Faculty of Education Projects (Master's)

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    Family-centred care for parents providing care for involuntary adults with a mental health diagnosis: implications for service providers
    (Lethbridge, Alta. : University of Lethbridge, Faculty of Education, 2025) Hussain, Fiza; University of Lethbridge. Faculty of Education; Gunn, Thelma
    Caregivers who provide care for an involuntary adult with a mental health diagnosis often experience significant emotional and psychological distress. Limited recognition from healthcare providers frequently leads to the marginalization of parents and families, raising concerns about their overlooked experiences in the healthcare system. Despite growing awareness of the importance of family involvement in involuntary adult mental health, there has been little effort in healthcare systems to integrate the support of families due to complex systemic barriers, with confidentiality being a primary concern. There is limited research for Canadian service providers on how to make their practice more inclusive for clients and families without breaching confidentiality. To address this gap, a comprehensive review of the research and literature on this topic was conducted, resulting in ethically informed recommendations for service providers. The final contribution of this project includes a draft manuscript discussing these recommendations to inform service providers of parents' perspectives and to offer insight into how families can be supported in the treatment of involuntary adults without breaching confidentiality.
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    Making the cut...ethically: how barbers and hairdressers can safely respond to customer mental health crises
    (Lethbridge, Alta. : University of Lethbridge, Faculty of Education, 2025) Fraser, Lee; University of Lethbridge. Faculty of Education; McBride, Dawn L.
    This project explores the ethical implications of barbers and hairdressers encountering their customers’ personal disclosures and mental health challenges. Customers may view their barbers and hairdressers as supportive spaces for discussing mental health, which can place these professionals in situations where they may lack the necessary ethical and mental health training to protect the well-being of themselves and their customers. While limited mental health discussion education exists for hairdressers and barbers, a review contained within this project indicates that it often fails to address ethical concerns that are germane to managing disclosures and discussions of personal mental health issues. To explore the potential ethical considerations surrounding these interactions, a fictional case study was created to raise awareness among professionals in this field and promote education on these important topics. The project further examines the potential ethical implications of mental health discussions and offers recommendations based on existing literature on ethics in psychological services. It is hoped that the insights and recommendations derived from this project will inform future training programs for barbers and hairdressers, equipping them to engage with mental health concerns and their clientele in a more ethical and informed manner. A manuscript accompanies this project, included as an appendix, intended for publication in a barbering and hairdressing trade publication.
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    Towards better writing assessment in early years: Aligning purpose and practise
    (Lethbridge, Alta. : University of Lethbridge, Faculty of Education, 2024-11-05) Shostak, Cassidy; University of Lethbridge. Faculty of Education; Slomp, David; Fowler, Leah
    In early childhood education, writing assessments are typically structured to gather information about students' writing skills to evaluate if they are progressing toward the grade-level outcomes established by the curriculum. However, using the curriculum as the sole framework for defining these constructs can contribute to a limited understanding among teachers regarding student development and learning. This approach may also hinder their ability to effectively use assessment tools with validity, reliability, and fairness. This project was influenced by my reflection on my own assessment experiences and my engagement with research in the field to develop a writing ability construct. This construct serves as a framework to identify the knowledge, skills, and dispositions that young students need to successfully engage in writing tasks, ultimately facilitating the creation of a writing assessment based on scenario-based tasks. I sought to answer the question: how do I assess the choices made by first-grade students during the writing process to provide more targeted instruction? Based on my experience and research, I built a useful writing evaluation construct for early grades which focusses on contextual impact, cognitive resources and process, text resources and process, language resources, multimodal resources, personal resources, and developmental variation. These resources were then utilized to build assessment tasks aimed to immerse students in authentic writing experiences that align with real-world communication needs.
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    Heart Lock-In: self-inducing feelings of love and compassion to decrease perfectionistic thinking in elementary school aged children
    (Lethbridge, Alta. : University of Lethbridge, Faculty of Education, 2024) Causey, Mckenna; University of Lethbridge. Faculty of Education; Brenner, Charlotte; Gunn, Thelma
    The purpose of this project is to provide a comprehensive overview of the current research on perfectionism, with a particular focus on elementary students. This study develops and proposes a detailed research design aimed at providing a class activity that reduces perfectionistic thinking through the use of regulation strategies, including emotional regulation, compassion, and self-compassion. The Heart Lock-In initiative by HeartMath shows promise in reducing perfectionism among students and is well-suited for classroom application. Classroom initiatives offer universal support to children who might otherwise lack access to necessary assistance. This project demonstrates the importance of preventative measures in addressing the increasing prevalence of perfectionism and offers a targeted approach to managing perfectionistic thoughts in educational settings.
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    Incorporating mental health support in the treatment and management of individuals with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS): Counsellor and physician manuals
    (Lethbridge, Alta. : University of Lethbridge, Faculty of Education, 2024) Godin, Emma; University of Lethbridge. Faculty of Education; Brenner, Charlotte
    The current approach to treating and managing Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) focuses on physical symptom management, with little attention to the psychological implications of PCOS. This is problematic given that individuals with PCOS are known to experience higher rates of psychological distress, depression, anxiety, self-harm, and suicidal behaviour. In this project, an interdisciplinary approach is proposed to adequately manage and treat PCOS. This manuscript presents a review of current literature regarding the psychological and physical symptoms of PCOS, the diagnostic process, the current treatment approach, patient healthcare experiences, and emerging interdisciplinary approaches for the treatment of PCOS. This information is then synthesized into two digital manuals for physicians and counsellors, respectfully. The manuals encapsulate information, resources, and recommendations to aid physicians and counsellors in taking an interdisciplinary approach to treating and managing PCOS.