The purpose of the study was to investigate the extent of teacher abuse of elementary students, the characteristics of teachers who abuse, the types of behaviours abusive teachers engage in, the reasons for teacher abuse, and the impact on victims and witnesses. Two samples participated in the study: 1) pre-service teachers (n = 99) completed the study questionnaire regarding abusive teacher behaviours they witnessed while on practicum placement and 2) undergraduate students (n = 290) reflected on their own elementary school teachers’ behaviours. Verbal and emotional abuse was most often reported; however, physical and sexual abuses were also indicated. Differences were found between teachers who were and were not perceived to abuse students on types of behaviours engaged in and job performance. Pre-service teachers reported being impacted by the abusive behaviours they witnessed and undergraduate students recalled negative impact on them. Male undergraduate students reported greater impact if they were ever abused by a male teacher whereas female students were equally impacted regardless of whether a male teacher was involved or not. Barriers to reporting included fears of future employment, not wanting to question another teacher’s practice, and uncertainty regarding the reporting process. In consideration of these results, a number of recommendations to address teacher abuse are provided including mandatory reporting of teacher abuse, alterations to the current protocol for investigating abusive teachers, and content and criteria for continued education for teachers. Based on the results, a workshop to address the likely causal factors of teacher abuse is provided as well as detailed lessons for teaching students about their rights and freedoms in the classroom. Overall, results of the study show that teacher abuse is an issue in Ontario’s elementary schools, the impact of the abuse is apparent, and that strategies must be undertaken in order to address the problem.

The purpose of this qualitative study was to describe, with the intention of understanding, the lived experiences and meanings given to these experiences, of adult women who were verbally abused as children. Existing studies in the area of verbal abuse have often examined verbal abuse as part of psychological and/or emotional abuse or in conjunction with physical and sexual abuse. In order to more fully understand the phenomenon of childhood verbal abuse and to add to previous research, this study focused exclusively on verbal abuse using a phenomenological research approach. Three adult women who experienced childhood verbal abuse, but who are coping successfully despite negative childhood experiences, were interviewed in three separate in-depth conversations; these were augmented with observations, fieldnotes and other documents. After multiple readings of the transcripts, stories of the three women were told. Further analysis consisted of a guided existential reflection based on lived time, lived body, lived space and lived relation to aid in the process of questioning, reflecting, writing, and coming to a deeper understanding of the ways these women have experienced childhood verbal abuse. The findings from this study add to the understanding of childhood verbal abuse and perhaps will have the added benefit of bringing increased awareness of how detrimental this form of abuse can be to an individuals self-concept. Results suggest that although verbal abuse experienced in childhood can have negative consequences, individuals can cope and survive to become stronger and more resilient. Future research focusing on the body/mind connection and age-related factors would be useful.

Therapeutic communities provide structure, support and a safe living environment for individuals attempting to recover from addiction. Using peer influence, counseling, education, self-help groups, and case management, they assist residents in conforming to social norms and developing effective coping mechanisms while remaining drug-free. Prior studies have consistently demonstrated the effectiveness of these programs. But, why are they effective for some and not others? This study explored the residents1 backgrounds and the methods employed by them to assimilate into the therapeutic community, the recovering community, and then society at large. The data confirmed my suspicion that the women's ability to conform to social norms and develop effective coping mechanisms was dependent upon the level of attachment to prosocial others they attained while in a therapeutic community. The rules and requirements of Flower House are designed to promote prosocial attachments and conformity to social norms. Face-to-face interviews were conducted with 15 past and present residents of Flower House, a therapeutic community for substance-abusing women and their children. These women volunteered to participate.

Few studies have examined the social process of drug abuse recovery. To determine how recovering addicts use reference agents, such as reference groups and/or reference others, to achieve and maintain sobriety within the context of the Narcotics Anonymous (NA) support group experience, this study examines how Newcomers learn the norms and values associated with NA, how Newcomers become integrated into the NA group and internalize acceptable recovery behaviors, and how Newcomers transition to becoming Oldtimers. In this study, participant observation and in-depth, semi-structured interviewing (N = 13) based upon convenience sampling were employed. This study elicited six stages of social referencing that Newcomers experience during the process of becoming recovering addicts.

The researcher investigated the relationship between anger experience and expression, coping styles, and expectancies regarding the effects of alcohol in a young male population. Anger experience and expression was measured using the State-Trait Anger Expression Inventory, coping styles were assessed using the Coping Response Inventory, alcohol expectancies were determined using the Alcohol Effects Questionnaire-2, and alcohol use was measured using the Alcohol Use Inventory. The results indicated that young males who abuse alcohol utilize less effective coping styles, such as cognitive avoidance. Alcohol abusing males also believe alcohol will increase their power and aggression. A linear regression demonstrated that males who abuse alcohol experience and express more anger than males who do not abuse alcohol. The analysis further revealed that experience and expression of anger was related to the poor coping styles and expectancies regarding the effects of alcohol for males who abuse alcohol.

The purpose of the study was to investigate the extent of teacher abuse of elementary students, the characteristics of teachers who abuse, the types of behaviours abusive teachers engage in, the reasons for teacher abuse, and the impact on victims and witnesses. Two samples participated in the study: 1) pre-service teachers (n = 99) completed the study questionnaire regarding abusive teacher behaviours they witnessed while on practicum placement and 2) undergraduate students (n = 290) reflected on their own elementary school teachers’ behaviours. Verbal and emotional abuse was most often reported; however, physical and sexual abuses were also indicated. Differences were found between teachers who were and were not perceived to abuse students on types of behaviours engaged in and job performance. Pre-service teachers reported being impacted by the abusive behaviours they witnessed and undergraduate students recalled negative impact on them. Male undergraduate students reported greater impact if they were ever abused by a male teacher whereas female students were equally impacted regardless of whether a male teacher was involved or not. Barriers to reporting included fears of future employment, not wanting to question another teacher’s practice, and uncertainty regarding the reporting process. In consideration of these results, a number of recommendations to address teacher abuse are provided including mandatory reporting of teacher abuse, alterations to the current protocol for investigating abusive teachers, and content and criteria for continued education for teachers. Based on the results, a workshop to address the likely causal factors of teacher abuse is provided as well as detailed lessons for teaching students about their rights and freedoms in the classroom. Overall, results of the study show that teacher abuse is an issue in Ontario’s elementary schools, the impact of the abuse is apparent, and that strategies must be undertaken in order to address the problem.

Recent national surveys have demonstrated an increase in alcohol use among adolescents over the past five years (Johnston, O'Malley, & Bachman, 2003; Kann et al., 2000). It is important to understand factors that influence alcohol use in order to aid in the creation of preventative measures due to the many possible negative consequences associated with drinking alcohol (i.e., unwanted sexual activity, delinquency, abuse of other drugs, violence, car accidents, and poor academic performance) (Boyd, Howard, & Zucker, 1995). Two factors that have been studied as possible predictors of adult and adolescent alcohol use are personality and pubertal onset. Specifically, studies have linked the personality factors of Openness to Experience, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness, and Neuroticism and reports of alcohol use in adults and older adolescents (Austin et al., 2003; Gullone & Moore, 2000; Kubicka, Matejcek, Dytrych, & Roth, 2001; Markey, Markey, & Tinsley, 2003; Musgrave-Marquart & Bromley, 1997). Furthermore, studies have also found that the age at which one reaches puberty has been linked to participation in risky behaviors, specifically alcohol use (Felson & Haynie, 2002; Ge, Conger, & Elder, 2001; Graber, Lewinsohn, Seeley, & Brooks-Gunn, 1997; Sonis, Comit, & Blue, 1985; Stice, Presnell, & Bearman, 2001). The current study examined the personality factors of Extraversion, Openness to Experience, and Conscientiousness, pubertal onset, and alcohol usage (underaged drinking and intoxication). One hundred boys in the sixth, seventh, and eighth grades and their parents were randomly selected to serve as participants in the study. The boys completed the Self-Rating Scale for Pubertal Development (Carskadon & Acebo, 1993), Adolescent Risk Behavior Questionnaire (Gullone & Moore, 2000), and a revised version of the NEO-Five Factor Inventory (Costa & McCrae, 1992). It was hypothesized the three personality factors of Conscientiousness, Extraversion, and Openness to Experience would significantly predict the level of alcohol usage in boys. Specifically, lower scores on the Conscientiousness Scale, higher scores on the Extraversion, and higher scores on the Openness scales would be predictors of underaged drinking and intoxication in boys. Second, it was hypothesized that the level of pubertal development would significantly predict of alcohol involvement. More specifically, higher scores on the Pubertal Development Scale would significantly predict underaged drinking and intoxication in boys. Finally, it was expected that scores obtained from the Conscientiousness, Extraversion, and Openness scales would interact with scores obtained on the Pubertal Development Scale and significantly predict underaged drinking and intoxication. Standard regressions were conducted to examine the hypotheses. Results of the regression analysis indicated that the overall model (pubertal development) significantly predicted underaged drinking and intoxication, but accounted for only 10% variance in underaged drinking and 13% in intoxication.

Samples from three populations, Alcoholics Anonymous members, inpatient alcoholics and non-alcoholics, were compared for the level of manifestation of the need for socialized power and personalized power. The comparison of these groups on a Q sort technique developed for this study indicated that the sample of Alcoholics Anonymous members was significantly higher in the need for socialized power than either the sample of inpatient alcoholics or the sample of non-alcoholics. The level of socialized power concern of the inpatient alcoholic group did not differ significantly from that of the non-alcoholic group. The inpatient alcoholic group was found to be significantly higher in the need for personalized power than either the Alcoholics Anonymous sample or the non-alcoholic sample. The non-alcoholic group and the Alcoholics Anonymous group did not show a significant difference in the level of personalized power concern. The Alcoholics Anonymous group showed a significantly greater concern for socialized power over personalized power, as did the non-alcoholic sample. No significant difference between personalized power concerns and socialized power concerns was found for the inpatient alcoholic group.

This two-study dissertation aimed to develop a comprehensive understanding of mental health need identification, service referral process, availability of services, and type of mental health services in Ontario for children who have experienced maltreatment with a specific focus on childhood sexual abuse (CSA). The first study was descriptive and involved an email questionnaire completed by Directors of Service in each of the 53 Ontario Children’s Aid Societies (CAS). While the primary purpose of study 1 was to inform the sample for study 2, it also provided information about the identification of mental health needs and the referral process to mental health services for children who have experienced maltreatment. Based on the finding that the majority of mental health service referrals are made to community-based psychologists (80%), study 2 was designed to assess the availability, type, and empirical support of treatments provided by Ontario psychologists and psychological associates to children who have experienced CSA. Through the first provincial census of child and adolescent psychology clinicians registered with the College of Psychologists of Ontario, this study addressed the following questions: (1) What are the demographic, work setting, and treatment provision characteristics of these clinicians? (2) Within this population, what is the proportion and distribution of clinicians who provide treatment to children who have experienced CSA?; (3) To what extent do these treatment services map onto empirically-supported treatments (ESTs) for children who have experienced CSA?; and (4) How do clinicians’ demographic, work setting, treatment provision characteristics, and attitudes toward ESTs predict their approach to intervention? Results indicated that clinicians who worked with children who have experienced CSA differed significantly from other clinicians in terms of age, work setting, self-reported theoretical orientation, and clients’ primary presenting problems. Moreover, clinician age, self-reported theoretical orientation, time devoted to clinical training activities, and general attitudes toward ESTs predicted the use of ESTs among clinicians who work with children who have experienced CSA. Limitations and implications for future research are addressed within each study.

There is ample evidence to suggest that, in the context of dating relationships, female-perpetrated intimate abuse is as common as male-perpetrated intimate abuse (e.g., Archer, 2000). Despite awareness of this fact, female-perpetrated intimate abuse remains an understudied area. The current study adds to the available literature on female-perpetrated intimate abuse by examining Dutton’s (2007) theory of the Abusive Personality in a sample of 914 women who had been involved in dating relationships. This is the first study to examine all elements of the Abusive Personality in women simultaneously. Consistent with the Abusive Personality, recalled parental rejection, borderline personality organization (BPO), anger, and trauma symptoms all demonstrated moderate to strong relationships with women’s self-reported intimate psychological abuse perpetration. Fearful attachment style demonstrated a weak to moderate relationship with psychological abuse perpetration. With the exception of fearful attachment, all elements of the Abusive Personality demonstrated a relationship with women’s self-reported intimate violence perpetration. However, these relationships were comparatively weak. A potential model for explaining the interrelationships between the elements of the Abusive Personality was tested using structural equation modeling. This is the first study with either sex to examine all elements of the Abusive Personality simultaneously using structural equation modeling. Consistent with the proposed model, recalled parental rejection demonstrated a relationship with BPO, trauma symptoms, and fearful attachment. Also consistent with the model, trauma symptoms demonstrated a relationship with anger, and BPO demonstrated strong relationships with trauma symptoms, fearful attachment, and anger. Additionally, anger itself had a strong relationship with women’s self-reported perpetration of intimate psychological and physical abuse. Contrary to the proposed model, fearful attachment had a non-significant relationship with anger – when this relationship was examined using structural equation modeling. Based on findings from the current study, fearful attachment has a weaker relationship with college women’s perpetration of intimate abuse than it does with clinical samples’ perpetration of intimate abuse. Following a discussion of the results, limitations of the study are discussed in conjunction with possible future directions for this line of research.