ABSTRACT. Accurate assessment of sexual recidivism risk is essential for correctional decision-making; however, widely used actuarial risk instruments were developed primarily with cognitively typical offender populations, leaving uncertainty regarding their applicability to individuals with intellectual disabilities (ID). Evidence examining the predictive validity of sexual recidivism tools within this population remains limited, particularly regarding dynamic factors. This study evaluated the predictive validity of the Static-99R and Violence Risk Scale – Sexual Offense Version (VRS-SO) among individuals with intellectual impairment who had sexually offended and examined whether dynamic and treatment-related change scores provided incremental predictive value beyond static risk estimates. Secondary data from 100 adult males in the Correctional Service Canada VRS-SO normative database were analyzed using Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) analysis and Cox proportional hazards regression. Results indicated small to moderate predictive accuracy across instruments, with VRS-SO dynamic and total scores outperforming static indicators. Posttreatment VRS-SO scores and the Criminality domain demonstrated the strongest discrimination. Survival analyses indicated that reductions in dynamic risk factors significantly predicted lower hazard of sexual recidivism. These findings suggest that incorporating dynamic and treatment-responsive indicators may enhance risk predictions for individuals with ID and highlight the importance of validating risk assessment tools within specialized forensic populations.

ABSTRACT. People with adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are more likely to develop substance use disorders (SUDs). However, there is a lack of research exploring how individuals in recovery make sense of the relationship between their ACEs and SUDs. The aim of this research is to explore which ACEs participants perceive as having significantly influenced the development and progression of their SUDs. We conducted semi-structured in-depth interviews (n=5) with treatment attendees at a residential facility in Alberta, Canada. The ACE questionnaire was used to screen interviewees for eligibility, while interviews explored ACE histories, coping strategies, SUDs, and experiences of treatment and recovery. Interviews were analyzed using interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) and guided by the socio-ecological model, which conceptualizes SUDs as emerging from interacting environmental influences. Preliminary themes, generated from the interviews, indicate that participants interpret their ACEs as shaping their coping patterns and contributing to the development of their SUDs. Specific adversities, including family dysfunction and abuse were considered influential in the development and progression of their SUDs. Finally, recovery was described as reinterpreting past trauma and developing more adaptive coping strategies. The results highlight how lived experiences of trauma in childhood can shape personal narratives of SUDs and recovery.

ABSTRACT. Autistic university students experience persistent academic barriers related to communication, executive functioning, and sensory processing, yet existing accommodations are often generic, inconsistently implemented, and insufficiently informed by student perspectives (Gurbuz et al., 2018). Although prior research documents these challenges, little student-driven evidence identifies which academic accommodations Autistic students consider most effective or how they prioritize competing supports. The present study addresses this gap using Q-methodology to examine shared viewpoints on academic accommodation effectiveness among Autistic students in Canada. Guided by a social constructionist epistemology, the neurodiversity paradigm, and Universal Design for Learning (UDL), this study centers lived experience. Thirty-four Autistic undergraduate and graduate students, including both formally diagnosed and self-identified individuals, completed an online Q-sort of 46 accommodation statements. Participants rated accommodations from “Most Beneficial” to “Least Beneficial”. Analysis identified five distinct viewpoints on effective academic accommodations among Autistic students. The results showed substantial variation in how students prioritize supports, suggesting that current standardized accommodation systems may not fit the diverse needs of students. These findings suggest that accommodation systems should move beyond standardized supports toward more flexible, student-informed models that better reflect the diversity of Autistic students’ educational needs.

ABSTRACT. Romantic relationships play an important role in psychological well-being, with supportive and secure partnerships associated with better mental health and strained relationships associated with increased distress. Emotional regulation, trust, and accurate perceptions of a partner are central to relationship functioning, and disruptions in these processes may influence how partners interact. Previous research has examined the effects of hormonal contraceptives on mood; however, relatively little research has investigated how hormonal contraceptive use may influence romantic relationships and women’s perceptions of their partners. The present study examines whether hormonal contraceptive use is associated with women’s perceptions of their romantic relationships and their perceived emotional regulation abilities. Participants were cisgender women aged 18 to 29 who were categorized into three groups: current users of hormonal contraceptives (use for at least three months), past users (discontinued use at least three months prior), and non-users (no history of hormonal contraceptive use). Participants completed a sociodemographic questionnaire and self-report measures assessing relationship satisfaction and emotional regulation capacity. Data collection is ongoing and statistical analyses are forthcoming. This research may contribute to broader discussions about the psychological and relational experiences associated with hormonal contraceptive use among young women.

ABSTRACT. Professionals in the criminal justice field often experience high levels of stress, which can contribute to burnout and challenges with staff retention. Individual factors, such as, resilience and coping strategies may help individuals manage these demands and feel more prepared. The current study examined how resilience, coping strategies, and stress reactivity relate to undergraduate students’ perceived preparedness for the criminal justice field. Participants included 54 undergraduate students from two Canadian universities. Students completed self-report measures examining resilience, coping strategies, and stress reactivity. They also answered closed and open-ended questions regarding their perceived preparedness for the criminal justice field. Descriptive statistics, Pearson correlations and mediation analyses were conducted. Results indicated that perceived preparedness was positively correlated with resilience and was not significantly correlated with coping or stress reactivity. Mediation analyses indicated that resilience is a significant predictor of preparedness, although neither engaged nor disengaged coping mediated this relationship. Qualitative responses suggested that around half of participants felt their personal qualities made them feel prepared for the criminal justice field and more hands-on experience would improve their feelings of preparedness. Findings suggest that resilience may play a significant role in undergraduate students’ perceived preparedness for their criminal justice careers.

ABSTRACT. Individuals interpret the world through underlying belief systems, values, and experiences that shape how they understand their place within broader social and environmental contexts. These interpretive frameworks, often referred to as worldviews, influence how people perceive relationships, responsibility, and interconnectedness within the world around them (Koltko-Rivera, 2004). While previous research has examined worldview development in educational settings, less attention has been given to how individuals symbolically represent their perceptions of the world. This study explores how university students conceptualize and describe the world using symbolic imagery and written explanations. Participants were recruited through the University of Saskatchewan’s SONA research participation system and completed an online qualitative survey. The survey invited participants to select or describe images that represent how they see the world and explain the meaning behind their choices. A total of 45 responses were collected. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis to identify patterns in participants’ symbolic representations and interpretations (Braun & Clarke, 2021). Initial findings suggest that students frequently use imagery related to interconnected systems, natural environments, and journeys or pathways to describe their perception of the world. These representations highlight themes of complexity, human connection, and personal growth.

ABSTRACT. Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic neurological condition affecting mobility, cognition, and daily functioning. Although advances in treatment have improved the ability to control symptoms and slow disease progression, many individuals with MS continue to experience significant emotional distress, even during medically stable periods. The purpose of this project is to examine theory-informed evidence showing how emotional well-being both affects and is affected by the disease. Empirical research studies were identified through searches in major medical and psychological databases. The literature was then examined through the lens of four conceptual frameworks of chronic illness: Biopsychosocial Model, Critical Disability Theory, Illness Representation Theory, and Narrative Identity Theory. Our examination reveals that the emotional distress often accompanying MS cannot be explained solely by a patient’s current level of disease severity or their degree of disability. Instead, research highlights the patient’s perception of their own illness as a critical component in their overall emotional well-being. Factors such as illness interpretation, uncertainty about disease progression, disruptions to personal identity and future life plans, as well as tensions within social and healthcare contexts, all play a role in shaping the experience of what it means to live with MS beyond neurological disease activity alone.

ABSTRACT. Migraine is a debilitating primary headache disorder affecting 14.0% of the global population. Key triggers of migraine include: stress, metabolic abnormalities (e.g. fasting, sleep disturbances, menstruation) and weather changes. University students report elevated levels of stress due to the demands of school and the challenges of young adulthood. The current study investigated whether a correlation exists between perceived academic stress and migraine among undergraduate students at a Canadian university. Participants completed an anonymous online questionnaire evaluating the impacts of academic stress and headache on their lives. Individuals with migraine reported a similar amount of stress as controls in managing academic work and expectations. When reporting on the ability to find time to rest, those with migraine scored worse. The reduced ability to find time to rest among those with migraine is supported by the current literature. Additionally, navigating migraine headaches and needing to catch up on work following headache attacks could be a contributing factor to the decreased ability to find time to relax in those with migraine. De-stigmatizing migraine and fostering an environment of understanding can help individuals take the steps they need to both care for themselves and succeed as students.

ABSTRACT. Increasingly, people with disabilities (PWD) are considering service dogs (SDogs) as disability aids and the evidence base of their benefits is growing. However, a reported barrier for accessing this aid is health-care professionals’ lack of understanding of SDogs and health-care professionals’ role in the acquisition process. The present exploratory study sought to examine this barrier by asking the following research questions (1) what do aspiring health-care professionals know and believe about SDogs as a disability aid; (2) how do they perceive their ability to recommend SDogs; and (3) what do they need to increase their knowledge and comfort in supporting prospective SDog handlers? Health-care students (N = 135) responded to an online questionnaire consisting of close-ended and open-ended questions. Responses were analyzed using descriptive and comparative statistics and content analysis. While health-care students had generally high knowledge of SDogs and a motivation to help patients acquire them, responses indicated confusion about the scope and acquisition of SDogs and a perceived lack of ability to recommend them. These findings highlight the need to educate future health-care professionals on the acquisition process of SDogs in order to create well-equipped providers who can better support PWD.

ABSTRACT. Abstract

Individual differences such as personality traits may influence the significance of trust, defined as the belief that one’s partner is benevolent and honest in a romantic relationship. This study investigated whether trust mediated or moderated the connection between romantic relationship satisfaction and six personality dimensions: honest-humility, emotionality, extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, and openness to experience. Using convenience sampling, the final sample consisted of 91 students from the University of Saskatchewan aged 18 – 52. Participants completed the Romantic Assessment Scale, a 60-item personality inventory assessing honesty–humility, emotionality, extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, and openness to experience, and the Dyadic Trust Scale through an online survey. Results indicated that trust mediated the connection between honest-humility and relationship satisfaction among female participants. Trust also moderated the relationship between conscientiousness and relationship satisfaction among males. Finally, trust moderated the relationship between emotionality and relationship satisfaction among White participants. Overall, the findings highlight the importance of trust in romantic relationships for people with certain personality traits, while also suggesting that these associations may vary across demographic groups.

ABSTRACT. The human-animal bond (HAB) is a mutually beneficial relationship between people and animals. The One Health perspective recognizes human health is impacted by our relationship with animals and the environment. This study applied a questionnaire to understand the relationship between humans animals. A total of 677 adult participants from Saskatchewan, Canada completed the study. We aimed to validate the used scale, so participants were randomly assigned to either this study, for exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and regression (302), or the validation paper (375). The current paper hypothesized that individual differences (e.g., education, political spectrum, urban/rural residency) would significantly predict different factors from the EFA. The EFA resulted in three factors: Affection for Companion Animals (a = .74), Animals as Sentient Beings (a = .83), and Animals Are Not Food (a = .69). Regression analyses were then used to examine if individual differences predicted each factor. Our models explained 18% of the variance in Affection for Companion Animals, 11.7% in Animals as Sentient Beings, and 8.4% in Animals Are Not Food. Our results showed that each factor did have different significant predictors. These results can advance the One Health perspective by explaining variability in speciesism to enhance animal welfare across demographics.

ABSTRACT. Chronic pain is prevalent among adolescents. Families of adolescents with chronic pain report greater stress and conflict. Despite recognition that parent-adolescent interactions influence pain outcomes, underlying parental response styles which may influence adolescent pain outcomes are not well understood. We explored the relationship among parental experiential avoidance, parental validation and invalidation and adolescents’ self-reported pain in a sample (N = 93) of adolescents with and without chronic pain and their parent. Parents completed measures of experiential avoidance and emotion regulation. Dyads participated in a discussion during which parental validating and invalidating responses were coded using the Validation and Invalidation Behavioural Coding Scheme. No significant differences were found between the CP and NCP groups in parental validating or invalidating responses, nor in parental emotion regulation, but parents in the CP group reported more experiential avoidance than those in the NCP group. Experiential avoidance did not mediate the relationship between parental response styles and adolescent pain, and chronic pain status did not moderate this relationship. These findings demonstrate the need for further research within larger samples and consideration of other potential constructs that may impact pain communication.

ABSTRACT. Predicting the movements of people and objects is a daily occurrence, examples include driving, walking in a crowded space, interpreting sports and many more. In the present study, we use transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to test the role of V5/MT+ and the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) in motion prediction. V5/MT+ is well-established as a specialised brain region for visual motion processing. However, the role of V5/MT+ in motion prediction is still unknown. DLPFC plays a crucial role in visuospatial working memory and may be engaged in the mental tracking of motion stimuli. Here we delivered a short train of single-pulse TMS (separated by an interval of 300ms) to the right V5/MT+ and the right DLPFC over two experimental sessions while participants performed a classic time-to-contact (TTC) task. TMS application varied, occurring when motion target was visible or after the target had disappeared. Subjects’ eye position was monitored using a desk mounted eye tracking system. TMS conditions were compared to a baseline No TMS condition. The findings of this study will provide novel understanding regarding V5/MT+ activation during a motion prediction task with stimulus occlusion. We endeavor to deduce the sequence of neural engagement and lateralization of each distinctive brain region.

ABSTRACT. When people coordinate their actions to achieve a shared goal during joint action, they often experience a sense of joint agency, i.e., a sense that they acted together to produce the action. Joint agency has been measured using a number of different rating scales. The present study examined whether different rating scales capture joint agency in a similar manner. Fifty partners performed a joint action that varied in how control was distributed between them. Specifically, partners moved a ball around a screen, while each partner’s control over the ball varied from 0%-100% control, in increments of 10%, summing to 100% across both partners. After each trial, participants rated their sense of joint agency using three different rating scales, which asked them to rate their sense of “sharing control," "togetherness," and "integration". As anticipated, participants reported stronger joint agency when control was evenly distributed between them compared to when it was unevenly distributed, regardless of which rating scale they used. Post-study interviews demonstrated that most participants thought the three scales were very similar, providing further evidence that they all capture joint agency. This study concludes that all three scales elicit similar ratings and capture the feeling of joint agency.

ABSTRACT. The domestic dog exhibits lateral biases in motor behaviour, meaning it preferentially uses one side of the body over the other for actions, such as ear use, paw preference, and asymmetric tail wagging relative to the body’s midline. These lateralized behaviours may provide a non-invasive indicator of dogs’ emotional state, including stress and welfare. Although laboratory studies have demonstrated motor laterality in dogs in response to emotional stimuli in controlled and isolated settings (i.e., feeder toys, images, sounds, owner appearances), little research has examined lateralized behaviours in naturalistic settings, and tail movement remains relatively understudied compared to paw preference. To address this gap, the study investigated whether tail wagging is lateralized and whether wag direction reflects emotional expression during naturally occurring dog-to-dog interactions. Tail wag behaviour was analyzed from video recordings of dogs interacting in dog parks and online. There was a significant lateral bias in tail wagging, with an overall left-biased directional wag pattern across dog-to-dog interactions. Furthermore, wag direction varied by interaction type, with negative (aggressive) interactions producing stronger leftward wagging than positive (friendly or playful) interactions. These findings suggest that lateralized tail wagging may serve as a behavioural indicator of dogs’ emotional expression during natural social interactions.

ABSTRACT. Retrieval-induced forgetting (RIF) occurs when retrieving some information (Rp+) leads to the forgetting of related, unretrieved information (Rp-) relative to unpracticed baseline information (Nrp). Cognitive inhibition (i.e., suppression of memory traces overcomes interference, enabling target retrieval) primarily explains RIF in typical populations; however, competition-based explanations (i.e., stronger, retrieved information outcompetes weaker traces at test) can also explain RIF in some individuals with reduced inhibitory capacity and when cue-related interference occurs at test (e.g., cued recall). This study examines whether interference explains RIF among individuals with lower inhibitory abilities as examined among 45 participants who completed both a cued-recall and a cue- and interference-free lexical-decision task (LDT), along with questionnaires measuring inhibitory control and susceptibility to interference to group them into high or low inhibitory groups. The 2 (Inhibitory Control [high, low]) x 2 (Task [cued-recall, LDT]) mixed-subjects ANOVA is expected to find RIF for both groups with cued-recall due to the involvement of interference at test; however, only individuals with higher inhibitory control are expected to demonstrate RIF on the LDT due to the test's interference-free nature. Findings will clarify whether interference explains RIF among those with low inhibitory ability and may have implications for populations with inhibitory deficits.

ABSTRACT. A sense of community (SOC) is positively related to wellbeing, yet there is little known about this relationship in Muslim emerging adults in the West. Existing research has focused on navigating both national and religious identities as a minority, however, the role of the Muslim community specifically has not had much focus. The study objectives were to examine how SOC (in the Muslim context) was related to mental wellbeing for Muslim emerging adults, and how this relationship is influenced by identity centrality and religiosity. 184 Muslim participants (34.8% men, 64.1% women, 1.1% non-binary), between the ages of 18 and 30 (M = 22.96), who live in Canada took part in the study. Participants were asked to complete the Brief Sense of Community Scale (adapted), Identity Centrality Subscale (from the Multidimensional Inventory of Black Identity; adapted), Religious Spirituality Scale, Religious Practice scale, and the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale. A hierarchical linear model for wellbeing was developed, with socio-economic status in the first step, followed by religious spirituality and practice in step 2, and SOC and identity centrality in step 3. The overall model was predictive of positive wellbeing. Results of the final model will be presented with implications for future research.

ABSTRACT. Métis people continue to demonstrate resilience, gaining strength from traditions rooted in collective wellbeing, despite repeated cultural and political marginalization. In partnership with Li Toneur Niimiyitoohk Métis Dance Group, this study explores wholistic health through Red River Jigging. Ten Métis adults from Saskatchewan that had attended at least four Red River Jigging classes in the past year participated in conversational, semi-structured interviews. Thematic analysis prioritizing participants’ narratives identified five main benefits of the Red River Jig for Métis people: 1) The Red River Jig as Cultural Revitalization; 2) The Red River Jig as Spiritual Connection; 3) The Red River Jig as Community Belonging; 4) The Red River Jig as Truth and Reconciliation; and 5) The Red River Jig as Physical Wellness. These findings highlight the profound impact of physical activity when grounded in culture and community.

ABSTRACT. This study explores virtual reality (VR) meditation as an emerging therapeutic tool designed to support emotional regulation and attentional well‑being. Despite the increased popularity of digital mental health interventions, sustained long term qualitative research on users’ experiences with commercially available VR meditation applications remains limited. This autoethnography examines a student’s personal engagement with VR meditation to identify key themes emerging with regard to the experience, effects, and design of VR meditation applications. Thematic analysis of journaling data produced through experiential use of three VR meditation applications revealed themes concerning interaction patterns, embodied immersion and personalization as an opportunity to enhance mindfulness‑related outcomes. By articulating how this practice is experienced in everyday contexts, this work helps address a key gap in VR meditation research. It also provides novel insights to inform the continued development and evaluation of VR meditation applications while offering a clearer understanding of their contribution to mental‑health support.

ABSTRACT. Immigrant adolescents experience acculturation stress as they navigate conflicting expectations between heritage and host cultures, yet less is known about how they actively interpret and manage these cultural tensions in their daily lives. Guided by the Theory of Sociocultural Models (TSCM), this study examined the mechanisms through which Bangladeshi immigrant adolescent girls navigate cultural tensions between Bangladeshi and Canadian sociocultural models (SCMs) of adolescence. Based on literature review, Bangladeshi and Euro-Canadian SCMs were extracted and compared to discover the discrepancies and identify potential sources of acculturation tension. Then, six Bangladeshi immigrant adolescent girls aged 17-19 completed a demographic questionnaire, the Ryff Psychological Well-Being Scale and participated in semi-structured interviews exploring their awareness and navigation of the differences. Findings indicated that participants actively navigated the acculturation gap through selective openness with parents, behavioral code-switching across cultural contexts, and maintaining culturally expected daughter roles while negotiating personal autonomy. Participants with higher psychological well-being scores showed greater openness and flexibility in navigating cultural expectations, while those with lower scores reported more tension in managing conflicting expectations. These findings highlight the usefulness of TSCM in explaining how immigrant adolescents navigate cultural tensions and suggest possible interventions to support immigrant adolescent girls during acculturation.

ABSTRACT. Some literature suggests that GenAI-use reduces CT skills, some suggests GenAI-use supports CT-skill enhancement. My research addresses the following: does GenAI-use harm or help CT skills? How does AOT and CA impact the relationship between GenAI-use and CT skills? I hypothesize the following: greater GenAI-reliance will predict weaker CT skills, after accounting for AOT and CA moderating the relationship between GenAI and CT; high AOT and CA individuals will be less-prone to GenAI-use driven CT-skill decline. Investigation began with a pilot, followed by a two-part study. For the pilot, 104 university students completed a GenAI-use questionnaire, CO and CT items taken from Gerlich (2025). In the two-part study 22 participants completed a critical reasoning assessment (CRA), the five-item cognitive reflection test (CRT), and 16 heuristics and biases items. After 24 hours, participants completed 13 raven’s-matrices items, a refined version of the GenAI-use questionnaire, and 13 AOT items. Predicted results: participants reporting higher GenAI-reliance will obtain lower CRA scores (reduced CT), and participants with higher raven’s-matrices and AOT scores will attain better CRA scores, reflecting the contribution of AOT and CA to CT. This study addresses whether GenAI is a hinderance or helper to CT skills required with an academic context.

ABSTRACT. Generative artificial intelligence (GAI) is increasingly integrated into academic work and everyday problem solving, raising questions about how reliance on these tools may relate to human reasoning. Although some scholars argue that GAI enhances learning and access to information, others suggest that reliance on GAI-generated outputs may reduce independent analytic thinking. The present study examines whether individual differences in GAI use are associated with rational thinking performance. Participants will complete measures assessing GAI use, Actively Open-Minded Thinking, fluid reasoning ability using Raven’s Progressive Matrices, and a validated heuristics-and-biases battery capturing susceptibility to common reasoning errors. Hierarchical regression analyses will test whether reliance on GAI predicts reasoning accuracy after controlling for fluid reasoning ability and thinking disposition. Greater reliance on GAI is predicted to be associated with lower rational thinking performance after accounting for individual differences in fluid reasoning and open-minded thinking. This study provides performance-based evidence relevant to ongoing debates about the cognitive implications of GAI use and clarifies how individual differences shape the relationship between GAI engagement and rational thinking.

ABSTRACT. United agency is the feeling that participants in a joint action are acting as one unit. A previous study by Tran et al. (2024) examined the features of joint actions and individual characteristics that facilitate the experience of united agency as well as characteristics of the experience. The current study is a replication of the former and further examines these characteristics along with three additional individual characteristics through responses to a survey. We predicted we would see similar results to the previous study. Analysis of the individual characteristics revealed similar findings to Tran et al. (2024) with empathy being positively correlated with united agency. However, contrary to the previous results, extraversion and agreeableness were not significantly correlated with united agency. Analysis of the new measures revealed a positive correlation between united agency frequency and self-construal, a negative correlation for self-monitoring and no correlation for social value orientation. The most common responses indicated some rhythmicity/synchrony in the joint action along with positive affect and feelings of togetherness resulting from the experience of united agency. These findings provide further insight into the types of actions and characteristics that illicit united agency and how it feels for those experiencing it.

ABSTRACT. Competitive athletes experience substantial psychological distress, including elevated anxiety, depression, and eating disorders, underscoring the need for effective psychological supports (Kosirnik et al., 2025; Poucher et al., 2021). Both self-compassion and imagery are associated with enhanced wellbeing, coping, and sport performance (Cormier et al., 2025; Simonsmeier et al., 2020). However, compassion-focused imagery has not yet been examined as a stand-alone intervention for athletes (Carson Sackett et al., 2024). Guided by pragmatism and a co-design methodology (Giacobbi et al., 2005; Zamenopoulos & Alexiou, 2018), my study explored: What does an effective self-compassion imagery resource look like for competitive athletes? Three university student-athletes participated in a 44-minute semi-structured focus group informed by the TIDieR-PHP checklist, a framework for intervention development (Campbell et al., 2018). Data were analyzed using deductive qualitative content analysis (Elo & Kyngäs, 2008). General themes generated were (a) the need for individualization, (b) focus on simplicity, and (c) a hesitancy to embrace self-compassion. Examples of specific recommendations for resource creation include individual completion, framed by prompting questions, and be a portable, physical entity. Importantly, this study addresses methodological gaps in self-compassion in sport intervention research and offers practical guidance for implementing compassion-based imagery to enhance athlete wellbeing and performance.

ABSTRACT. The use of risk assessments in forensic mental health service delivery and risk management has become crucial. A recent development is the inclusion of protective factor measures, such as the Structured Assessment of Protective Factors (SAPROF), in risk assessment. The use of the SAPROF for predicting decreased future recidivism is increasingly supported in research; however, results vary depending on the domains of the SAPROF examined, how recidivism is operationalized, and the sample, location, and context of the population studied. The present study aimed to validate the SAPROF in a Canadian sample of inmates deemed Not Criminally Responsible (NCR) and Unfit to Stand Trial (UST). The SAPROF was retrospectively coded from institutional file information of forensic mental health patients, and scores were examined for predictive properties for decreased recidivism. Results indicated that the SAPROF was a good predictor of decreased recidivism; however, certain aspects of the measure were more predictive than others, and some were not predictive at all. The results support the use of the SAPROF in a population for which it was not originally intended. Moreover, it may highlight treatment targets and foster a treatment alliance between patient and practitioner, as it emphasizes positive traits in a stigmatized population.

ABSTRACT. Consensual non-monogamy (CNM) is increasingly visible as an alternative to monogamy. Literature shows CNM practitioners report high levels of stigmatization yet high relational satisfaction. Research routinely conflates distinct types of CNM practices (swinger, open, polyamorous) and experiences of those experimenting with CNM with long-term practitioners. This results in a reductive, sex-focused understanding of CNM that reinforces mononormative stigma. This qualitative, exploratory research asked six participants from Western Canada with a minimum five years of CNM practice about their CNM experiences. Through life history and semi-structured interviews participants reveal how identity, stigma management, and motivations shifted across their lifespan. Interviews were thematically analyzed and life histories were organized chronologically to reveal global patterns in the data. Salient themes included identity (subthemes: vulnerability, growth, and security), stigma (courage, values, communication), and motivations (intimacy, community, autonomy). Type of CNM relationship is shown as less distinguishing than time spent practicing CNM. Participant experiences in early years of CNM vary greatly while similarities emerge with time and experience across categories of CNM. The absence of this distinction in the literature is a critical flaw, misrepresenting the realities and benefits of committed CNM practices.

ABSTRACT. Sexual violence remains prevalent on Canadian university campuses, prompting increased research on the underlying causes and avenues for prevention. Sexual consent is inherently linked to sexual violence, yet attitudes and behaviours around consent remain ambiguous and under-researched. Although cognitive mechanisms such as moral disengagement have been linked to consent-related attitudes and behaviours, this relationship has not been examined among Canadian undergraduate students. The following study tested whether positive sexual consent attitudes and behaviours were negatively associated with moral disengagement, and whether this relationship differed based on gender. The researcher recruited 29 undergraduate students from the University of Saskatchewan. Participants completed an online survey, which included demographic measures and validated assessments of sexual consent attitudes and behaviours, and moral disengagement. Results indicated a significant correlation such that greater moral disengagement propensity was associated with more lenient and riskier sexual consent attitudes and behaviours in four of the five sexual consent sub-scales analyzed (p < .05). Gender did not significantly moderate this relationship and was inconclusive due to a limited and unbalanced sample size. Findings suggest moral disengagement may be a cognitive target for sexual violence prevention, while results highlight the need for larger and more representative samples.

ABSTRACT. Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a major public health issue in Canada, with Indigenous peoples experiencing disproportionately high rates due to colonial and systemic factors. University campuses provide an important setting for examining IPV awareness, yet little research compares Indigenous and non-Indigenous students’ understanding and responses. Guided by the Two-Eyed Seeing framework, this mixed-methods study examines whether different knowledge pathways influence recognition of abusive behaviors, understanding of healthy and unhealthy relationship dynamics, and attitudes toward bystander intervention among undergraduate students at the University of Saskatchewan. It is hypothesized that Indigenous students will report greater exposure to IPV knowledge through lived experience or informal community learning, whereas non-Indigenous students will report greater exposure through formal education. Participants completed an anonymous online survey assessing demographics, prior IPV education, and attitudes toward bystander intervention. Measures included the IPV Recognition Measure and the Bystander Intervention Scale, along with open-ended questions to assess level of IPV knowledge and the sources. Qualitative responses will be analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis, while independent samples t-tests will examine group differences on both measures. Findings may inform culturally responsive IPV education, prevention strategies, and campus programming that better reflect diverse knowledge systems and learning pathways.

ABSTRACT. Concussion, a form of mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), is difficult to diagnose because clinical assessments and neuroimaging fail to detect cellular damage. Cellular prion protein (PrPC), a neuronal membrane glycoprotein found in lipid rafts, is involved in neuroprotection and synaptic signalling and may serve as a biomarker because membrane disruption can facilitate extracellular release. This pilot study examined whether controlled mechanical stress applied to Neuro-2a (N2a) neuronal cells alters extracellular PrPC levels in vitro. N2a cells were exposed to shaken and static conditions to model mechanical stress, and conditioned media were analyzed using immunoprecipitation with anti-PrPc antibody and magnetic beads coated with protein G Sepharose, followed by SDS-PAGE and Western blotting. The experiment used 1.5 mL of media for immunoprecipitation. Cell lysate protein contents were analyzed using bicinchoninic acid (BCA) protein quantification method. Since the molecular weight of PrPc is around 25 KDa, which might overlap with the light IgG band (~25 KDa), we used the Western blot detection reagent Tidyblot (Bio-Rad, Catalogue#: STAR209P) instead of regular secondary antibody-HRP to prevent IgG interference. The final Western blot image, generated from two gels, showed detectable bands consistent with PrPC, demonstrating feasibility of detecting extracellular PrPC under optimized experimental conditions.

ABSTRACT. Concussion or mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) is a common neurological condition that remains difficult to diagnose due to the absence of a reliable and objective diagnosis. Current clinical assessments rely primarily on symptom reporting and cognitive testing, leading to delayed or inaccurate diagnoses. Biomarkers have emerged as a promising approach to improve the detection and monitoring of concussions. Although blood and cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers have been extensively studied, these methods are invasive and impractical for field-based assessments. Consequently, recent studies have explored non-invasive biological samples as potential sources of diagnostic biomarkers. This comprehensive literature review evaluated the potential for detecting concussion biomarkers non-invasively in the nasal and buccal cavities. Studies analyzed numerous biomarker classes, including proteins, metabolites, DNA/RNA, extracellular vesicles, cytokines, microbial signatures, and lipids, within these anatomical regions. Biomarkers in blood, cerebrospinal fluid, saliva, nasal samples, buccal samples, and microbiomes were examined within these anatomical regions. Invasiveness and diagnostic potential were examined. Findings indicated that blood and cerebrospinal fluid currently displayed the strongest reliability for mTBI biomarkers. Saliva also shows considerable promise as a non-invasive alternative, owing to its presence of inflammatory and molecular markers. These findings emphasize the need to further investigate accessible, non-invasive biomarker sources.

ABSTRACT. This study examines evolving vaccine attitudes among University of Saskatchewan students by situating survey data across pre-, mid-, and post-COVID-19 periods, while assessing openness to emerging neurodegenerative disease (ND) immunotherapies. Quantitative analyses utilized chi-square tests and multiple regression models to identify key predictors of vaccine perceptions. Initial analyses showed that demographic factors, specifically religious affiliation and vaccination status, significantly differentiated levels of general vaccine trust and perceived safety (p < .05). However, regression analyses revealed that attitudes toward COVID-19 vaccination were the strongest predictors of broader vaccine sentiment. In particular, the belief that COVID-19 vaccination represents a “societal responsibility” (p < .001) strongly predicted perceptions of vaccine trust, safety, and importance. Incorporating pandemic-specific variables substantially increased model explanatory power; the variance explained (R2) for general trust rose from .195 to .535 and perceived safety from .150 to .500, indicating that pandemic experiences overshadow traditional demographic influences. Information sources such as social media did not independently predict vaccine attitudes. These findings suggest that student receptiveness to future vaccine platforms, including experimental ND immunotherapies, is closely linked to pandemic-shaped perspectives on collective responsibility. Understanding these dynamics is critical for developing effective communication strategies to support future vaccine uptake.

ABSTRACT. As university student populations continue to diversify, equity-seeking students continue to face unique health challenges leading to healthcare disparities. Research has identified culturally competent care (CCC) as an essential approach to addressing these challenges, although limited studies have synthesized healthcare providers’ (HCPs) knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) regarding CCC for equity-seeking university students. This scoping review sought to map the existing literature exploring HCPs knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding CCC for equity-seeking students. The review was conducted following Arksey and O’Malley’s scoping review framework and the PRISMA-ScR reporting guidelines. 194 peer-reviewed records from nine academic databases were exported and screened, and 12 articles were included in the final review. Studies revealed that HCPs often recognized the importance of CCC for equity-seeking students, though inconsistencies remained in its application. While providers reported having received some training, discrepancies exist between HCP’s self-evaluation of cultural competence and students’ perception of care. Equity-seeking students faced barriers related to cultural stigma, Western-centred models of care, and structural challenges. Despite these barriers, positive experiences were reported when HCPs demonstrated empathy, cultural openness, and incorporated patients’ cultural background into care. Research findings support the need for increased training, institutional reform, and culturally responsive practices within healthcare systems.

ABSTRACT. Objectification theory provides a framework for understanding how cultural beauty standards are transmitted into women’s self-perceptions, and how this objectifying self-view contributes to a multitude of negative outcomes. Influences, a newer form of social media celebrity, produce highly sexualized and idealized content which has been established as eliciting greater self-objectification in women than traditional celebrities or models. Virtual influencers, the human influencers AI counterpart, are increasingly common online, with their human-like iterations being indistinguishable from humans, raising concerns as to whether these algorithmically crafted representations of feminine beauty are more detrimental to women’s self-objectification and subsequent cognitive functioning than traditional influencers. To examine the relationship between idealized influencer images and cognitive performance among emerging-adult women, 31 participants engaged in an experimental Qualtrics survey with random assignment, where they viewed 15 images of one of three influencers: human, human-like, or anime-like. Under the guise of a consumer cover-story, participants engaged in a variety of distractor tasks, and measures of trait and state self objectification were obtained. Results demonstrated that influencer condition did not significantly predict state self objectification or cognitive performance.

ABSTRACT. Sexual well-being is an important characteristic of sexual health and should be recognized within the context of sexual health education. The ideal form of sexual health education promotes a safe and open space and, in so doing, affirms the identities of all students. Researchers have critiqued current pedagogical approaches to sexual health education that focus primarily on the physical component of sexuality, with minimal attention paid to the social and emotional aspects of sexual health. My autoethnographic approach to studying sexual health education in a Catholic high school in Saskatoon provides insight into the points of convergence and divergence between ideal sexual health education practices and those offered to students in the recent past. A reflexive thematic data analysis is ongoing. However, I anticipate that the results of my study will be consistent with national (and global) critiques of current sexual health education practices. The limitations of my evocative autoethnography and directions for further inquiry will be outlined.

ABSTRACT. Culture and its relationship to Indigenous health is an increasingly prominent topic of research. Defining culture remains a persistent challenge in Indigenous health research, particularly as scholars approach the topic from diverse backgrounds. This qualitative study uses semi-structured interviews with experts in Indigenous health to explore and help clarify how culture is defined, measured, and applied in Indigenous health research. Interview transcripts were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis to examine expert perspectives on the conceptualization of culture, methodological challenges, mentorship, and the evolution of the field. Preliminary results indicate that culture is dynamic and evolving, a holistic concept involving community, spirituality, and ways of knowing. Current standardized questionnaires may not reflect differences between Indigenous communities, limiting their ability to capture the full complexity of cultural identities. These findings suggest that future approaches to studying culture in Indigenous health research should move beyond standardized quizzes and prioritize measures that reflect the relational, community specific nature of culture. While preliminary, the findings underscore the importance of shifting away from universal research approaches and toward community-centered frameworks that are grounded in both Indigenous knowledge systems and reciprocal relationships. This shift may produce research that is more meaningful, accurate, and beneficial to Indigenous communities.

ABSTRACT. Chronic pain is difficult to diagnose and validate within biomedical healthcare systems, particularly when symptoms lack clear objective indicators. These challenges may be intensified for immigrant women, whose experiences of pain are shaped by migration-related stress, unfamiliarity with healthcare systems, and structural barriers within medical institutions. Although research on chronic pain has expanded, immigrant women’s perspectives remain underrepresented, with much of the literature focusing on epidemiological patterns or clinician viewpoints rather than lived experience. My study uses an autoethnographic approach to examine navigating chronic pain as an immigrant woman within a Western healthcare system. Drawing on personal narrative and critical reflection, the analysis is organized around three conceptual contradictions that help explain why immigrant women’s pain is frequently misunderstood or inadequately addressed. The first concerns the need to establish the legitimacy of invisible pain, where being believed does not necessarily translate into effective care. The second highlights the tension between expectations of patient agency and the structural conditions required to enact it, suggesting that meaningful participation often depends on institutional permission and access. The third addresses the mismatch between the social production of pain and the individual responsibility placed on those who experience it.

ABSTRACT. Haptic object identification allows individuals to recognize objects through active touch in the absence of visual input. Previous research has demonstrated that humans can accurately identify objects haptically; however, less is known about how hand used and object type interact to influence performance. The present study examined whether hand-specific advantages emerge during haptic object identification as a function of hemispheric specialization. Participants completed 48 trials in which abstract shapes and functional household tools were identified using either the left or right hand without visual input. A 2 x 2 repeated-measure ANOVA was conducted to examine the effects of the hand used and object type on identification accuracy and reaction time. It was predicated that a crossover interaction would emerge with abstract objects being identified more accurately and quickly with the left hand, whereas functional tools would be identified more accurately and quickly with the right hand. These predicted findings would support theories of hemispheric specialization and suggest that lateralized processing influences haptic perception.

ABSTRACT. Raising a child on the autism spectrum (ASD) is a transactional process where child characteristics and parental well-being continually influence each other. While parents of children with ASD face higher stress than those of neurotypical (NT) children, less is known about how this stress intersects with parenting styles and the recalibration of developmental milestone expectations. This study investigates the impact of parenting a child with ASD on three interlinked domains: parental stress, parenting styles (authoritative, authoritarian, and permissive), and milestone expectations. A cross-sectional online survey will be conducted with primary caregivers of children aged 2–12. Participants will complete standardized measures for parenting stress, styles, and milestone expectations. Data will be analyzed using comparative statistical tests to identify mean differences between groups. It is hypothesized that the ASD group will report significantly higher stress and greater reliance on authoritarian or permissive styles than the NT group. Furthermore, ASD caregivers are expected to report later milestone expectations, particularly in social-communication and emotional control, reflecting cognitive adjustments to unique trajectories. Findings will highlight the systemic impact of ASD on families. By identifying how chronic stress shifts behaviors, this research supports targeted, parent-mediated interventions focusing on emotional regulation to promote adaptive dynamics.

ABSTRACT. Previous studies have demonstrated that in cultures where language is read from left to right, events are seen as more aesthetically pleasing when they follow a left to right trajectory. Little research has been done on whether this aesthetic preference is present before the movement has occurred. Forty-seven participants participated in a soccer penalty kick prediction task, where they were asked to predict whether a kick was going to go to the right or the left before the player kicked the ball. Participants were asked to view 44 clips, 12 of which were mirror reversed. researchers. While the results indicated a leftward bias, no significant interactions were found in kick direction for participant handedness or sex. Future research directions may include comparing reading directions, or using different sports to run a similar study.

ABSTRACT. The cradling bias refers to the tendency to cradle infants and precious objects towards the left side of the body. The Right Hemisphere Hypothesis explains this phenomenon by proposing that since emotional processing is lateralized to the right hemisphere, individuals show a contralateral leftward bias when holding emotionally salient stimuli. Previous research has investigated this tendency in adults, especially women; however, its origins, whether innate or developed during childhood, remain understudied. Researchers hypothesized that older female children would show greater leftward cradling bias for emotionally salient stimuli. The current study investigated whether age, gender, and object influenced the cradling bias. Across public domains, 480 images and videos of children, aged 4-6 years and 10-12 years, were coded. Cradling behavior was analyzed across three stimuli: human infants, human-like toys, and non-human toys. A 3 x 2 x 2 ANOVA was conducted to examine the effects of object type, age, and gender on the bias. Results confirmed both a significant leftward cradling bias and effect of object type, with emotionally salient stimuli showing the highest leftward cradling preference. However, no developmental and gender effect was found. These findings suggest the cradling bias may be an innate phenomenon rather than a developmental behaviour.

ABSTRACT. Early childhood is fundamental for the development of skills across several domains, including cognitive, social, and emotional. Within early childhood education (ECE) settings, educational, executive function, and self-regulation development is especially emphasized. ECE settings use curricula as guidelines for approaches to develop these skills, which are essential for school readiness. School readiness is defined as a child’s readiness for academic challenges beyond preschool, embodying their skills, knowledge and attitude towards learning. Major societal stressors cause notable declines in school readiness, and these stressors impact children of preschool age especially severely, due to them being in a stage of heightened neuroplasticity, where skills, abilities, and attitudes developed tend to persist throughout the lifespan. “Planting SEEDS” is a pre-kindergarten toolbox intervention program designed to address declines in school readiness in preschoolers. The intervention utilizes evidence-based approaches from established ECE curricula. This project aims to study whether approaches from these curricula will improve the development of school readiness compared to Alberta’s primary ECE strategies. Results will provide foundations for discussing potential improvements that can be made to the Alberta ECE curriculum “Flight”, to adapt ECE to stressors that negatively impact education and development, to ensure beneficial outcomes for preschoolers moving up to kindergarten.

ABSTRACT. This study proposes a qualitative, interpretive approach to explore how outreach workers who work with individuals with substance use disorder in Saskatoon experience and interpret stigma related to their roles. While also examining how these experiences impact their self-concept to reveal possible areas where additional support or changes may help alleviate tension in their work. Existing literature largely examines outreach workers’ experiences through a client-centred lens and emphasizes strategies to improve service delivery and client outcomes. The literature also highlights the risk of working in outreach, such as burnout, compassion fatigue, secondary traumatic stress, and turnover as factors affecting service delivery (Schoenberger et al., 2024). However, limited attention has been brought to the interplay of outreach workers' experiences of stigmatization they face related to their work with addictions and substance misuse and how that affects them in and outside the workplace. Therefore our study invites four participants to reflect on their experiences of stigmatization through semi-structured interviews. This study employs a Reflective Thematic Analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2022) to identify patterned meanings across participants’ accounts rather than prioritizing idiographic case analysis or narrative structure.

ABSTRACT. Post-secondary institutions have historically been structured around neurotypical norms, often creating barriers for students both with and without diagnosed neurodivergence or disabilities. This study focuses on academic barriers related to teaching methods, assessment practices, and classroom engagement for students with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). While existing research has largely centred on students’ lived experiences, less is known about how post-secondary instructors understand and support students with ADHD. This study addresses this gap by examining instructors’ perspectives at the University of Saskatchewan. Guided by frameworks of neurodiversity, the biopsychosocial-cultural model, attribution theory, and Universal Design for Learning (UDL), the study explores how instructors conceptualize ADHD, perceive student needs, describe their teaching and support practices, and identify ways institutions can better support inclusive practices. Data were collected through an online survey consisting of closed-ended and open-ended questions administered to faculty with primary instructional responsibilities. Responses were analyzed using Qualitative Content Analysis (QCA) to identify recurring patterns in instructors’ reported knowledge, attitudes, and practices. By centring instructor perspectives, this research contributes to a deeper understanding of how inclusion is interpreted and enacted in post-secondary settings, and can better inform the implementation of institutional supports and professional development related to neurodivergent student success.

ABSTRACT. This study sought to gain deeper insight into grandiose narcissism’s lesser known variant, communal narcissism. Primary research questions asked how online social media users portrayed communal narcissists, and what their stated goals were in initiating discussion on communal narcissism. Secondary questions asked why, according to social media users, so little is known about this variant of narcissism and why it is difficult to detect. A non-interactive, netnographic approach was used to gather in vivo accounts from online social media users and content creators on Reddit and YouTube. The reflexive thematic analysis revealed four overarching themes: (a) communal narcissism as a distinct form of narcissism, (b) difficulty in detecting the dual persona of the communal narcissist, (c) hidden harms of the communal narcissist’s dual behavior, and; (d) recognizing the signs of communal narcissism to reduce personal and social harm. Findings suggest that social media users aimed to raise awareness of the dual nature of the communal narcissist and to disclose pernicious behavior against their families, followers, co-workers, and subjects of their so-called charity. Research in this domain is necessary for understanding and elevating the visibility of the communal narcissist’s disposition, informing professionals, and minimizing harm to individuals and greater society.

ABSTRACT. Technology-Facilitated Violence (TFV) refers to the use of technology to perpetrate acts of harm such as cyberstalking, image-based exploitation, and online sexual harassment. The current study aims to investigate different perspectives of TFV (e.g., survivors, perpetrators) and how TFV might correlate with antisocial traits and its association with online disinhibition. Undergraduate students completed an anonymous online survey comprised of five measures: a self-report measure of psychopathy, a technology-facilitated abuse in relationships scale intended to capture survivor experiences and a modified version designed to capture perpetration, an intimate partner violence attitudes scale, which included technology-facilitated violence as well as emotional/physical abuse, and a measure to assess online disinhibition. The sample (N = 67) was majority female (86.7%), single (62.7%), and mostly White (46.2%; other ethnicities 31.3%). Total and factors scores on these measures will be reported, and associations between psychopathy, TSV, and online disinhibition will be presented. Results will be compared to prior research and potential implications for future research will also be discussed.

ABSTRACT. Migraine is often characterized by intense episodic debilitating headaches. High levels of stress can trigger the onset of an attack. A recent subcategorization of stress titled ‘digital stress’ results from overuse and reliance on digital sources. Use of digital devices and programs have also been integrated into many post-secondary programs and are key for academic success. Currently, little is known if digital stress is a possible trigger for migraine headache among a post-secondary student population. The present study examined this using a correlational design, predicting a positive correlation between high ratings of digital stress with increased frequency and severity of migraine headache. We recruited 191 post secondary students, and they completed a multipart online questionnaire. This included the Digital Stress Scale (DSS), the Migraine Disability Assessment (MIDAS), a migraine classification questionnaire, and a general overview of online use questionnaire. Among the migraine group, preliminary results show that migraine frequency, migraine severity, and MIDAS scores all trend positively with digital stress (DSS) scores. Addressing this potential relationship can contribute to our understanding of the causes of headache attacks. The findings from this project could help to improve health outcomes for people with migraine and provide insights regarding possible risk factors.

ABSTRACT. Hemispheric specialization produces consistent lateral biases in perception, motor control, and social behaviour across all vertebrates. One robust manifestation of such asymmetry is the left-cradling bias, in which caregivers preferentially hold infants on the left side of the body. This pattern has often been attributed to the right hemisphere’s typical specialization for emotional processing and spatial monitoring. However, most research on human caregiving laterality has focused on infancy and stationary contexts, leaving open the question of whether similar lateral biases persist in dynamic interactions between parents and older children, especially in crowded settings. The current study investigated parental lateral positioning during naturalistic interactions with children, such as handholding and seat placement, using publicly available video footage. Observational coding compared parent-child positioning in public environments with a control condition consisting of home-based interactions. There was a significant overall leftward positioning bias, with parents more frequently placing children on their left side than their right. Moreover, this bias was significantly stronger in public environments than in home settings, proposing that environmental context may influence lateralized behaviour. These findings suggest that lateralized caregiving behaviour extends beyond infant cradling and may reflect adaptive right hemisphere mechanisms supporting protective behaviour during everyday parent-child interactions.

ABSTRACT. Research has documented both benefits and challenges associated with young adult coresidence with parents; however, qualitative examinations of this experience have largely focused on urban contexts or non-parental rural return migration, leaving rural boomerang kids — a population for whom setting meaningfully shapes the coresidence experience — underexplored. This study examined the experiences of three young adults who returned to their rural parental home after living in a major urban centre. Semi-structured interviews were conducted, followed by reflexive thematic analysis of interview transcripts. Participants successfully navigated their new living arrangement; however, they also had to contend with stigma surrounding coresidence unique to the rural setting. Three themes were constructed: the framing of the return as a strategic decision, the renegotiation of independence with parents, and stigma tied to normative timelines around young adult independence, reinforced by the high social visibility characteristic of rural communities. The findings suggest that the rural social context plays an active role in shaping the coresidence experience, extending existing qualitative work on urban coresidence and rural return migration into an intersection that has received little direct attention.

ABSTRACT. Indigenous youth face more health disparities than non-Indigenous youth while simultaneously being an under-researched group. Existing research leaves a gap in what is known about the unique health experiences of First Nations, Métis, and Inuit people. Les Filles De Madeline, a Métis women’s organization in Saskatchewan, noted a need for Métis youth mental health services. Before creating these services, it is important to understand what is already known about Métis youth mental health. This systematic review aims to collect what is known about Métis specific mental health programs, services, and interventions from existing literature. 13 academic databases were searched for academic literature, using the terms “Mental Health,” “Métis,” “Youth,” and “Canada”. Of the 176 articles screened, 22 met the inclusion criteria of being specific to Métis youth, concerning mental health and wellness, and published in Canada after 2000. Data extracted from these studies identify the mental health challenges Métis youth face. However, many of the studies used data from the Aboriginal Peoples Survey, highlighting the continued need for Métis specific research to support the development of culturally appropriate and effective services.

ABSTRACT. This study qualitatively investigated Huskie track and field athletes and their use of spirituality in relation to sport performance. The study consisted of six semi-structured interviews with U Sports track and field athletes who self-identify as spiritual or religious. Participants included an equal number of men and women from diverse backgrounds and represented several event groups, including sprints, throws, long distance, and jumps. Each interview lasted between sixteen and thirty minutes, was audio recorded, transcribed verbatim, and subject to thematic analysis. Three major themes emerged: (1) faith as a psychological coping strategy during competition; (2) faith as a source of identity outside of athletic performance, and (3) reframing adversity through faith. Engagement in spiritual activities such as prayer and reflection, athletes manage competitive stress, maintain focus, and interpret challenges within a greater sense of purpose. These findings highlight how non-traditional coping strategies can promote emotional health and enhance performance. This study emphasizes the significance of extending conventional sport psychology frameworks to incorporate existential meaning and individual belief systems by looking at these themes. The results of this study could aid coaches, sports psychologists and health professionals working with athletes to offer strategies that align with athletes' spiritual and cultural diversity.

ABSTRACT. The development of a positive cultural identity has been shown to benefit the wellbeing of Indigenous children across Canada. However, many Indigenous foster children in Saskatchewan are being cared for by non-Indigenous foster parents. The objective of this study was to understand how non-Indigenous foster parents support the development of positive cultural identities among the Indigenous foster children they care for, including attention to how they understand their role in this process, what actions they take to support these identities, what factors influence their actions, and how successful they had been in this process. Interviews with eight non-Indigenous foster parents in Saskatchewan were analyzed using Thematic Analysis. Analysis of foster parent's reports revealed a sense of responsibility for supporting cultural identity development, engagement in cultural experiences, and a sense of success in supporting cultural identity. Foster parents' responses highlighted gaps in culture-based supports for culturally unmatched foster parents and reveals what may limit foster parents' ability to support the development of positive cultural identity. Findings underscore the need for ongoing support for non-Indigenous foster parents and Indigenous foster children as they work to develop positive cultural identities and meaningful connections to cultural communities and traditional knowledges.

ABSTRACT. Increasing class sizes and rising classroom complexity are growing concerns across Canadian schools, particularly in Saskatchewan and Alberta, where student populations continue to expand, while staffing and resources remain stagnant or decline. Although the benefits of smaller classes are well established, less is known about how increasingly large and complex classrooms affect the well-being of educators and students. This qualitative case study examined how these conditions shape teachers’ psychological and emotional well-being and the strategies they use to navigate demanding environments. Semi‑structured interviews were conducted with eight teachers—three in Alberta and five in Saskatchewan—who had experience working in large and/or complex classrooms. A reflexive thematic analysis was conducted within an interpretive‑descriptive framework informed by Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory. Findings highlight challenges across ecological levels, including the microsystem (student needs and classroom management), mesosystem (relationships with administrators, families, and support staff), exosystem (division policies and resource allocation), and macrosystem (broader educational policies and societal expectations). Teachers described increased emotional labour, heightened demands for self-regulation, and working at the limits of their physical and psychological capacity. Despite a strong commitment and passion for teaching, many questioned the profession’s sustainability without improved structural supports, adequate resources, and policy attention to working conditions.

ABSTRACT. Homesickness and loneliness are common emotional challenges for university students who move away from home, often increasing risk of mental health difficulties. While existing literature highlights the prevalence and emotional consequences of these experiences, little is known about how institutional policies and practices may shape or exacerbate loneliness, homesickness, and related mental health challenges. This gap is especially relevant for students living in residence or off-campus housing without established social networks, where behavioural and emotional changes may go unnoticed.

This project undertakes an expanded review of literature examining how institutional policies influence student wellbeing, with particular attention to issues such as loneliness, homesickness, and student adjustment in university settings. The literature is thematically analyzed to identify recurring patterns related to institutional supports, gaps in policy or practice, and the ways universities respond to student wellbeing challenges. Throughout the review, reflective insights drawn from lived experience as a university student living away from home were incorporated to contextualize and critically engage with the identified themes.

ABSTRACT. Doctoral students are essential to research in Canada, yet they face a pervasive mental health crisis and experience high levels of psychological distress. Despite the severity of this issue, Canadian graduate students remain underrepresented in scholarly literature. This research project investigates the supervisor-supervisee relationship which is a primary influence on doctoral wellbeing and academic success.

Using a qualitative methodology, this project employs semi-structured interviews with PhD scholars to gather detailed narratives of their supervisory experiences. The aim of these interviews is to identify specific practices that either support the mental health of PhD students or contribute to stress. The resulting data will be analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis, which is helpful in acknowledging the subjective and co-constructed nature of these interviews. In Canada, there is a lack of natural supervision standards and mandatory training, this study seeks to begin to fill that gap. By fostering healthier academic environments, this research aims to improve the doctoral experience and protect the mental health of future researchers.

ABSTRACT. The feared-self model postulates that vulnerable self-identity leads to overinvestment in a feared possible self and ultimately to the development of mental health symptoms. Support for this model exists for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and eating disorder (ED) symptoms. Further, it has been found that the content of the feared self is thematically related to the nature of symptoms endorsed. It is theorized that this model may apply to body dysmorphic disorder (BDD), but this has not yet been tested. The present study aimed to replicate and extend findings to BDD by testing pathways from self-concept clarity (the extent to which identity is well-defined) through different feared self-themes to mental health symptoms. Undergraduate students (N = 253) completed a questionnaire battery, assessing self-concept clarity, fear of self (including three feared self‐themes: corrupted, culpable, and unattractive), and BDD, OCD, and ED symptoms. A path analysis revealed that self-concept clarity was indirectly associated with BDD symptoms negatively via the feared corrupted and unattractive selves, and positively via the feared culpable self. Present results replicate previous findings and extend this investigation to BDD symptoms, aiming to contribute to our understanding of divergent symptom trajectories (i.e., shared risk factors leading to different types of symptoms).

ABSTRACT. How people relate to the world around them, and what that relationship means to them, is a question central to psychology, spirituality, and environmental thought. Research suggests that worldviews emphasizing human separation from nature contribute to ecological harm (Rubin-Falcone et al., 2023), while relational worldviews emphasizing interconnectedness are linked to greater environmental care (Barragan-Jason et al., 2022). Despite growing scholarly interest in the spiritual but not religious (SBNR) population which now makes up approximately 27% of American adults little is known about how these individuals conceptualize their relationship to the world. This exploratory study investigates how SBNR individuals describe that relationship and what metaphors or images they use. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with three SBNR university students (female, aged 20–40) at the University of Saskatchewan; transcripts were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis. Three emerging themes were identified: a distinction between "the world" as an abstract entity and "my world" as a personally constructed experience; a desire to connect with nature complicated by the demands of daily life; and a perception of being a self-determining agent in the world. This research offers a foundation for broader conversations about how spirituality, meaning-making, and relational thinking intersect in contemporary psychological experience.

ABSTRACT. Bereavement support is an important component of quality care in long-term care, yet formalized supports for families following a resident’s death are often limited. As part of the Strengthening Palliative Approach in Long-Term Care initiative, a bereavement pamphlet was developed to help staff provide compassionate, evidence-informed support to families. This mixed-methods study examined staff perceptions of the acceptability and feasibility of the updated SPA-LTC bereavement pamphlet, explored barriers and facilitators to its routine use in Saskatchewan LTC homes. Participants reviewed the pamphlet and completed a survey containing demographic questions, Likert-style acceptability and feasibility items, and open-ended questions. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, while qualitative responses were analyzed using qualitative description. Findings show acceptability of the pamphlet. Respondents rated as easy to read and understand (4.79/5), helpful in providing information about grief (4.74/5), and appropriate individuals experiencing grief (4.84/5). Most respondents (17 of 19) indicated they would recommend the pamphlet to grieving families. Reported barriers included workload, time constraints, uncertainty about when to provide the pamphlet, and discomfort initiating grief-related conversations. Facilitators included staff education, reminders, and integration into existing care practices. Overall, the pamphlet appears to be a promising bereavement support resource for families in Saskatchewan LTC homes.

ABSTRACT. Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use among cancer patients has increased substantially, reflecting a broader global shift toward holistic cancer care. CAM refers to any non-mainstream therapies that are used alongside or in place of conventional medicine. However, many patients do not disclose CAM use to oncology providers, which may create potential gaps in care and communication. The current study aims to explore how oncology providers navigate discussions about CAM and perceive its role in clinical practice, allowing for a deeper understanding of the barriers and strategies that shape these interactions. Four semi-structured interviews were conducted with oncology providers practicing in Saskatchewan. Grounded in a contextualist approach, reflexive thematic analysis was employed to develop themes reflecting oncology providers’ perspectives on CAM and its place in cancer care. Themes captured providers’ experiences with misinformation influencing patients’ treatment decisions, tensions between respecting patient autonomy and promoting patient well-being, and systemic constraints such as limited consultation time and a lack of referral resources. These findings highlight potential intervention points for the development of evidence-based resources for patients and providers to support informed discussions about CAM in oncology.