Individual responses to natural disasters are highly variable. The psychological and behavioural response trajectories of those who manage to cope well with adverse life events are in need of further investigation. Increased alcohol use is often observed in communities exposed to mass traumas, particularly among those exposed to severe levels of trauma, with males drinking more than females. The current study examined patterns of alcohol use and motivations for drinking among a sample of psychologically resilient individuals with varying levels of exposure to the Canterbury earthquakes (N = 91) using structured and semi-structured interviews and self-report measures. As hypothesised, there was a significant increase in alcohol consumption since the earthquakes began, and males reported significantly higher levels of pre-earthquake and current alcohol consumption than females. Contrary to expectations, there was no association between traumatic exposure severity and alcohol consumption. While participants reported anxiety-based coping motives for drinking at levels comparable to those reported by other studies, depression-based coping motives were significantly lower, providing partial support for the hypothesis that participants would report coping motives for drinking at levels comparable to those found by other researchers. No gender differences in drinking motives were found. As expected, current alcohol consumption was positively correlated with anxiety and depression-based coping motives for drinking. Psychological resilience was not significantly associated with alcohol use, however resilience was negatively associated with depression-based coping motives for drinking. These findings have inter-generational and international implications for post-traumatic intervention.

AbstractIn his introduction to Tribal Secrets (1995) Osage scholar Robert Warrior acknowledges the "resiliency and resistant spirit of Native America" as evident in the literature of the Native American Renaissance (xvi). Though he does not elaborate on this statement there is an implied balance in his pairing that is compelling. Resistance literature is an established category of writing that is political in its very nature. Resilience literature as a concept in literary criticism does not yet exist, but the construct of resilience as theorized in psychological research "extends from the 1800's to the present" and focuses on how individuals and communities have adapted, survived, and even thrived despite adversity (Tusaie and Dyer 2004: 3).A theory of resistance looks at how writers have resisted the false or one-sided histories and ideologies imposed upon Native Americans. Resistance literature seeks to critique and interrogate those ideologies. A theory of resilience identifies the ways Native American writers have adopted and adapted concepts from their own tribal cultures, and continued those concepts in their literature despite attempts to erase that culture. This, in a sense, is also resistance because it resists the attempts by the oppressors to erase or eradicate those tribal cultures; however, a theory of resilience offers a more nuanced way of looking at precisely which concepts have been continued in the literature and how.Resilience theory offers a more specific form of literary criticism beyond the all encompassing umbrella of "resistance," to show how key concepts from Native American oral tradition have continued into the present via Native American literature. Therefore, for the purposes of this study, "resistance" might be thought of as anti-colonial and "resilience" as pro-cultural.The four authors to be studied here include, Sherman Alexie, Louise Erdrich, Nora Marks Dauenhauer, and Ofelia Zepeda.

This thesis explores homeless and street involved youth’s experiences of being kicked out from various programs and family situations and what draws them back. Using secondary data analysis from the Pathways to Resilience study, I examine the quantitative and qualitative data to determine youth’s risk and resilience processes, their past service use history, and their positive and negative experiences within these services. Homeless youth experience similar levels of risk as other high risk youth, higher individual resilience and prosocial behaviours but lower overall resilience and relationship to caregivers. Youth felt they were kicked out of services primarily due to minor rule infractions or due to their own lack of engagement with the service. Participants discussed critical aspects of engaging with service providers including whether services met their basic needs and whether relationships with staff were respectful, trusting, accepting, and non-judgmental. The implications for service design and delivery are discussed.

This thesis proposes the renovation of existing rental units in ten low-rise apartment buildings in order to foster urban and ecological resilience. Existing ex-military apartments on the north shore of Maynard Lake in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada are adapted through strategic additions and subtractions to create a gradient of spaces: from private to communal to public. The site is conceived as an urban threshold to the lake, organized around new communal amenity spaces for the inhabitants and new diverse mixed-use spaces for the public. At the heart of the project lies the design strategy of effecting big change in the quality of existing space through small interventions. Relatively low-cost incremental design moves transform bleak and alienating spaces into livable places where renters will benefit from the support of their community.

This study investigated the cultural and family contexts of Filipino immigrant families and their experiences of challenges related to adolescent development. The systems theory of family resiliency (Walsh, 2006) served as a framework to interpret how Filipino mothers experienced and navigated these challenges. Using a qualitative approach, 20 Filipino mothers of adolescents between the ages of 13-19 years were interviewed, investigating their experiences of challenges related to adolescent development and the strategies used to overcome these challenges. Thematic analysis indicated that cultural values and family contexts shaped mothers‟ experiences of adolescent developmental challenges and the development of strategies to overcome these challenges. Discussions of these topics corresponded with the systems theory of family resilience (Walsh, 2006). Overall, the implications of the study reinforce the usefulness of a resilience-oriented paradigm to understand how immigrant families mobilize cultural and family resources during difficult challenges to foster family empowerment and strengthen family relations.

Guidance from theory for a more holistic approach to achieving greater sustainability in urban landscapes has yet to be derived for many settings. Often extensions of their surrounding cities, campuses provide a finer scale for experimental design. This study developed a quantitative assessment to guide the transformation of campus landscapes into more instructive demonstrations of social and ecological concern. A Framework for Assessing Sustainability over Time (FAST) was created through an integrative research review and synthesis of validated models: Normalized Difference Vegetation Index, Local Climate Zones, and Impervious Cover Model, and measurable indicators: patch size and connectivity. This framework was applied to the University of Guelph to test the relative quality of landscape components, where principles prescribed by urban ecology were identified and operationalized to improve the environmental sustainability of the campus design. The framework will inform ecological sensitivity in campus and urban design that can influence user awareness.

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<p>The thesis hopes to augment this focus by exploring the multitude of discourses women make in terms of oppression, resilience being one such possible response. It is proposed that the research may expand on existing literature, offering an alternative perspective as to why women often remain in abusive relationships. Furthermore, the rationale of the thesis is to contest the notion that women who remain in domestically violent relationships do so for underlying pathological reasons.</p>

This thesis explores the relationship between Inuit art making, knowledge, and the process of cultural continuity or resilience, beginning with a review of relevant theory and literature focusing on concepts of voice, location and representation, and ending with an analysis based on interviews with art makers in Pangnirtung. I argue that through their creative practices, Panniqtuumiut and other Inuit artists are actively involved in the production and transmission of Inuit knowledge, an action that supports the process of cultural resilience. Specifically, this occurs as knowledge is materialized in works of art, circulated, and transmitted/interpreted. This project explores a critical approach to the interpretation of works of Inuit art, and the place of Inuit voice in that process.

Individual responses to natural disasters are highly variable. The psychological and behavioural response trajectories of those who manage to cope well with adverse life events are in need of further investigation. Increased alcohol use is often observed in communities exposed to mass traumas, particularly among those exposed to severe levels of trauma, with males drinking more than females. The current study examined patterns of alcohol use and motivations for drinking among a sample of psychologically resilient individuals with varying levels of exposure to the Canterbury earthquakes (N = 91) using structured and semi-structured interviews and self-report measures. As hypothesised, there was a significant increase in alcohol consumption since the earthquakes began, and males reported significantly higher levels of pre-earthquake and current alcohol consumption than females. Contrary to expectations, there was no association between traumatic exposure severity and alcohol consumption. While participants reported anxiety-based coping motives for drinking at levels comparable to those reported by other studies, depression-based coping motives were significantly lower, providing partial support for the hypothesis that participants would report coping motives for drinking at levels comparable to those found by other researchers. No gender differences in drinking motives were found. As expected, current alcohol consumption was positively correlated with anxiety and depression-based coping motives for drinking. Psychological resilience was not significantly associated with alcohol use, however resilience was negatively associated with depression-based coping motives for drinking. These findings have inter-generational and international implications for post-traumatic intervention.