Magister Psychologiae - MPsych / Previous studies on motivation of higher education students have predominantly focused on the role of motivation in academic achievement. The aim of this study was to identify what motivates students to attend university and to establish the connection of this motivational orientation to demographic correlates. A correlational research design was employed and data was analysed by means of the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). Correlational analysis (Pearson’s correlation coefficient (r)) was used to determine the strength of the association between demographic factors and student motivations for attending university.

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Radical changes in the senior citizen population have been triggered by the addition of the baby-boomer generation, which drastically increased the growth of this cohort group. A determination of needs for this diverse group of people is necessary for clinical professionals to employ evidence-based practices in the daily provision of services. Purpose: The focus of this study was to measure quality-of-life indicators by concentrating on the association of chronic illness and mental well-being in predicting long-term relationship satisfaction. A sample of older adults were studied in relationship with health and wellness concerns guided by previous research conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC, 2011a), and the World Health Organization (1991). Methods: The population selected for this study was older adults participating in outpatient mental health services. A representative sample of 111 participants was used in the statistical analysis of this project. The utilization of the Revised Dyadic Adjustment Scale (Busby, Crane, Larson, & Christensen, 1995) established relationship satisfaction scores among this varied population. Correlation analysis was used to determine the association between seven variables. The factors of interest were: chronic health, chronic pain, mental health acute or chronic, and scores on mental health screenings routinely used in the outpatient mental health clinics included in this study. These variables were broken down in a hierarchical multiple regression model to find out if any factors predicted overall relationship satisfaction. Results: Hierarchical multiple regression analysis delineated an inverse relationship between mental health status (acute or chronic) and degree of overall relationship satisfaction. Chronic health conditions and pain ratings were positively related, however, did not associate negatively with overall relationship satisfaction as hypothesized. Positive relationships were found among the following variables: anxiety ratings and pain-related impairment, increased reports of anxiety with chronic mental health status, and pain ratings with higher risk for suicide. Low correlation coefficient values found throughout the statistical analysis make these findings tentative. Conclusions: The indications of this study confirmed a negative association between chronic mental illness and overall relationship satisfaction scores. This highlights the importance of addressing long-term psychiatric issues as an integral part of working with older adults. Age-related decline creates a functional need for reliance on others complicating satisfaction in intimate partnerships. Mental health practitioners need to be aware of the struggles found among the growing population of older adults to address their treatment and case management needs. Additional research is necessary to determine the indicators of relationship satisfaction impacting quality-of-life among older adults. Key words: quality-of-life, older adults, generational status, chronic illness, chronic pain, mental health, revised dyadic adjustment scale.

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America has continued to be increasingly diverse in culture and ethnicities. As such, these diverse populations require those in health and mental health fields to adjust to the cultural differences that arise. Central to these conversations is the impact of the acculturation process on immigrant populations. Researchers posit the stress of immigration and the acculturation process leads to increased rates of mental illness (Lang, Munoz, Bernal and Sorenson 1982; Masten, Penland and Nayani 1994; Neff and Hoppe 1993). Assuming that the acculturation process impacts first generation immigrants most, this study investigated U.S. born Blacks with and without Caribbean descent and Caribbean born Blacks residing in the U.S. to determine if nativity status and generational status impacts rates of mental illness. Using the National Survey of American Life (NSAL) dataset which is one of three research projects conducted from 2001 to 2003 by the Program for Research on Black Americans (PBRA), as part of the Research Center for Group Dynamics project, analyses were conducted to determine if relationships existed for these groups. Results indicated that mental illness is dependent on country of origin and U.S. born Blacks do self-report mental illnesses significantly more than Caribbean Blacks. Caribbean Blacks who are first generation in the U.S. are significantly less likely to report mental illness than second generation Caribbean Blacks. Differences in gender, work, number of years living in the U.S., age at immigration and wealth and poverty indicators all show some relationships with mental illnesses. / Ph. D.

Issues such as the rapid growth of the immigrant youth population and delinquency among adolescents generate public safety concerns among the U.S. population. However, delinquency intervention strategies for immigrant youth in the United States remain scant, which is problematic because these youth face acculturative challenges that increase their risk for maladaptive outcomes. This quantitative, cross-sectional study addressed a research gap regarding the differential influence of risk factors in predicting delinquency across 3 generational statuses. The theoretical framework guiding the study consisted of acculturation theory, the immigrant paradox, and differential association theory. Two research questions were evaluated using a stratified random sample of 255 U.S. adolescents from the Second International Self-Reported Delinquency Study Dataset. The bivariate correlation analyses show that delinquency was significantly related to self-control, neighborhood disorganization, and delinquent peers for the total adolescent sample, and family bonding and school climate at the generational status level. The multiple regression analyses show that delinquency was best predicted by self-control for first-generation immigrants, by neighborhood disorganization, school climate, and delinquent peers for second-generation immigrants, and by self-control, family bonding, and delinquent peers for native-born youth. The results demonstrate that immigrant and native-born youth have unique adaptive and developmental processes that impact their delinquency. By increasing knowledge of delinquency risk factors, the study findings may help advocates address public safety concerns, enhance the cultural responsiveness of interventions, and, ultimately, improve youths' behavioral outcomes.

Despite the developmental and clinical importance of body image during the pre-adolescent and adolescent years, there remains a dearth of information on the body image experiences of immigrant children and adolescents. This thesis represents a purposeful attempt to examine body image experiences among immigrant and ethnic minority children and adolescents in Canada and the United States (US). Specifically, the thesis integrates multiple methods (scoping reviews, qualitative interpretive description, quantitative multi-level modeling) and samples (clinical and population-based samples) to systematically contribute to the academic literature focusing on body image experiences among immigrant and ethnic minority children and adolescents in Canada and the US. Consisting of four conceptually related studies, this thesis makes the following methodological and conceptual contributions to epidemiological and clinical research and practice. First, the results from all four studies point to the need to develop standardized approaches for identifying and classifying immigrant and ethnic-minority children and adolescents. This will substantially increase the field’s ability to systematically characterize the nature and magnitude of body image dissatisfaction, body image distortion, and their associated outcomes among immigrant and ethnic minority children and adolescents. In addition, this systematic classification has the potential to inform the development or adaptation of universal and targeted preventative intervention strategies. Second, Study’s 1 and 2 demonstrate a clear need to further examine the constructs and experiences of acculturation and acculturative stress in relation to the body image experiences of immigrant and ethnic minority children and adolescents. The literature is unclear with respect to whether or not immigrant adolescents’ adoption of the values, behaviours and ideals of the Canadian or US culture increases their risk for body image concerns. On the other hand, we are also unclear as to whether or not immigrant adolescents’ retaining of the values, behaviours and ideals of their culture of origin may offer protection from poor body image experiences. Similarly, we are unclear about whether—and to what extent—stress as a result of adolescents’ acculturative experiences (i.e. acculturative stress) influence the onset or pervasiveness of body image concerns. Greater understanding about these constructs and processes and the extent to which they are implicated in the body image experiences among immigrant children and adolescents has the potential to inform culturally competent and targeted intervention approaches. Results from Study 3 indicate that immigrant adolescents have body image and appearance-related concerns that extend beyond what has typically been found among non-immigrant adolescents. More specifically, immigrant adolescents are concerned about the appearance of their skin (texture, complexion), their hair, their teeth, as well as other bodily features. It would be prudent for future researchers and clinicians to consider this information in relation to measuring, classifying and addressing body image dissatisfaction among immigrant adolescents. Finally, Study 4 demonstrates that females and first generation immigrants with body image dissatisfaction are at significantly elevated risk for body image distortion. This suggests that the assessment and intervention for body image dissatisfaction—particularly among females—soon after the migratory experience may play an important role in reducing body image distortion experiences. Taken together, the findings of this thesis strengthen the body image field by demonstrating that there are several unique aspects about being an immigrant that can influence adolescents’ body image experiences; and therefore, should be considered from a conceptual and methodological standpoint in future research and implementation of body image interventions. / Dissertation / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) / Body image dissatisfaction and body image distortion have been linked to serious psychological outcomes, including depression and eating disorders. Yet, we know very little about the nature of these experiences among immigrant and ethnic minority children and adolescents. This thesis uses qualitative and quantitative methods, as well as general population and clinical samples to investigate body image dissatisfaction and body image distortion among immigrant and ethnic minority children and adolescents in Canada and the United States. Results provide important information that can inform the development of preventative interventions targeting body image dissatisfaction and body image distortion among immigrant and non-immigrant children and adolescents.

South Asians are the third fastest growing racial/ethnic minority group in the United States with distinct cultural characteristics. The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has disproportionately impacted racial and ethnic minorities in the U.S, including South Asians, across several life domains: work, home life/education, social activities, economic, emotional and physical health, infection, quarantine, and positive changes. The COVID-19 pandemic may have critically impacted South Asians with traumatic event experiences and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptom severity across several life domains. Limited work suggests high rates of interpersonal traumas and substantial PTSD symptom severity in the South Asian community. Uniquely, the current study examined which life domains impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic associated with a greater count of traumatic event types, interpersonal vs. non-interpersonal traumas, and PTSD symptom severity. Results revealed that negative experiences in social activities, as well as distress in economic, emotional, and physical health domains, were significantly associated with the count of traumatic event types. Negative social activity experiences, and distress in the economic and emotional health domains, were also significantly associated with PTSD symptom severity. Quarantine and physical health domains significantly associated with the count of interpersonal traumas, while COVID-19-related experiences (in social, quarantine, and infection domains) significantly associated with the count of non-interpersonal traumas. Findings inform clinically relevant pandemic research in a vulnerable population and provide trauma and PTSD prevalence estimates in the South Asian community.