Supporting the Transition of Child-welfare Involved Youth out of Care
Along with colleagues from the LaMarsh Centre for Child and Youth Research, Simcoe Muskoka Family Connexions (SMFC), and Catholic Family Services + Well-being of Simcoe County (CFS), our lab undertakes research to support the transition of youth involved with child welfare out of care. We have undertaken a scoping review and mixed-methods study on the formal and informal relationships of youth transitioning out of care funded by the LaMarsh Centre for Child and Youth, Co-operators Accelerator Fund for Youth Mental Health Catalyst Grant. Currently, with SSHRC Partnership Development Grant funding, we are leading a national Youth in Transition Child Welfare Collaborative (YTCC) that is completing a multi-year project to undertake a systematic review and needs assessment to inform the co-creation of social support tools with child-welfare involved youth and community partners: SMFC, CFS, York Region Children’s Aid Society, and Big Brothers Big Sisters Canada.
Intervention Study for First-Generation Emerging Adults
First-generation students (FGS; students who are the first in their household to attend post-secondary education) face unique and additional challenges including mental health challenges related to academic pressures, lack of social support, and decreased well-being. However, despite the extensive research done in the United States, less is known about the experiences of FGS in Canada. The main objectives of this study are to 1) conduct a comprehensive needs assessment to identify the challenges experienced by Canadian FGS, 2) to create a novel evidence-based, peer-led intervention to foster positive mental health, adaptive emotion regulation, well-being, and resiliency among FGS within a Canadian context, and 3) pilot and conduct and preliminary evaluation of the intervention program.
First to Rise: A workshop for the betterment of first-generation students
First to Rise was created by capstone students in collaboration with the REACH Lab. Their mission is to improve the physical, mental, emotional well-being, and academic success of first-generation students. Driven by the belief that no student should feel like they are growing alone, the project highlights the strengths, unique perspectives, and fresh ideas that first-generation students offer. The main objectives of the project is to 1) identify the needs of first-generation students through surveys and in-person conversations, and 2) develop a workshop and resource page to address the core issues identified. Click this link to learn more about their project and story.
An Integrative Approach on Emotion Regulation in Emerging Adulthood
The developmental period of emerging adulthood (including undergraduate students) has many opportunities to consolidate emotion regulation (ER) abilities. Also, emerging adults' success in navigating ER development has critical implications for long-term well-being and mental health. Building on the process, abilities, and interpersonal models of emotion regulation, we are using an ecological momentary assessment (EMA) method to investigate three overlapping key objectives: 1) explore how emerging adults use intrapersonal and interpersonal ER strategies in their daily lives, 2) understand how individual and contextual factors are related to daily emotions, ER strategy selection, and efficacy, and 3) identify the ER strategies and abilities that are associated with well-being (happiness, flourishing) and psychopathology (depression, anxiety).
The longitudinal impact of family factors on the development of internalizing behaviours among immigrant adolescents.*
Previous research looking at the impact of immigrant status on adolescent well-being has been inconsistent. We expect that family factors, such as family structure and cohesiveness, will buffer the relationship between immigrant status and psychopathology. Using data collected as part of the National Longitudinal Survey of Children and Youth, this study will explore the moderational effect of various family factors and subsequent mood disturbances, particularly internalizing behaviours, among immigrant adolescents.
