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  • Toward a "Just, Peaceful and Safe Society:" How Risk Factors and Criminogenic Needs Align with Parole Decisions

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Mularczyk, Kimberly Patrycia
    Abstract:
    Board members (BMs), as gatekeepers between continued imprisonment and freedom, decide upon the potential release of incarcerated individuals considered for parole in Canada. Although a focal concern of BMs is community protection, annual Canadian government reports do not contain information on parole populations' criminogenic needs. Literature provides little insight into what factors might relate to parole decisions. In addition, prior research has not compared the risk profiles and release decisions of those who applied for day parole (DP) or full parole (FP) exclusively to those who applied simultaneously. The current dissertation addresses these gaps in two studies using an archival sample of federally sentenced individuals (N = 3,613). The sample includes conditional release and detention decisions made by the Parole Board of Canada between 2010 and 2017 (age at decision: M = 39 years old, SD = 12.80). Study 1 showed that risk/need scores and some institutional (e.g., CSC recommendation) and parole factors (e.g., decision type) predicted conditional release. CSC recommendations predicted release probability for DP (Adjusted Odds Ratio [AOR] = 35.33), FP (AOR = 18.83), and SR (men at a detention review; AOR = 43.94). Moreover, Study 1 found that among those who reoffended on FP (10-32% at one and two-year fixed follow-up) or men who reoffended on statutory release after a detention review (44-80%; at one and two-year fixed follow-up), most revocations (72-75%) first occurred for breaches as opposed to new crimes. Study 2 showed that BMs often imposed special conditions concerning alcohol, avoiding certain persons, drugs, reporting and disclosures, and treatment. Study 2 also found that after accounting for risk/need, the number of special conditions imposed on FP did not predict revocations for any breaches or crimes on FP at one-year (AOR = 1.11) or two-year (AOR = 0.82) fixed follow-up. Future research is required to untangle the potential overlapping variance that unmeasured variables (e.g., prior conditional release successes or revocations) may share with CSC recommendations. Overall, findings support the assertion that BMs use risk/need information to inform decisions and that the number of special conditions imposed does not influence revocation rates after accounting for risk/need.
    Thesis Degree:
    Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Psychology
    Date Created:
    2023

  • When a Pandemic Meets an Epidemic: How COVID-19 has Affected Treatment Access Among Individuals with Problematic Opioid Use

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Polakova, Laura
    Abstract:
    The study examined the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on treatment access among individuals (n=225) presenting with problematic opioid use to the Rapid Access Addiction Medicine (RAAM) clinic at The Royal in Ottawa, Ontario. The COVID-19 pandemic led to government-imposed restrictions and service limitations. The RAAM clinic underwent two primary changes: (1) delivering services virtually rather than in-person appointments and (2) shifting from walk-in services to appointment-based services. The study was a retrospective chart review and data were extracted from an electronic health record, Meditech. Participants were patients who had an initial presentation to the RAAM clinic between March 16th, 2019, and March 15th, 2021, and had used opioids within the 30 days prior to their visit. Results indicated that RAAM changes decreased some groups' access to care such that fewer patients experiencing precarious housing and mental health comorbidities presented to the RAAM clinic after the onset of the pandemic.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Arts (M.A.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Psychology
    Date Created:
    2023

  • A Retrospective Longitudinal Study of Federally Incarcerated Men Eligible for Intermediate Mental Health Care: A Description of Services and Short-Term Outcomes

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Petropoulos, Amanda
    Abstract:
    Intermediate care units have been proposed to meet the needs of incarcerated individuals with moderate mental health needs. Few studies have examined their profiles, and nature and effectiveness of interventions received. In the current study, the profiles of 295 incarcerated men in Canadian federal institutions were examined. File reviews were conducted over a 12 month period to extract treatment information as well as assess changes in number of incidents of self-harm, attempted suicide, overdose, and violence, and mental health needs. Coarsened exact matching and descriptive analyses revealed differences in the profiles across three treatment levels (mental health care delivered in: intermediate care units, treatment centres or mainstream institutions); roughly 30% improvement on all outcomes was observed across the groups. Overall findings highlight the need to further explore how best to meet the needs of incarcerated individuals assessed with moderate mental health needs, as this remains important for future management.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Arts (M.A.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Psychology
    Date Created:
    2023

  • Examining the Relationship Between Personality and Perceived Vulnerability: Unpacking Self and Observer Perceptions

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Smodis McCune, Audrey
    Abstract:
    Research examining victimization risk has demonstrated that personality variables like psychopathy may be advantageous in accurately predicting vulnerability from behaviour (Book et al., 2013). There is evidence suggesting certain behaviours and personality traits may be associated with vulnerability to victimization (Ellrich & Baier, 2016; Hall et al., 2006). The current studies aimed to assess differences in behaviours (verbal/nonverbal) in relation to perceptions of vulnerability (Study 1). Additionally, it examined the role of psychopathy and gender in accurately predicting perceived future vulnerability, and the use of behavioural cues in making vulnerability predictions (Study 2). Results from Study 1 suggest people with neurotic traits view themselves as more vulnerability to future sexual victimization, and women (vs. men) feel more vulnerable to victimization. Study 2 indicates those scoring higher on psychopathy make less accurate vulnerability predictions, and use more behavioural cues to predict vulnerability. Implications and future research avenues examining vulnerability are discussed.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Arts (M.A.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Psychology
    Date Created:
    2023

  • Eco-Anxiety in Daily Life: Relationships with Well-Being and Pro-Environmental Behaviour

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Lutz, Paul Kocourek
    Abstract:
    Little is known about how eco-anxiety, or feelings of anxiety and worry about mounting environmental issues, relates to well-being and pro-environmental behaviour in daily life. To help address this issue, I conducted a preregistered daily diary study, wherein Carleton University undergraduates (N = 132) provided trait reports and two weeks of daily reports (n = 1439) on eco-anxiety, positive and negative affect, meaning in life, and pro-environmental behaviour. At the trait level, average scores on eco-anxiety were fairly low; yet, higher scores were associated with less positive affect and more negative affect and pro-environmental behaviour. Daily average scores on eco-anxiety were even lower at the state level, but on days people did feel greater eco-anxiety, they also reported greater negative affect and pro-environmental behaviour. Lagged analyses provided some evidence that eco-anxiety increases future negative affect. No significant relationships between eco-anxiety and meaning in life emerged at both levels of analysis.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Arts (M.A.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Psychology
    Date Created:
    2023

  • Green Space, Physical Activity, and Complete Mental Health: Evidence from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Forget, Genevieve
    Abstract:
    Bioecological theory (Bronfenbrenner, 1979) suggests that local green space and physical activity may be associated with complete mental health; however, evidence is mixed. Mixed findings may be attributable to the different operationalizations of variables and/or covariates that have been used. The current study used specification curve analysis to assess the robustness of associations between green space, physical activity, and complete mental health among middle-aged and older adults. Data came from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging and the Canadian Urban Environmental Health Research Consortium (n = 28,635). Green space and physical activity did not interact in most instances. Main effects of green space were mixed (49.71 - 75.26%), and median effect sizes were small (β = -0.016, 0.025). Main effects of physical activity were robust (89.47 - 97.22%), and median effect sizes were small (β = -0.036, 0.036). Results highlight that specification decisions influence the strength of associations between variables.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Arts (M.A.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Psychology
    Date Created:
    2023

  • Exploring Latent Biometric Constructs in a Model Predicting Mental States of Aviators

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Pejemsky, Anya Danilovna
    Abstract:
    Single-crew aircraft persistently have a high accident rate; these accidents are associated with high mental workload (MWL). The aviation industry would benefit from a passive MWL monitoring system that would predict flight performance. Passive biosensors offer an economical and non-intrusive method for indexing MWL. Many studies have overemphasized tonic data while ignoring phasic data. The present study explores the viability of a phasic data centered model in indexing MWL to predict flight performance. The study had non-pilots fly a simulator. Cardiovascular and epidermal data, objective and subjective MWL states, subjective reports of simulator sickness, and a variety of flight performance indicators were measured. The data were decomposed into several components to build formative latent variables that were pruned based on an objective MWL measure to then predict flight performance measures. The results indicate that phasic components explain more variance in flight performance than objective and subjective MWL and tonic data.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Arts (M.A.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Psychology
    Date Created:
    2023

  • Participation during Deliberation as a Function of Individual Juror Traits: An Examination of the First Hypothesis of The Story Sampling Model from Devine (2012)’s Multi-Level Theory of Jury Decision Making

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Azad, Andleeb
    Abstract:
    Devine (2012)'s Multi-Level Theory concerning jury processes posits that the level of participation during jury deliberations is related to several juror factors. Specifically, the factors the current study tested are defendant gender, need for cognition, status as foreperson, and predeliberation cognitive state (regarding the verdict), a factor proposed by Devine. It was predicted that jurors who were women, the jury foreperson, those who had higher scores on the need for cognition scale, and those who had higher confidence in the verdict would participate more. Data from a larger project were used to test this set of predictions. Mock jury deliberations were used to observe deliberation behaviour. Analyses returned mixed results and partial support for the theory. This study is important because it begins to empirically test part of a model that is widely cited but has not been scientifically investigated. Legal implications and limitations are also discussed.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Arts (M.A.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Psychology
    Date Created:
    2023

  • An Examination of How Various Statistical Weighting Methods Impact Predictive Validity of the Service Planning Instrument for Women (SPIn-W)

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Robb, Colleen
    Abstract:
    Risk assessments are vital within the criminal justice system, yet research regarding the optimization of these instruments for women is limited. Currently, minimal research is available on the impact various statistical weighting methodologies may have on the prediction of recidivism for women. Using two-year fixed follow-up data from 656 justice-involved women from Maine United States, the current study explored the predictive validity of the Service Planning Instrument for Women (SPIn-W; Orbis Partners, 2007) at the item level and the predictive accuracy of four weighting methodologies. Results from the present study showed that 19 of the 98 items of the SPIn-W were significantly predictive of recidivism. Further, the gender-responsive Nuffield 2.0 weighting method most often evidenced the greatest levels of predictive accuracy across aggregate and domain level scores. Pending replication and cross-validation, the current study suggests that the SPIn-W be updated with the gender-responsive Nuffield 2.0 method to optimize predictive validity.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Arts (M.A.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Psychology
    Date Created:
    2021

  • Task Scheduling and Productivity

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Leblanc, Corey
    Abstract:
    The current research aims to describe general scheduling tendencies, evaluate the impact considering task end-times have on scheduling tendencies, and to assess links between scheduling tendencies and productivity. Throughout four studies, findings indicated that participants consistently preferred to schedule tasks on-the-hour (e.g., 9:00 or 10:00 vs. 9:15 or 10:30). When considering task end-times, this tendency for on-the-hour scheduling was reduced, especially when participants had five tasks or more to schedule. On-the-hour scheduling is likely a form of intermittent scheduling, which has been detrimentally associated with productivity. Although some correlational evidence was uncovered to support the notion that on-the-hour scheduling would be detrimentally linked to productivity (Study 2), replications showed no association between the variables (Study 3). These findings provide valuable information regarding scheduling tendencies, as well as the impact considering task end-times have on scheduling. However, more research is needed to examine links between on-the-hour task scheduling and productivity.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Arts (M.A.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Psychology
    Date Created:
    2022