QOL than their counterparts from other profiles. Well-being risk and protective factors are presented. The results highlight the importance of including control variables in future research in order to uncover the unique impact of acculturation on the mental health of immigrants. Implications for practice and future research are also discussed.

Adolescence is marked with significant changes in how girls feel and act within their bodies, and is considered a special risk period for body image disruptions. Cross sectional quantitative research within this area suggests that parents represent an important contextual and developmental contributor to body image. The present study aimed to address gaps in previous research by investigating parental influences, including both protective and risk factors, on girls’ embodied experiences through utilizing a prospective qualitative design with a diverse sample of twelve girls, ages 9-18, interviewed annually over four years. Results revealed the presence of both protective and risk factors related to embodiment experiences within the parental relationships, including aspects of relational qualities, self-care, evaluative gaze and social location. Results are discussed in relation to Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory and to previous research. The implications for future research are also discussed.

No description available.

Doctor of Philosophy / Department of Family Studies and Human Services / Candyce S. Russell / Marriage and family therapists (MFTs) over the past twenty years have increased their visibility by using their clinical skills and a systemic framework in other areas outside of therapy (i.e., business, school, medicine). Many of these individuals have pioneered roads of systems theory application through a creative process. Traditional creativity research has focused mainly on individual factors. However, Csikszentmihalyi’s theories of flow and creativity have offered important insight on the systemic nature of the creative process. Recently, research regarding intrinsic motivation and group creativity has provided more insight on how Csikszentmihalyi’s theory could be further developed. Furthermore, applying an ecological systems theory framework to his current model provides additional levels of influence to be examined in regards to maximizing creative potential in individuals and groups. Using deductive and inductive methodologies, an ecological systems theory of creativity is presented providing a framework for studying how MFTs that have successfully entered into non-traditional realms of systemic application go through the creative process of entering into their endeavors. Interviews with successful MFTs applying skills in non-traditional areas of applications were conducted using a modified phenomenological approach. Creative processes were outlined based on themes and patterns that emerged during the analysis. Implications of these findings are made regarding how to improve creativity in MFTs at the individual, academic, and professional field levels. In addition, implications are made regarding how to improve student recruitment and maximize potential in MFT trainees. Finally, implications regarding the maximization of productivity in university settings and applying systemic creativity to business, school, government, and education settings are presented.

Master of Science / Department of Family Studies and Human Services / Mark B. White / Although the processes by which fathers’ presence in the home affect children’s development is not known exactly, ongoing research is making strides toward a greater understanding of this concept (Lamb, 2000). Much of the research conducted on fathering came from researchers’ applying measures and concepts developed to understand mothering. This comparison of fathering and mothering has yielded little understanding of the processes by which father involvement can influence child development and, only in recent decades, has fathering begun to be studied using separate measures designed specifically to understand the unique aspects of fathering (Marsiglio, Amato, Day, & Lamb, 2001). To date, the effects of father involvement in families have been highlighted as a key factor in child growth and development, prevention of poverty, and as a buffer against adolescent risk-taking behaviors (Day & Lamb, 2004). However, in some cases, father involvement can have a very negative effect on children in families, and counter examples of research, showing the deleterious effects of negative father involvement, add an important aspect to fathering studies (Pleck, 2003). Unfortunately, the contradictory opinions and information found in research literature offer practitioners limited information upon which to base their work with fathers and their families. The following is a review of current research literature on father involvement, with an emphasis on families with adolescents. Recent improvements in researchers’ understanding and measurement of father involvement offer practical information for mental health practitioners. The written portion of this report will review current research on father involvement with adolescent children, and then in the presentation, offer suggestions for applying current fathering research to counseling practice. The goal of this report is to offer information that will narrow the research to practice gap for those working with adolescents and their families. Despite the flurry of research on father involvement in recent decades, little appears to have been done to make this research readily available to practitioners. Thus, current practices are limited, in that they are not benefiting from past research on father involvement and are not evolving with improved conceptualization and measurement of fathering activities. Given the current emphasis on evidence-based practice, this report is meant to be an added resource for practitioners, intending to help fathers in families with adolescents. In addition to a critical review of key works focusing on the effects of father involvement on adolescent children, this report will add insight to the work that clinicians do by discussing current perspectives in the fathering literature and offering suggestions for applying these ideas in the talk-therapy arena. Father influence on children during adolescence is the focus of this report due to research evidence showing that fathers influence may become increasingly important in the later stages of child development. (Amato, 1994; Faber, Edwards, Bauer, & Wetchler, 2003).

Master of Science / Department of Family Studies and Human Services / Anthony Jurich / Throughout this report, I focused on how the mother-child relationship is affected following the loss of a husband/father. I started with a case study and followed with the effects of losing a spouse, the effects of losing a parent, specifically how the mother-child relationship is impacted, and ended with a recommendation for a course of therapy, referencing back to the case study presented in the opening chapter. The loss of a husband/father is an extremely difficult occurrence, and as illustrated in this report, will have a lasting impact on the complexities of the mother-child relationship.

La survie de nos ancêtres dépendait grandement de leurs relations sociales. Selon une approche évolutionniste, la fonction de la honte est de réduire les risques de perdre en valeur sociale. Cependant, d’autres théories maintiennent que la honte n’est pas fonctionnelle : elle est liée à un mauvais ajustement psychologique (ex., dépression et agressivité). Il est supposé que les deux théories puissent être réconciliées sous un acompte fonctionnel : être honteux peut être avantageux dans certains contextes (quand une transgression est commise), et peut être couteux dans d’autres (en absence de transgression). Les participants (n = 294, Mâge = 42, ÉT = 13.423) sont assignés au hasard à une vignette décrivant soit un acteur commettant une transgression (ex., voler de l’argent ou insulter un collègue) ou aucune transgression, puis ils voient une photo de l’acteur montrant soit de la honte ou aucune émotion. Ensuite ils évaluent l’acteur sur 17 items incluant des traits désirables (amical) et des traits indésirables (égoïste). Suite à une analyse factorielle exploratoire, les items sont regroupés sous deux dimensions (évaluation bénigne et absence de traits indésirables) afin de simplifier les analyses statistiques. L’hypothèse n’est pas soutenue : les acteurs honteux reçoivent des scores plus bas sur l’évaluation bénigne et l’absence de traits indésirables indépendamment de la présence ou absence d’une transgression. Cependant, des analyses supplémentaires suggèrent que les conséquences de montrer de la honte sont plus complexes. Davantage de recherches sont nécessaire afin d’examiner si exprimer de la honte est encore fonctionnel aujourd’hui. / Our ancestors’ survival greatly depended on their social relationships. According to an evolutionary perspective, shame’s function is to reduce the likelihood of losing social value in the eyes of fellow group members; however, certain accounts hold that shame may not be functional: it is related to psychological maladjustment (ex., depression and aggression). It is hypothesized that the two views are not conflicting; they can be reunited under a functional account. In other words, being shameful is beneficial under certain conditions (when a transgression is known to others) and costly under other conditions (when no transgression has been committed). Participants (n = 294, Mage = 42, SD = 13.423) were randomly assigned to read a vignette describing a transgression (stealing money or insulting a colleague) or no transgression, then exposed to a photo of an actor displaying either shame or no emotion, and then they rated the actor on 17 items including desirable traits (ex., friendly) and undesirable traits (ex., selfish). Through an exploratory factorial analysis, items were grouped into two factors (benign evaluations and absence of undesirable traits) in order to simplify statistical analyses. The hypothesis was not supported: shameful actors received lower scores on benign evaluations and absence of undesirable traits regardless of the presence or absence of a transgression. However, further analyses indicate that the consequences of displaying shame are more complex. These results suggest more research is necessary to examine whether the shame display remains functional today.

La popularité des jeunes à l’adolescence est reconnue comme étant associée à l’augmentation des conduites agressives à travers le temps. Par contre, peu d’études s’intéressent aux mécanismes permettant d’expliquer ce lien. La présente étude vise à évaluer dans quelle mesure les caractéristiques des amis (i.e., niveaux moyens de popularité et d’agressivité) peuvent jouer un rôle médiateur et permettent d’expliquer la relation entre la popularité et le développement de l’agressivité au début du secondaire. Cette étude longitudinale a été menée auprès de 621 élèves de première et deuxième secondaires provenant de trois écoles secondaires publiques situées dans des milieux socio-économiques défavorisés de la région de Montréal. À trois reprises sur une période d’un an, la popularité perçue et l’agressivité des participants ont été évaluées à partir d’une procédure de nominations par les pairs. De la même façon, l’identité et les caractéristiques des amis ont été évaluées de manière répétée. Les résultats montrent que la popularité perçue en secondaire 1 favorise l’affiliation avec des amis qui sont de plus en plus populaires et agressifs au début du secondaire 2. En retour, l’établissement de relation d’amitié avec des amis agressifs permet d’expliquer l’augmentation des conduites agressives à travers le temps. Aussi bien chez les filles que chez les garçons, l’association entre la popularité perçue et la manifestation ultérieure de comportements agressifs s’explique ainsi par les caractéristiques des amis. La discussion porte sur l’importance du contexte relationnel lorsqu’il s’agit de rendre compte des conséquences développementales associées au fait d’être perçu comme étant populaire au début de l’adolescence. / Teenagers’ popularity is known to be linked to an increase in aggressive behaviors through time. However, few studies have explored the mechanisms that can explain this association. This study aims to assess to which extent friends’ popularity and aggressivity can possibly play a mediating role to explain the relationship between popularity and aggressivity at the beginning of high school. The sample of this longitudinal study consists of 621 students in 7th and 8th grade from disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds who attended three public high schools in the Montreal area. The participants’ popularity and aggressivity scores were measured using a peer nominated protocol and assessed three times over a period of one year. Friends’ identity and characteristics were also measured repeatedly using the same procedure. Results show that participants’ popularity in the beginning of 7th grade promotes friendships with peers who are more and more popular and aggressive at the beginning of 8th grade. In return, friendships with aggressive peers can explain the increase in aggressive conducts at the end of 8th grade. The association between perceived popularity and aggressivity, for both boys and girls, can be explained by friends’ characteristics. The discussion focuses on the importance of the relational context when it comes to accounting for the developmental consequences associated with being perceived as popular in early adolescence.