Browsing by Author "Symbaluk, Diane"

Now showing 1 - 20 of 27
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    After supports for cancer-bereaved children: An analysis of resources for children
    (2017) Molzahn, Brenan; Symbaluk, Diane
    This study identified 34 psychological resources (26 in Edmonton and 8 in Calgary) of benefit to children and family members who have lost a parent to cancer. Of these resources, 18 were specifically designed for cancer-bereaved children and families while 16 of the resources were more general in scope, targeting bereaved children and families, irrespective of the parent’s cause of death. Only 10 resources for cancer-bereaved children were located in Edmonton, stemming from 2 major organizations. These findings indicate that not many organizations, particularly in Edmonton, have resources specifically designed to help children persevere through the intense manifestation of psychological distresses that may develop from the loss of a parent to cancer.
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    Character strengths of teaching and research award-winning professors
    (2018) Symbaluk, Diane; Howell, Andrew J.
    This study examined online student feedback to determine the extent to which students identify strengths of character in their perceptions of professors and whether student-identified character strengths could distinguish between teaching-award winners (n = 120) and research-award winners (n = 119). A content analysis of posted comments on RateMyProfessors.com revealed the most commonly identified character traits to be perspective, kindness, leadership, humor, creativity, vitality, and fairness. Teaching-award recipients averaged a greater number of traits compared to research-award winners. Future research is needed to determine how character strengths among teaching faculty can best be applied to teaching practices, faculty development strategies, and institutional priorities for optimal faculty and student outcomes.
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    Continuation of the Pocahontas paradox: stereotypes of Aboriginal women presented in Halloween costumes
    (2016) O'Dell, Keestin; Symbaluk, Diane
    The present study examined adult women’s Halloween costumes to see how Aboriginal women are presented through these costumes. Three types of Aboriginal women were identified in these costumes: the sexual native, the noble native and the rebellious native. Implications of these findings are discussed herein.
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    COVID-19 and mental health: framing emotional concerns
    (2021) Kachulak, Tyler; Symbaluk, Diane
    This content analysis examined 196 Twitter tweets to identify contexts in which emotional concerns were raised on social media during the pandemic. A purposive sampling procedure was employed to collect all tweets explicitly or implicitly expressing a contextualized emotional concern towards COVID-19. An open-coding procedure was utilized to examine the contexts in which emotional concerns were framed, and the frequency of occurrence of any contextualized emotional concern was recorded. Results revealed 7 main ways within which emotional concerns were framed, including: COVID-19 Virus, School-Related, Groups/Individuals, Social Institutions, Financial/Work-Related, Mass Media, and Other. Emotional concerns were most often tied to aspects of the virus itself such as fear of contracting the disease, linked to other issues involving schooling, or were raised in relation to the mental health of groups and/or individuals. Although previous literature has demonstrated that people exhibit psychological distress during a global health crisis, this study adds to the growing body of literature on COVID-19 and outlines the contexts in which emotional concern arise during a pandemic. These findings provide insight into how individuals are sharing concerns about their mental health with others via Twitter, and points to the need for psychological interventions specifically tailored to global health crises.
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    Existing Canadian support programs available for young adult survivors suffering with psychological distress as a consequence of cancer
    (2016) Sirman, Lisa; Symbaluk, Diane
    The present study examined the existing Canadian support programs that are available for young adult survivors suffering with psychological distress as a consequence of cancer. A content analysis was performed on a sample of 28 resources and their associated support programs, which were selected from a sample selection process that entailed multiple search strategies. Results showed that there are different support programs offered within Canada or that are accessible to Canadians via the internet, this being based on whether one is available to meet in person or not, whether one wishes to engage with peers or professionals, and whether one desires to engage in a target-specific program or a program that generally addresses the issue of psychological distress together with other issues associated with survivorship. These findings demonstrated the availability and type of support programs existing that address psychological distress within young adult cancer survivors.
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    Existing Canadian support programs available for young adult survivors suffering with psychological distress as a consequence of cancer
    (2017) Sirman, Lisa; Symbaluk, Diane
    The present study examined the existing Canadian support programs that are available for young adult survivors suffering with psychological distress as a consequence of cancer. A content analysis was performed on a sample of 28 resources and their associated support programs, which were selected from a sample selection process that entailed multiple search strategies. Results showed that there are different support programs offered within Canada or that are accessible to Canadians via the internet, this being based on whether one is available to meet in person or not, whether one wishes to engage with peers or professionals, and whether one desires to engage in a target-specific program or a program that generally addresses the issue of psychological distress together with other issues associated with survivorship. These findings demonstrated the availability and type of support programs existing that address psychological distress within young adult cancer survivors.
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    Exploring social media sharing: the nature of private information shared by Instagram users
    (2019) Modrall, Melanie H.; Symbaluk, Diane
    This research explores the nature of social media sharing of personally identifiable information on Instagram by conducting a content analysis on a total of ten profiles and five posts per profile, selected randomly. Main themes reflected in data were categorized by three methods of information sharing: profile, captions, and images and videos. Fourteen themes were discovered for sharing in profiles and captions, while fifteen were found for images and videos. Results showed users were most likely to share information in their profile (64.1%) and most commonly shared their gender presentation, face, and location. This correlates with previous research concerning privacy and security risks from social media sharing, indicating that these concepts need to be re-evaluated to remain relevant. Originally written for an upper-level sociology course at MacEwan University, this work appears in an open textbook entitled Navigating an Undergraduate Degree in the Social Sciences: Tips and Strategies as a sample research report in Appendix 2.
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    Exploring social media sharing: the nature of private information shared by Instagram users
    (2018) Modrall, Melanie H.; Symbaluk, Diane
    This research explores the nature of social media sharing of personally identifiable information on Instagram by conducting a content analysis on a total of ten profiles and five posts per profile, selected randomly. Data was categorized by three methods of information sharing: profile, captions, and posts containing images or videos. Fourteen themes were discovered for sharing in profiles and captions, while fifteen were found for images and videos. Results showed users were most likely to share information in their profile (64.1%) and most commonly shared their gender presentation, face, and location. This supports previous research concerning privacy and security risks from social media sharing, indicating that these concepts need to be re-evaluated in order to maintain cyber security.
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    Financial aid available to adolescent, young adult cancer survivors attending post secondary education in Alberta
    (2018) Brown, Delphine; Symbaluk, Diane
    This study identified scholarships available to adolescent, young adult cancer survivors who are either starting post secondary or are continuing their education at a post secondary institution in Alberta. Websites for six universities in Alberta were explored along with the Kids with Cancer Society's site for potential resources. Results revealed seven cancer-survivor based scholarships as well as another eighteen potentially applicable scholarships based on disability, GPA, financial need, community involvement or a combination of these factors.
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    Identifying online and Edmonton community based support groups for LGBTQ young adults with cancer
    (2018) Tariq, Aqsa; Symbaluk, Diane
    The current study examined websites and brochures to determine and identify the emotional support networks that exist for young adult LGBTQ with cancer. Using content analyses, the researcher coded themes of support groups online and in the Edmonton community. Although no sources could be identified that were established specifically for young adult LGBTQ cancer survivors, the findings revealed 21 resources appropriate for young LGBTQ adults and/or young adults with cancer as described herein.
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    Locating social support for young LGBTQ cancer survivors in Edmonton & Northern Alberta
    (2017) Duffy, Meghan; Symbaluk, Diane
    This study examined the social support resources that are available for young adult LGBTQ cancer survivors in Edmonton and Northern Alberta. A search was conducted for both cancer-related LGBTQ support and general LGBTQ social support. The appropriate sources were located, examined, and categorized according to type and location. The results of the search revealed 20 sources of social support for young LGBTQ adults within Edmonton and Northern Alberta. Only 5 of the sources located were specifically related to cancer all of which were online sources of support. Four of these organizations were located outside of Canada. These results indicate a significant need for LGBTQ cancer related support, both within Alberta and throughout Canada. The findings also revealed a need for more LGBTQ community based organizations in Northern Alberta, as only two towns had such supports in place.
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    Maintaining student focus: research on COVID-19
    (2020) Symbaluk, Diane; Hall, Robyn
    This brief entry appearing in the newsletter for the American Sociological Association section on Teaching and Learning details an assignment from an undergraduate research methods course created in response to upheavals and opportunities presented by COVID-19 in March of 2020.
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    Negativity within the public's responses to new articles concerning missing and murdered indigenous women: a content analysis
    (2017) Lizotte, Colby; Symbaluk, Diane
    This content analysis studied the negative comments responding to four news articles about Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women with thirty or more total comments that were posted to the CTV News Facebook page in either 2015 or 2016. Results showed that there were five general trends within these negative responses: generalizations or stereotypes about Indigenous peoples, victim blaming (blaming Indigenous peoples for this issue), dependence of Indigenous peoples on the government and other Canadians, accusations of reverse racism towards White Canadians, or the argument of all lives mattering, not only those of Indigenous women. These findings demonstrate that there is a long way for Canadians to go in terms of their understandings of Indigenous peoples.
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    Perceptions of dairy farms on the environment: a content analysis of comments on TikTok
    (2023) Ostapovich, Sarah; Symbaluk, Diane
    This study examined the public perceptions of dairy farms on the environment by examining comments to a TikTok video, which presented a claim that the dairy industry has had a decrease in its environmental impact. A content analysis was conducted with initial and secondary evaluations, finding 5 broad categories which included positive and negative perceptions of the dairy industry, as well as a further 6 themes comprised of informative, clarification, blaming humans, veganism, critical, and education. The most common theme was informative, encompassing 38% of the relevant comments. The findings indicated proficient use of scientific research, and critical considerations of the video, and reflected the biases and influences found in social media and popular culture.
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    Racist posts on Facebook: a content analysis of confession pages
    (2016) Winterholt, Kylee; Symbaluk, Diane
    This study examined negative Facebook posts about racial minorities. A content analysis was performed on a sample of 10 confessions posted between September 13th 2014 and March 25th 2015. Results showed nine central issues prevalent in the posts. Language, other races being racist, and losing Canadian identity were the most prevalent issues commented on. Additional issues were the over utilization of resources, marrying within your own race, minorities thinking they know everything, bad driving skills, working in the food industry, and feeling outnumbered.
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    Sharenting and exploitation: a content analysis of public reactions to the Wren Eleanor situation
    (2023) Stratman, Alyssa; Symbaluk, Diane
    This study analyzed 50 responses to the viral case of Wren Eleanor to understand how people react to sharenting and related allegations of child exploitation. The sample consisted of positive and negative reactions (i.e., those supportive and those critical of Wren’s mother and her sharenting). Positive responses revealed themes of Victim, Opposition, Encouragement, Emotional Attachment and Involvement, or Advice, while negative themes emphasized Perpetrator, Exploitation, Fear, or Action. This study demonstrates that parasocial relationships and interactions may play a key role in how people react to sharenting and allegations of child exploitation.
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    Sharenting and exploitation: a qualitative content analysis of public reactions to the Wren Eleanor situation
    (2022) Stratman, Alyssa; Symbaluk, Diane
    This study analyzed responses to the viral sharenting case of Wren Eleanor to understand how people react to sharenting and related allegations of child exploitation. A sample of 50 comments was created by retrieving the first 25 comments displayed on two TikTok videos. The sample consisted of an equal number of positive reactions (i.e., those supportive of Wren’s mother and her sharenting) and negative reactions (i.e., those critical of Wren’s mother and her sharenting). The positive responses had five themes: Victim, Opposition, Encouragement, Emotional Attachment and Involvement, and Advice. The negative responses had four themes: Perpetrator, Exploitation, Fear, and Action. This study demonstrated that parasocial relationships and interactions potentially play a key role in how people react to sharenting and allegations of child exploitation.
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    Social support in post secondary institutions for post-cancer adolescents
    (2017) Johnson, Kaitlin; Symbaluk, Diane
    In this article, the researcher looks for various social support services offered at, or by, post-secondary institutions in northern Alberta, for adolescents and young adults (AYAs) who have survived cancer. Due to the cancer treatments, AYAs suffer from several types of effects, both physical and psychological, such as depression, posttraumatic stress disorder, organ damage, cardiotoxicity and obesity. Since cancer treatment is a long and difficult process, AYAs miss extended periods of school and everyday youth experiences, leading to social isolation. By combining social isolation with other physical and psychological effects, AYAs are left in a state of suspension between the maturity they gained by making adult decisions regarding their treatment, and their different social tendencies compared to peers due to missed experiences. Research was conducted on the internet, looking at eight post-secondary websites to find educational and social support services for cancer survivors. Findings revealed no specific services garnered towards post cancer AYAs, but a myriad of various other services for both ‘normal’ students, and students with disabilities. Peer led groups and counselling geared towards post-treatment of illnesses/diseases needs to be implemented in post-secondary institutions to help AYA cancer survivors handle the complex situation of being a cancer survivor, with the added stress of being a post-secondary student.
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    Societal reaction to the release of sex offenders
    (2019) Bata, Samantha; Symbaluk, Diane
    This qualitative study explored public views on the release of convicted sex offenders. A content analysis was conducted on the comments section of four newspaper articles about releases. One hundred and fifty-six comments were examined, and six prominent themes emerged including: Critiques of the criminal justice system, execution, life imprisonment, tattooing, race and physical disfigurement. Most comments were negative and voiced a desire for harsher punishment. Public perception of sex offenders largely reflected stereotyped media portrayals.
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    Sociology graduate school requirements and competitive advantages
    (2019) Duffy, Meghan; Symbaluk, Diane
    This study examines the admission requirements of Canadian Master of Arts in Sociology programs. A content analysis was performed on a sample of 58 programs based on information provided on department and university websites. Admission requirements centred on high grade point averages, strong letters of support and prior academic and research experience as indicated in a Curriculum Vitae, samples of work or a statement of intent. Results revealed admission preferences for applicants with minimum entrance grades of 80%, an honours degree, prior courses in research methods, statistics and social theory, and a demonstrated research focus. In addition to maintaining high grades, our findings suggest that undergraduates planning to pursue a Master’s degree in sociology should aim to incorporate substantive courses early on in their programs of study and take advantage of other opportunities to develop research skills, networks and training.