The purpose of this study was to examine the retraining and career development experiences of new and professional immigrants in Canada. The study intended to provide an in- depth perspective into the influence of immigrants’ optimism and self-efficacy on their retraining and career development experiences. Using a qualitative methodology, in-depth interviews were conducted and a grounded theory approach was employed to analyze the data. Central themes within participant narratives emerged and key results were introduced. Participants’ experiences included a myriad of barriers and challenges, yet many viewed this experience as a positive opportunity for growth and development. The results explored differences between optimists’ and pessimists’ retraining and career development experiences, as well as the role of self-efficacy within immigrants’ career development. Results have implications for career and vocational psychology literature, practice, and career counselling, and include suggestions for future researchers.

This qualitative study endeavored to interview professional immigrants in order to better understand the adjustment and career-related challenges that professional immigrants encounter when they immigrate to Canada and pursue educational retraining. The main purpose of the study was to explore retraining decisions and outcomes and uncover the factors that influence career resiliency amongst professional immigrants. It was discovered that most professional immigrants have a desirable pre-immigration career and come to Canada to provide a better standard of living for themselves and/or their children. Professional immigrants often expect that they will be able to continue in their vocational field after arriving in Canada with little or no retraining. Unfortunately, most professional immigrants encounter significant initial career barriers such as discrimination, a lack of social networks, and non-recognition of foreign education and work experience. These barriers often lead to issues such as unemployment, under-employment, unfair treatment, psychological distress and a reduced standard of living. To help cope with these difficulties, most professional immigrants rely on social support and personal actions. In particular, encountered career challenges often prompt professional immigrants to adopt educational retraining as a career-enhancing strategy. The specific retraining experiences and career outcomes of participants were explored and discussed in detail. In summary, some participants were able to re-establish a career in Canada that was as satisfying as their pre-immigration career, however, most participants were unable to establish a career that is equivalent to their pre-Canadian career status. A number of participants even found themselves’ unemployed or grossly under-employed despite living in Canada for at least six years and having completed retraining. Overall, participants in this study represented a wide range of experiences which served to guide the formation of a new theoretical model for career resiliency. In addition to accounting for the influence of individual, relational and contextual factors, the newly presented Relative Encompassment Model of Career Resiliency accounts for the influence of relative comparisons, which were found to influence participant’s attitudes, perceptions and coping abilities. The important implications for theory, policy and practice are discussed. Suggestions for future research on career resiliency are also made.

This qualitative study endeavored to interview professional immigrants in order to better understand the adjustment and career-related challenges that professional immigrants encounter when they immigrate to Canada and pursue educational retraining. The main purpose of the study was to explore retraining decisions and outcomes and uncover the factors that influence career resiliency amongst professional immigrants. It was discovered that most professional immigrants have a desirable pre-immigration career and come to Canada to provide a better standard of living for themselves and/or their children. Professional immigrants often expect that they will be able to continue in their vocational field after arriving in Canada with little or no retraining. Unfortunately, most professional immigrants encounter significant initial career barriers such as discrimination, a lack of social networks, and non-recognition of foreign education and work experience. These barriers often lead to issues such as unemployment, under-employment, unfair treatment, psychological distress and a reduced standard of living. To help cope with these difficulties, most professional immigrants rely on social support and personal actions. In particular, encountered career challenges often prompt professional immigrants to adopt educational retraining as a career-enhancing strategy. The specific retraining experiences and career outcomes of participants were explored and discussed in detail. In summary, some participants were able to re-establish a career in Canada that was as satisfying as their pre-immigration career, however, most participants were unable to establish a career that is equivalent to their pre-Canadian career status. A number of participants even found themselves’ unemployed or grossly under-employed despite living in Canada for at least six years and having completed retraining. Overall, participants in this study represented a wide range of experiences which served to guide the formation of a new theoretical model for career resiliency. In addition to accounting for the influence of individual, relational and contextual factors, the newly presented Relative Encompassment Model of Career Resiliency accounts for the influence of relative comparisons, which were found to influence participant’s attitudes, perceptions and coping abilities. The important implications for theory, policy and practice are discussed. Suggestions for future research on career resiliency are also made.

Thesis (Ed.D.)--Liberty University, 2007. / Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Rutgers University, 2008. / "Graduate Program in Planning and Public Policy." Includes bibliographical references (p. 137-143).

Research suggests that patients with social anxiety disorder (SAD) have an attentional bias toward socially threatening stimuli, and recent studies have shown that computerized interventions designed to train attention away from such stimuli decrease attentional bias and SAD symptomatology. The current study sought to replicate findings from previous attention retraining studies and to examine neural mechanisms underlying attentional biases in SAD using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Thirty-two SAD patients were randomized to complete either eight 15-minute sessions of a probe detection task designed to train attention away from disgust faces (n=16), or a placebo control task (n=16). Before and after these sessions, patients completed an fMRI probe detection task. Sixteen matched healthy controls also completed this fMRI task on one occasion. Study hypotheses were as follows: (a) post-intervention, SAD patients in the retraining condition would show greater reductions in attentional bias and SAD symptomatology compared to patients in the placebo condition; (b) SAD patients would show greater amygdala activation, and less prefrontal cortex (PFC) activation, when viewing negative faces than healthy controls; and (c) post-intervention, SAD patients in the retraining condition would show less amygdala activation, and greater PFC activation, when viewing negative faces than patients in the placebo condition. Results showed no between-group differences in attentional bias or SAD symptomatology post-intervention, with both groups showing significant symptom reduction. However, attentional bias change was significantly correlated with symptom change across the entire SAD sample (N=32) and was predictive of Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale scores at post-intervention. Neuroimaging results showed hypo-activation in the orbitofrontal cortex and anterior cingulate cortex at pre-treatment for the SAD group compared to healthy controls. At post-treatment, this difference was no longer significant across the entire SAD group (N=32). Finally, results indicated that activation at pre-treatment in the posterior cingulate cortex/precuneus was significantly correlated with symptom change across the entire SAD sample. These results suggest that SAD patients may not be engaging higher-level cortical regions as readily as healthy controls and add to the recent growing body of research suggesting that attention retraining may not be an effective treatment for patients with SAD.

published_or_final_version / Public Administration / Master / Master of Public Administration

published_or_final_version / Public Administration / Master / Master of Public Administration

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Toronto, 2004. / Adviser: Joseph P. Farrell.

<p>Sammanfattning</p><p>Tinnitus är idag ett folkhälsoproblem i Sverige som drabbar allt fler. Det finns i dagsläget inget definitivt botemedel men det finns behandlingsmetoder som syftar till att på olika sätt lindra tinnitus. En av dessa metoder är Tinnitus Retraining Therapy (TRT) som grundar sig i den neurofysiologiska modellen. TRT består av två delar; rådgivning och ljudterapi. I ljudterapin tillämpas vanligtvis en ljudstimulator som tillför ett bredbandigt brus på svag nivå i patientens öra.</p><p>Syftet</p><p>Syftet med uppsatsen är att redogöra för effekten av behandlingsmetoden Tinnitus Retraining Therapy.</p><p>Metod</p><p>Metoden har omfattat granskning av artiklar som sökts via Örebro Universitets databaser samt via relevanta referenslistor i arbeten, böcker och artiklar. Urvalet har innefattat tre steg. Första steget var att välja ut artiklar publicerade i vetenskapliga tidskrifter genom att granska artiklarnas titel. Andra steget var att granska de artiklar som valdes ut i steg ett genom att läsa deras sammanfattningssida för att se om innehållet var relevant för arbetets syfte. Tredje steget var att utförligt läsa de artiklar som valts ut i steg två.</p><p>Resultat och diskussion</p><p>Resultatet och diskussionen visar att det är svårt att säga huruvida TRT är effektivt. För detta skulle en mer omfattande liknande studie vara nödvändig.</p>