Theses (Psychology)

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The photo-truthiness effect: The influence of nonprobative photos on truth judgments in a 2-phase procedure
(2025) King-Nyberg, Bennett; Lindsay, D. Stephen
Truthiness is the belief or assertion that a statement is true based on intuition and subjective perception rather than evidence or critical examination. Recent research has demonstrated that the presence of a nonprobative photo - an image that is related to a claim but provides no direct evidence for it - can increase the probability that a person will judge the claim as true. This photo-truthiness effect is hypothesized to occur because such images enhance processing fluency, making the claim easier to process and bringing related concepts to mind. This increased fluency is then misattributed to familiarity and truth, making people more likely to judge the statement as true. In most photo truthiness studies, participants evaluate claims in a 1-phase procedure, whereby they see a claim with or without an accompanying photo and immediately judge its veracity. This design facilitates processing of both the claim and the photo simultaneously, potentially leading some to discount the photo’s influence. The present research introduces a 2-phase procedure, in which participants first view trivia claims with or without an associated photo and only later, in a separate phase, judge the truth of those claims in isolation. This temporal separation of photos and judgements was designed to reduce awareness of the photo’s influence when judging claims, thereby increasing the photo-truthiness effect. It also introduces a repetition of the claims, which has previously been shown to increase the likelihood that they are judged as true. Across six preregistered experiments, the effect of separating photo presentation from truth judgments on the truthiness effect was tested. Results confirmed that claims with photos were more often judged as true than claims without photos. However, the 2-phase procedure did not produce a significantly larger effect than the 1-phase procedure in any of the experiments nor in an analysis across experiments. Item-level analyses revealed that some statements were more susceptible to truthiness effects than others, and in some cases, the presence of a photo even reduced reported truth (a “falsiness” effect). Response time analyses provided some support that truth judgments were more strongly influenced by photos when participants made rapid decisions, consistent with the idea that truthiness is driven by fluency rather than deliberate reasoning. These findings suggest that the cognitive mechanisms underlying truthiness - such as fluency and source-monitoring errors - are robust across presentation formats, and that the strength of the effect may depend more on the characteristics of individual items than on when photos are presented.
A narrative exploration of the experience of racialized youth who receive mental healthcare in Victoria, BC
(2025) Song-Choi, Pauline; Woodin, Erica M.
Background: IBPOC (Indigenous, Black, and people of colour) communities have faced and continue to face interpersonal and systemic racism across Canada, which in turn affects their mental health and their willingness to access mental healthcare. There is a well-established literature on barriers to accessing mental healthcare for IBPOC communities in Canada. However, much of the research to date does not centre on the voices of IBPOC consumers of mental healthcare, who may have experiences of racial and intergenerational trauma which impact their wellbeing and experience of receiving mental health services. This project highlights the voices of IBPOC youth who received public mental healthcare services between approximately 2010 to 2024 in Victoria, BC, as there is limited research exploring the narratives of this population in Canada. Method: The Collaborative Narrative Method (CNM; Arvay, 2003) was used in order to explore the lived experience of IBPOC youth (between the ages of 17 and 25) who received public mental healthcare in Victoria, BC, which included a period of time when they were mature minors (i.e. between the ages of 13 to 18). The aim of this study is to understand and co-construct their stories, centered around their voices. Individual interviews were conducted with five IBPOC youth, who henceforth will be referred to as the Co-Investigators. Both the researcher and Co-Investigators conducted two readings of the transcripts (the first reading for the accuracy of content, the second reading with the research questions in mind). The narratives were written collaboratively between the researcher and Co-Investigator, with the Co-Investigator having final editorial power. Results: The five narratives explored each youth’s mental health story, including their needs and preferences for supportive mental healthcare, while taking into account the complex intergenerational dynamics that set the context for their lives. Discussion: The researcher identified themes across the stories and discussed them with all the Co-Investigators together at a joint meeting. The identified themes have been organized into five Acts. [Act I] reflected the importance of understanding the complex and nuanced context of each Co-Investigator’s life. [Act II] explored the experience of living through the discrepancy between how the Co-Investigators perceived themselves compared to how they were perceived by mental health professionals. [Act III] identified the meaning that Co-Investigators have made of their experiences including how they exercise their agency, how isolated they are, and their belief that collaborative care between an IBPOC youth and their mental health providers is possible. [Act IV] is composed of the recommendations that the Co-Investigators suggest for service providers in the community based on what they would have wanted from their mental healthcare experiences. Finally, [Act V] is an exploration of the researcher’s observations about the study. Impact: The CNM approach facilitated the intentional attempt to level power dynamics and for IBPOC youth participants to have their stories heard and documented the way they wanted them to be shared. Importantly, the results of this study can inform local policymakers and contribute to creating a culturally-attuned mental healthcare experience for IBPOC youth in Victoria, with the ultimate goal of dismantling systemic racism in mental healthcare.
The paradox of fat embodiment
(2025) Sturgess, Clea; Stinson, Danu
Fat people frequently and regularly face discrimination due to weight stigma, which can result in a stigmatized. or spoiled, identity, and can ultimately result in psychological distress. This dissertation examined the ways in which public weight stigma might result in psychological distress, and the activities fat people are engaged in that help mitigate these processes. Data was collected from students at the University of Victoria and from fat people who were engaged with fat liberation-focused social media. Results showed that public weight stigma was associated with increased internalized weight stigma, which in turn was associated with lowered embodiment, which was in turn associated with increased psychological distress. The research also found that both positive physical engagement and understanding of societal weight bias and its impacts on fat people helped to attenuate these pathways. These findings indicate the need for societal shifts in weight-based discrimination, as well as potential avenues for individual and group-based interventions. A number of considerations for measurement of various constructs were also explored.
Understanding experiences of self-acceptance and embodiment among people with chronic health conditions
(2025) MacDonald, Madeleine; Stinson, Danu; Sukhawathanakul, Paweena
Individuals with chronic health conditions experience greater psychological distress than those without (e.g., Brady et al., 2021). However, much of the existing research relies on quantitative methods that overlook lived experiences, leaving gaps in understanding distress and pathways to healing. This study addressed these gaps by adopting a critical, trauma-informed approach to chronic illness, examining how power structures and societal narratives shape health and well-being. In particular, I explored how individuals with chronic health conditions relate to their bodies and engage in healing for self-acceptance and embodiment (i.e., practices that promote healing from the experience of disembodiment). Participants aged 18 or older (n = 74; Mage = 25 years) who identified as having any kind of disability completed an online survey which asked about their perceptions of public and internalized stigma, embodiment, self-compassion, and self-esteem. This thesis assessed two open-ended questions, which asked participants about their process of self-acceptance for their disability, as well as what embodiment practices they currently use to stay in-tune/connected to their bodies in a subset of participants who identified as having a chronic health condition. Using both reflexive and codebook thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2021), one overarching theme was identified among participants’ responses which depicted disembodiment and disconnection from the body, and four main themes that illustrate the complex relationship between chronic health conditions, embodiment, and psychological distress. Participants described grief, and disconnection from the self, yet also highlighted moments of resistance, self-care, and embodiment, challenging the dominant medical model. Additionally, the codebook analysis examined responses to two research questions: (1) whether individuals described bolstering self-integrity, social support, and embodiment practices in their process of accepting illness, and how they articulated these processes, and (2) what specific embodiment practices they used to connect with their bodies. Findings suggest that recovery is not a fixed outcome but an ongoing praxis, countering deficit-based narratives that frame chronic illness as inherently detrimental. Integrating perspectives from critical disability studies and critical health psychology, this research advocates for a compassionate, human-centered understanding of chronic health conditions, calling for a shift toward an approach that acknowledges chronic illness as deeply embedded in social and psychological contexts. Ultimately, this study amplifies the voices of people with chronic health conditions who often feel unseen or misunderstood and acknowledges the profound challenges that underly this experience.
The Intergenerational transmission of colonial mentality within Filipino Canadian families
(2025) Ortiz, Drexler Klein L.; Costigan, Catherine L.
Filipinos have been subjected to centuries of colonization that have led to colonial mentality, a form of internalized oppression. While the process of intergenerational transmission has been theorized, little research has studied the intergenerational process itself. The study uses pakikipagkuwentuhan, a storytelling method from Sikolohiyang Pilipino or Filipino Psychology. Three separate Filipino Canadian families who had at least one adolescent born in Canada participated in the storytelling process. Family members were interviewed separately, and then interviews were analyzed to construct three family narratives illustrating the intergenerational transmission of colonial mentality. The narratives had five themes or messages demonstrating how colonial mentality is transmitted intergenerationally: Don’t Look Filipino, We’re Not Enough, We Are Not the Same, It’s Better in Canada, and That’s Just the Way We Are. Participants simultaneously expressed five themes of how colonial mentality is resisted intergenerationally: That’s How We Were Raised, We’re in This Together, I am Filipino Canadian, We’re More Than Our Stereotypes, and It’s Not About Survival Anymore. These findings demonstrate how the transmission of and resistance to colonial mentality can occur simultaneously. Furthermore, the narratives provide evidence that colonial mentality may be an adaptive strategy for surviving oppression in postcolonial Philippines and Canada. While Filipino Canadian families engage in colonial mentality for survival, they simultaneously maintain collective oppression, demonstrating the complex tension between individual survival and collective liberation. Rather than blaming Filipinos for their own oppression, the findings underscore how Filipino Canadian families continue to survive historical and contemporary systemic oppression that should be dismantled.
The risk for dementia in older adults with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD): Does cognitive reserve affect time to dement in adults with ADHD symptoms?
(2024) Cooper, Tara; Piccinin, Andrea
As the population over 65 continues to grow, the number of older adults with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is also likely to increase. While dementia risk increases after age 65, previous research suggests that adults with ADHD have a higher risk for dementia than their neurotypical peers. The purpose of this research was to investigate how the Cognitive Reserve (CR) theory of ageing relates to the risk for dementia associated with ADHD symptoms (ADHD-sx). Given that impairments in the domains typically used as proxies of the CR (i.e., education, occupation and social participation) persist across the lifespan for individuals with ADHD, it was first predicted that individuals with ADHD-sx would have lower CR than individuals without ADHD-sx. Secondly, to extend previous research, it was predicted that individuals with ADHD-sx would have a higher risk for dementia than individuals without ADHD-sx. Finally, given the variability in outcomes associated with ADHD, it was predicted that the risk for dementia associated with ADHD-sx would depend on CR. In 2008/2009, 986 participants from the Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam were followed until either a diagnosis of dementia was observed or the last assessment point, 8 years (two additional assessments) later. Based on currently reported ADHD-sx and childhood onset of attention problems, participants were assigned to either an ADHD-sx group (n= 147) or a non-ADHD group (n= 839). The results revealed no significant differences between groups on CR (2(1) = .14, p = .71). A Cox-proportional hazard analysis reported no significant risk for dementia associated with ADHD-sx (HR: 1.29, 95% CI [.43, 3.88], p = .65). Finally, the moderating effect of CR could not be estimated due to insufficient data. These results reveal important considerations when studying older adults with neurodevelopmental disorders and provide future directions for research on the CR theory of ageing.
How are schools supporting cultural identity in urban Indigenous youth? School-based cultural programs and their relationship with Indigenous youth identity development
(2024) Cain, Noah; Sukhawathanakul, Paweena
Schools can play an important role in supporting youth cultural identity. Extant research suggests that inclusive, culturally affirming school practices where ethnic minority students are provided with opportunities to connect with their culture, can strengthen overall school belonging, and reinforce their cultural identity. However, few studies have examined this relationship among Canadian Indigenous youth in the public school system. Urban Indigenous youth face unique challenges to connect with their culture, highlighting the importance of cultural opportunities in schools. Additionally, due to the complex and oppressive history of Canadian school systems and Indigenous people, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada have called on schools to better support Indigenous youth’s academic success and mental health. The current study examines how schools are supporting cultural identity among urban Indigenous high school youth. There were 12 total participants, whose ages ranged from 13-17 years old (n=12; ages 13-17). Findings from thematic analyses revealed that schools varied in the availability of support services that are specifically for Indigenous students, the degree of Indigenous representation in schools, as well as the range of culturally-affirming schools practices. These identified themes were, in turn, related to youths’ sense of school belonging and willingness to engage in culturally-specific prosocial behaviours (e.g., cultural knowledge sharing). Youth’s own personal challenges as an urban Indigenous youth, awareness of whether school opportunities exists, and level of cultural identity exploration was related to how they interacted with cultural opportunities that were available in schools. These findings demonstrate the complex interplay between youth cultural identity and school practices. Implications for more inclusive school policies are discussed.
Solidarity from immigrants to Indigenous peoples in Canada: A person-centered analysis
(2024) Li, Yijia; Costigan, Catherine L.
Background: Experiences of victimization (e.g., discrimination) have been shown to relate to greater feelings of connectedness (i.e., solidarity) and supportive actions from one structurally marginalized group to another. Experiences of marginalization have been found to coexist with different degrees to which systems are believed to be fair (i.e., system justification beliefs), with high system justification being negatively related to intergroup solidarity. Last, knowledge has been found to influence intergroup solidarity. Community-engagements have shown similarities in race/ethnicity-based victimhood experiences between Canada’s Indigenous and immigrant groups. Canada’s growing immigrant population is increasingly diverse, especially in their victimhood experiences and views towards society and solidarity. Thus, a person-centered analysis will be conducted to investigate if unique combinations of knowledge, victimization identities, and system justifying beliefs may impact solidarity and political action towards Indigenous peoples. Methods: 285 adults, identifying as having an immigrant background, were recruited across Canada via an online survey from January to May, 2024. Measures collected demographic information, different types of race/ethnicity-based victimhood identification (e.g., collective, inclusive, exclusive), system justification beliefs (i.e., meritocracy, zero-sum game, social dominance orientation), Indigenous knowledge, political solidarity, and support for policies benefitting Indigenous peoples. Results: Latent profile analysis results identified four profiles with varying levels of victimhood, system justification beliefs, and Indigenous knowledge: 1) Inclusive victim, aware system criticizers (own-group victimization similar to others); 2) Non-victim, very unaware hierarchical-meritocrats (believe in social hierarchy and meritocracy); 3) Non-victim, aware anti-hierarchical anti-meritocracy; 4) Exclusive victim, unaware system supporters (own-group suffering is unique). Profiles 1 and 2 showed high solidarity and policy support for Indigenous peoples, while Group 3 had the lowest. Results for Profile 1 and 4 are supported by previous literature showing high victimhood, high knowledge, low SJ beliefs related to greater solidarity. Results for Profile 2 and 3 add to the literature, in that knowledge and SJ beliefs may influence solidarity differently in non-victimized groups. . Profiles differed in age, gender, racial/ethnic background, visible minority status, and sexual orientation but not socioeconomic status or immigrant generation. Conclusion: This research demonstrates the utility of person-centered analyses to highlight individual differences previously unrecognized in the literature. Results may inform relationship building and continued reconciliation between Indigenous peoples and immigrants.
Variability in free versus cued recall
(2024) Mah, Eric Y.; Lindsay, D. Stephen
Two tasks that have been used extensively to study memory are free recall (FR; study a list of words and later attempt to recall as many as possible) and cued recall tasks (CR; study a list of randomly or meaningfully paired cue and target words and later attempt to recall targets given cues). A long tradition of fruitful research using these tasks has resulted in a host of effects that offer insight into human memory. Here we describe one such novel effect and its potential implications for theories of memory. The effect in question–which we refer to as the ‘CR:FR variability effect’–is a surprising difference in inter-individual variability in performance between the two memory tasks. Specifically, in an initial experiment we observed greater individual differences in CR accuracy than in FR accuracy among individuals who performed both tasks. This result ran counter to our intuitions about the two memory tasks (e.g., one might expect that the lack of explicit retrieval structure in FR versus CR leaves more room for individual differences), and did not seem to be accounted for by popular formal models of memory (e.g., the Search of Associative Memory model; Raaijmakers & Shiffrin, 1981). The vast majority of research using these tasks has focused exclusively on differences in measures of central tendency, and we found no published research comparing individual differences in free and cued recall. Our research project investigated the CR:FR variability effect and potential explanations for the effect via systematic and incremental manipulations to our stimuli and experimental designs. Specifically, across seven experiments we tested and replicated the effect using a general pool of ‘average’ English nouns (Experiment 1; N = 120 undergraduates), with a forced-recall procedure (Experiments 2A & 2B; N = 117 Prolific participants, N = 120 undergraduates), with meaningfully-related word pairs (Experiment 3; N = 260 Prolific participants), equating the study phases (Experiment 4; N = 360 Prolific participants), allowing participants self-paced study (Experiment 5; N = 120 undergraduates), and implementing serial recall for CR (Experiment 6; N = 211 undergraduates). Having ruled out primarily methodological explanations, we conducted a final experiment in which participants were instructed to use an imagery-based memory strategy previously shown to be effective (Thomas et al., 2023), with a pool of words conducive to imagery (Madan et al., 2010). In this experiment (Experiment 7; N = 208 Prolific participants), we did not observe the variability effect. We argue that individual differences in strategy use–due partly to task constraints in FR and CR, and partly to differential individual variability within different strategies–explain the CR:FR variability effect. We consider the implications of these findings for theories of memory and future memory research.
Modeling the latent factor structure of gait in healthy older adults using Exploratory Structural Equation Modeling
(2024) Willden, Michael D.; MacDonald, Stuart Warren Swain; Tanaka, James William
Objective. This thesis examined the relationship between gait dynamics and cognitive functioning in older adults, focusing on specific aspects such as pace/rhythm, variability, and asymmetry using Exploratory Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). The study aimed to replicate the latent factor model of gait by Arcolin et al. (2022), refine it using Exploratory SEM, and explore its criterion validity as a predictor of individual differences in executive functioning. The innovation in Arcolin et al.’s (2022) model lies in its multivariate approach, integrating multiple gait parameters to better capture the complexity of gait performance. The model indexes three latent factors (pace/rhythm, variability, and asymmetry) using eight gait indicators. Methods. This study used archival baseline data from the Healthy Bodies, Healthy Minds (HBHM) program, involving 115 low-active community-dwelling older adults aged 65-88 years (M = 72.82, SD = 5.25). Gait patterns were measured using the GAITRite system, which captures both spatial and temporal aspects of gait. Eight key gait indicators were analyzed: gait speed, step time, double support time, step length CV, swing time CV, step velocity CV, step time asymmetry, and step length asymmetry. SEM was employed to address three main questions: (1) replication of the Arcolin et al. (2022) latent factor model of gait using Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA), (2) identification of the optimal latent factor structure of gait in older adults using Exploratory SEM, and (3) development of a structural model to predict individual differences in executive functioning as measured by the Groton Maze Learning Task. Results. The replication of the Arcolin et al. (2022) model using CFA showed a moderate fit, indicating some limitations in the original model. The Exploratory SEM approach led to a refined model with a significantly improved fit, suggesting a better representation of the underlying gait constructs. The new model, which included step length asymmetry as a spatial metric, demonstrated good model fit (CFI = 0.959, TLI = 0.933, RMSEA = 0.084), capturing both temporal and spatial aspects of gait asymmetry. The structural model revealed that the gait variability latent factor approached significance in predicting executive functioning (β = 0.26, p =.09), while pace/rhythm and asymmetry did not significantly predict cognitive performance (p > .05). Conclusions. Evidence for the interdependence between gait performance and cognitive function in older adults was found, particularly highlighting the significance of pace/rhythm. The use of Exploratory SEM provided a detailed understanding of the complex relationships between various gait indicators, improving the accuracy of latent factor models of gait. These findings have important implications for early detection of cognitive decline and fall risk in older adults. Robust latent factor models of gait can enhance early identification of gait abnormalities, enabling timely interventions to prevent falls and improve cognitive health outcomes. This approach could lead to better clinical assessments and personalized interventions, ultimately helping older adults maintain their independence and quality of life.
Associations between stress, affect, and physical activity in young adulthood: Stages of change as potential moderators
(2024) Menuz, Travis; Ames, Megan
Current global estimates of physical activity suggest that less than 20% of adolescents are sufficiently physically active, and 28% of adults over 18 are not active enough to stay healthy despite the known physical and mental health benefits. Given the notable short- and long-term benefits of physical activity, paired with insufficient engagement rates, young adulthood (ages 19-25) is a critical time to build and support continued physical activity engagement across the lifespan. Research has identified increased stress and negative mood to impair physical activity efforts, but the associations between stress and affect and physical activity at the daily levels remained largely unexplored. In addition, potential moderating factors of these associations currently lack research. This study aimed to understand the associations between daily stress, positive and negative affect, and physical activity, as well as explore the six Stages of Change (SoC) as potential moderating factors. Undergraduates (N = 74; Mage = 20.88, SD = 2.53) responded to surveys administered through a smartphone app for 14 days and wore a Fitbit Charge 2 to gather physical activity data (i.e., daily steps). Multi-level models showed no within-person associations between stress, positive and negative affect, and physical activity. However, two significant interactions were observed: (1) contemplation significantly moderated the association between positive affect and physical activity, and (2) action significantly moderated the association between negative affect and action. Overall, results concerning the moderating impact of SoC were mixed; yet provide directions for future research. Results can provide new insight for strategies that focus on strengthening personal intentions and promoting individual motivations to engage in health behaviours such as physical activity.
Pilot study of a novel early cognitive intervention for children receiving proton radiation therapy
(2024) Brunet, Philippe; Macoun, Sarah
Radiation therapy poses a significant risk for adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes (NDOs), such as attention and executive function (A/EF) deficits in young children. As such, the current study assessed the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of a novel A/EF intervention, Dino Island (DI), among three children (age 7) receiving proton radiation therapy (PRT) for central nervous system (CNS) tumours. DI was delivered 1:1 at Mayo Clinic Rochester by a trained psychometrist (i.e., the interventionist) during the six-week active PRT phase. Feasibility was defined as the proportion of completed intervention sessions, while preliminary efficacy was assessed via cognitive testing and parent behavioural rating scales. Specifically, the testing schedule comprised a comprehensive baseline assessment, brief weekly testing probes during the intervention, a comprehensive post-intervention assessment and follow-up testing one month later. Results presented evidence supporting the potential feasibility and preliminary efficacy of the DI intervention. Indeed, DI may have the potential to mitigate the impact of radiation on certain cognitive domains and perhaps even enact cognitive gains. Crucially, findings support the feasibility of implementing DI during active PRT and provide a foundation for future large-scale randomized clinical trials. Future work should focus on recruiting a large sample to evaluate DI's impact across diverse populations and gathering longitudinal data.
Dual-method assessment of emotion facets in adolescents affected by somatization: Differences from psychiatric controls and variations after treatment
(2024) Mohun, Hannah; Muller, Ulrich; Smart, Colette
Introduction: Clinically significant somatization in adolescents is prevalent and impairing yet understudied. There are many proposed contributors to the development of somatization, including emotion regulation and attachment. However, the ways in which emotion regulation and attachment strategies differ in somatization compared to other internalizing disorders is not well understood. Additionally, whether emotion regulation is modifiable within this population is unknown. To learn more about emotion regulation in adolescents affected by somatization, this dissertation presents two studies using dual-method approaches. Study One: We compared the emotion regulation and attachment strategies of adolescents affected by somatization and adolescents affected by anxiety. Results indicated differences between groups on an objective, biobehavioural measure of emotion regulation, but not on a self-report measure of emotion regulation. There were also differences in self-reported attachment, with adolescents with anxiety reported the use of more anxious attachment strategies than adolescents with somatization. Study Two: We next assessed whether there were time-related variations in two emotion facets over the course of a treatment targeting emotion regulation for adolescents affected by somatization. In a sample of adolescent outpatient hospital patients, we assessed emotion regulation (using a biobehavioural measure) and emotional self-awareness (using a selfreport measure), pre and post treatment. Results indicated that there were some time-related differences in self-reported emotional awareness, with an increase in mentalization over time. While there were no significant time-related differences on the biobehavioural measure of emotion regulation, we found that differences from pre to post were dependent on whether participants perceived a positive working alliance during the treatment. Conclusion: Taken together, these studies make important contributions to the field of pediatric somatization. The noted differences between adolescents affected by somatization versus anxiety may have meaningful clinical implications for tailoring treatment. Importantly, both studies suggest that adolescents with somatization show no significant bias toward or away from negative emotions. Finally, preliminary results demonstrate that emotional self-awareness is modifiable, which is an important step for patients being open to accessing mental health interventions.
Examining psychosocial predictors of cognition in parkinsonism across time
(2024) Chung, Alison Fee-Ping; Paterson, Theone
Background: Parkinsonism is a clinical syndrome that encompasses a spectrum of pathological difficulties including tremor, rigidity, abnormal slowness of movement, and postural instability, and affects between 108 to 212 per 100,000 older adults in North America per year. Rates of Parkinson’s disease (PD) related disability and death are also increasing more rapidly than any other neurological disorder. In addition to mobility disability, non-motor symptoms of parkinsonism such as changes in cognition occur as motor symptoms progress, as PD is associated with an increased risk of dementia. The cognitive reserve theory suggests that psychological and social factors may mitigate declines in cognition. Objectives: There is currently a paucity of research examining relationships between psychosocial factors and cognition in the context of parkinsonism synergistically and across time. To address these gaps, this study aimed to examine relationships between mobility disability, parkinsonism, psychological well-being, social participation, and cognition both cross-sectionally and longitudinally. Methodology: Cross-sectional path analyses included 1634 older adults from the Rush Memory and Aging Project (MAP); 1288 of which had sufficient follow-up assessments to conduct longitudinal growth curve analyses. Cognition was assessed across five domains: episodic memory, semantic memory, working memory, perceptual speed, and visuospatial ability. Results: Cross-sectional analyses revealed that psychological well-being partially mediated increases in mobility disability associated with decreases in performance in episodic memory, semantic memory, working memory, and perceptual speed performance. Relationships between mobility disability and episodic memory, semantic memory, and perceptual speed, respectively were also partially mediated by social participation. Psychological well-being and social participation did not mediate declines in cognition associated with increases in parkinsonism. Longitudinal growth curve analyses supported the notion that more severe mobility disability and parkinsonism is associated with worse psychological well-being and social participation across time. The indirect paths within the longitudinal models also suggest that psychological well-being and social participation may mediate relationships between parkinsonism and mobility disability, respectively, and cognitive performance across all domains. Conclusions: Results indicate that psychological well-being and social participation influence the effects of mobility disability and parkinsonism on cognition in differing manners. Findings indicate that psychological well-being interventions targeting reductions in anxiety, depression, and negative mood may be best suited for individuals with more severe mobility disability and may be most beneficial across the domains of episodic memory, semantic memory, working memory, and perceptual speed. Similarly, interventions targeting social participation may also be helpful to individuals with more severe mobility disability, and are most likely to impact episodic memory, semantic memory, and perceptual speed. For those with more severe mobility disability and parkinsonism, long-term psychological well-being and social participation-based interventions may be beneficial in targeting declines across all cognitive domains.
Understanding the interplay of alexithymia, emotion regulation, and emotion-avoidant behaviours: A study of young adults engaging in self-damaging behaviours
(2024) Shen, Alice Xiao-Yun; Turner, Brianna; Woodin, Erica M.
Alexithymia, characterized by difficulties in identifying, describing, and attuning to internal emotional experiences, is consistently linked with emotion dysregulation and maladaptive behaviours such as non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) and disordered eating (DE). While previous research has examined the relationship between alexithymia and emotion regulation (ER) abilities or strategies separately, few studies have integrated both to understand their combined influence on maladaptive behaviours. The present study aims to validate and extend existing findings by investigating the direct relationship between alexithymia and specific ER abilities and strategies in young adults oversampled for engagement in NSSI and DE. Additionally, it seeks to explore whether NSSI and DE function as maladaptive ER strategies and whether deficits in ER abilities mediate the relationship between alexithymia and maladaptive behaviours. Participants (N = 193, aged 17-30 years, 61.1% female) from a larger self-monitoring study on self-damaging behaviours completed self-reported assessments of alexithymia, ER abilities, ER strategies, lifetime NSSI frequency, and DE symptom severity. Correlation comparisons and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) revealed significant overlaps in Deficits in Emotional Knowledge (DEK) measured by the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20) and the Difficulties in Emotional Regulation Scale (DERS) measures, suggesting construct redundancy. A simplified measurement model of DEK was used to predict maladaptive outcomes through parallel mediation models specifying deficits in four ER abilities: impulse control, mobilization of goal-directed behaviours, access to ER strategies, and acceptance of emotions. The relationship between DEK and lifetime NSSI frequency was collectively mediated by the four ER ability deficits. Similarly, models predicting DE symptom severity and cognitive reappraisal revealed a total indirect effect through all four ER ability mediators. However, difficulties mobilizing goal-directed behaviours negatively mediated the relationship between DEK and DE symptom severity, suggesting a need to examine the orientation of goals among individuals engaging in DE. Consistent with previous research, a lack of access to adaptive ER strategies negatively mediated the relationship between DEK and cognitive reappraisal. Finally, only the mediation model for expressive suppression exhibited a direct effect of DEK, and impulsivity negatively mediated the relationship between DEK and expressive suppression, highlighting a potential difference in mechanisms driving the selection response-focused ER strategies. Findings from the present study support previous evidence of the potential affective regulation function of maladaptive behaviours, such as NSSI and DE. By elucidating the relationship between DEK, ER abilities, and the selection of ER strategies, targeted intervention can be better designed to help support individuals who frequently engage in maladaptive behaviours to regulate aversive emotional experiences.
Examining the neuropsychological role and malleability of trait mindfulness in the context of physical activity and ecological momentary assessment in older adults
(2024) Agate, Frederic Taylor; Garcia-Barrera, Mauricio
Mindfulness practice has shown to benefit health, mood, and cognition in individuals across the lifespan. Trait mindfulness, the degree to which a person is mindful, is a relevant factor when examining the health and neuropsychological benefits of physical activity and exercise, such that it may play moderating and/or mediating roles. Ecological momentary assessment (EMA) may be more sensitive in assessing psychological functioning associated with trait mindfulness compared to traditional measures. Trait mindfulness may, in fact, be impacted by EMA. However, less is known about the interactions of trait mindfulness, physical activity and EMA in older adults. This doctoral dissertation examined the neuropsychological role and malleability of trait mindfulness in the context of physical activity and EMA, in a sample of healthy older adults. Chapter 2 investigated the malleability of trait mindfulness in response to physical activity, and what role this may play in the relationship between physical activity and neuropsychological outcomes. Chapter 3 examined the extent to which engagement in EMA may alter trait mindfulness and how this may indirectly impact neuropsychological functioning (i.e., through mediation), as well as the sensitivity of EMA. Chapter 2 results showed that older adults who underwent an 8-week remote physical exercise training program did not make more gains in trait mindfulness than the control group. Reported physical activity did not predict gains in trait mindfulness, which did not moderate or mediate the relationship between physical activity and neuropsychological outcomes. Trait mindfulness did not predict adherence to the exercise program. According to Chapter 3 results, EMA adherence did not predict changes in trait mindfulness. EMA-measured mood also did not correlate more strongly with trait mindfulness compared to mood measured with traditional questionnaires, but gains in trait mindfulness were associated with greater EMA-measured anxiety and lower traditionally measured anxiety. Higher trait mindfulness was also associated with less variability of EMA-measured anxiety symptoms. Lastly, trait mindfulness did not mediate the relationship between EMA adherence and neuropsychological outcomes, though gains in trait mindfulness were associated with improved cognitive test performance in some areas. Results suggest that in healthy older adults, trait mindfulness may not be malleable in response to physical activity and EMA. Trait mindfulness also may not play a significant role in neuropsychological outcomes relating to physical activity and EMA. However, relationships exist that suggest a role for trait mindfulness in emotion awareness and stability as well as aspects of improved cognitive performance.
Earlier detection of Alzheimer’s disease: Investigating brain-based changes in older adults with subjective cognitive decline
(2024) Parker, Ashleigh F.; Gawryluk, Jodie R.; Szoeke, Cassandra
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is an incurable neurodegenerative disorder with a late clinical diagnosis, which disproportionately affects women. Research in preclinical AD has begun to focus on individuals with subjective cognitive decline (SCD), who are considered earliest on the cognitive continuum between healthy aging and AD. This dissertation is comprised of three manuscripts each focused on investigating whether neuroimaging (across modalities) can detect brain-based differences between individuals with SCD compared to their healthy counterparts. Study 1 is an in-depth systematic review of neuroimaging studies on SCD. Search results identified 62 studies that examined the use of structural and/or functional neuroimaging techniques in the detection of brain-based differences between individuals with SCD and healthy controls. While significant differences were found within and across various neuroimaging modalities, inconsistencies were observed within and between studies, suggesting the need for standardized criteria and longitudinal investigations in future research. Study 2 utilized resting-state functional MRI to explore functional connectivity differences in multiple brain networks between healthy older women and those with SCD. Results revealed increased functional connectivity in the default mode network and frontoparietal network among women with SCD independent of demographic variables, lifestyle factors, and medical comorbidities. Study 3 utilized multi-modal neuroimaging approach to examine grey and white matter differences in women with SCD compared to healthy women. No significant differences were detected in grey matter volume or white matter microstructure between the two groups. The resulting findings of studies 2 and 3, revealed the detection of differences between groups in brain function but not structure. This finding suggests that women with SCD can be differentiated from healthy women, before any significant and irreversible brain atrophy has taken place. Together, these studies contribute to the understanding of SCD as a preclinical marker of AD. Ongoing research and advancements in the conceptualization of earlier detection of AD are expected to play an important role in the development and implementation of disease-modifying interventions at the earliest possible time point, thereby reducing the devastating effects of this neurodegenerative disorder.
Helpful or harmful? Differences in exercise experiences between those with and without recent disordered eating
(2024) Legg, Nicole; Turner, Brianna
Results remain mixed around if exercise is helpful or harmful among those with eating pathology. As such, healthcare providers often recommend abstinence from exercise for this subpopulation. The current dissertation aimed to illuminate the benefits and consequences of exercise among those with recent, recent disordered eating (DE). Specifically, the study examined 1) if motivations for exercise engagement differ between those with and without recent DE, and between different DE-related concerns; 2) if changes in mood and body satisfaction from pre- to post-exercise differ between those with and without recent DE; 3) if associations between different intensities of exercise and body checking behaviours differ between those with and without recent DE. Participants were Canadian adults and students from UVic (n = 384; Meanage = 26.85, SD = 8.72; 62% female). Participants completed an online baseline survey assessing their demographics, depression and anxiety symptoms, and history of DE. Next, participants completed a 14-day daily monitoring protocol via a smartphone app: participants completed mobile surveys pre- and post-exercise that assessed mood, body satisfaction, duration and intensity of exercise, as well as surveys every evening that assessed engagement in body checking behaviours. Linear and generalized hierarchical linear models were used and all models controlled for relevant demographic and mental health variables. Results revealed that engaging in exercise to avoid negative affect, control weight, improve mood, change how one feels about their body, or follow rules/training expectations, were more strongly endorsed by those with DE relative to without, and by those with greater DE-related concerns relative to those with fewer. Mood and body satisfaction increased for both those with and without DE from pre- to post-exercise, however, those with recent DE experienced smaller mood benefits whereas there was no moderating effect for body satisfaction. Finally, level of exercise was not related to same-day body checking behaviours. Assessing motivations for exercise appears to be clinically relevant for those with DE as exercising to change perceptions of one’s body, avoid distress, and follow rigid expectations may confer risk for exercise to intensify to become disordered. Exercise may be a helpful adjunct treatment to support mood and body satisfaction among those with recent DE, however, the benefits to mood appear to be small. Finally, exercise engagement (no/minimal, light or moderate/vigorous) does not appear to confer risks for increasing same-day body checking behaviours among those with recent DE. Results from the current study inform theoretical understandings of exercise experiences among those with recent DE, along with clinical considerations. Future research would benefit from using more clinically extreme DE groups to substantiate the current results and examining the impacts of different types and formats of exercise on such outcomes.
Evaluative rating of the sentence subject and object as a function of the evaluative rating of the adjective, verb, object, and their interactions under different grammatical transformations.
(1974) Yik, Wai Fong
The functional properties of a conditioned cue
(1969) Wong, Bernice Yee Lan
The present thesis consists of the two experiments designed to answer questions raised in a study by Marx and Murphy (1961). Experiment I studied the question whether discriminative training was necessary for establishing an effective secondary motivator. Two groups of rats experienced differential food-buzzer exposure on Days 1-3 of the experiment. For one group, food and buzzer were always paired; this pairing of food and buzzer was merely temporal, devoid of any intervening discriminative training. For the other group, food and buzzer were never paied. On Days 4-5, all Ss were given acquisition training of a simple runway response. The buzzer was absent during runway acquisition. On Day 6, Ss were tested for resistant to extinction. The buzzer was introduced on the fifth extinction trail and ever fifth trial thereafter. The results indicated no difference between groups, and were interpreted to mean that discriminative-training was necessary for establishing an effective secondary motivator. Experiment II investigated the effects of the reinforcing properties of a conditioned cue on resistance to extinction. This was done in order to assess the justification of Marx and Murphy's suggestion to ... secondary reinforcers as secondary motivators. The experimental produced of Experiment II was a replication of Experiment I with one major exception. During the test of resistance to extinction, the buzzer was sounded in the goalbox (GB). The results indicated that the paired Ss were stronger in resistance to extinction. This finding demonstrated the effectiveness of the reinforcing properties of a conditioned cue on resistance to extinction. Taken together, all three experiments (Marx and Murphy, 1961 and the present experiments I and II) suggest that discriminative training is not necessary for establishing a secondary reinforcer but is necessary for establishing a secondary motivator.

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