Brock University Digital Repository
Brock University's Digital Repository is an online archive showcasing and preserving the Brock community's scholarly output as well as items from the Library's Archives & Special Collections. Researchers can disseminate their work by depositing it in this Open Access repository, which provides free, immediate access to users while also allowing Brock scholars to track downloads and views of their scholarship. The Digital Repository is also the home of the Brock University E-Thesis Portal.
For more information, see the repository's policies and procedures.
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Recent Submissions
Exploring the Relationships Between Executive Functions and Reading Intervention Responsiveness in Children with Reading Disability
(Brock University) Johnson, Ben; Curtin, Suzanne; Panda, Erin; Department of Child and Youth Studies
Background:
Notwithstanding the emergence of rigorous, evidence-based interventions, some students with reading disability (RD) still fall behind in reading skill. Copious amounts of evidence support a link between children’s executive functions (EF) and learning, including acquisition of reading skill specifically. Nonetheless, the relationship between EF and reading intervention outcomes have seldom been studied.
Objectives:
The purpose was to understand the extent to which EF predict reading intervention outcomes for students with RD.
Methods:
In the present study, 115 children with RD in Grade 3 and 4 completed an intensive, evidence-based 70-hour reading intervention for one hour per day over the course of fourteen weeks. EF in both neuropsychological (e.g., D-KEFS) and behavioural (e.g., BRIEF) measurements were observed at pretest, categorized as inhibition, shifting, working memory, emotional control, and reasoning/metacognition. Reading skills in the form of word recognition, decoding, fluency, and passage comprehension were measured before and after intervention. Standard scores were computed for EF and reading measures. Reading gains were converted into reliable change scores using the reliable change index (RCI).
Results:
Approximately 27% of correlations between EF and pretest reading were statistically significant. Analyzing reading gains, most correlations with EF were non-significant. The few significant coefficients lost significance following Bonferroni correction for multiple comparisons. Next, a composite EF deficit category was generated to differentiate participants who did or did not have below average EF across multiple measures, which 29 participants met and 86 did not. While t-tests revealed that the multi-deficit group had significantly lower gains in fluency than the group without multiple deficits (ps<.05), differences were not significant following Bonferroni correction. Finally, a chi-square analysis using the multi-deficit grouping and categorical reliable change in reading did not yield any significant results.
Implications:
While children’s EF relates to reading skill before the reading intervention, EF does not relate to gains in reading skill from the beginning to the end of intervention. This finding suggests that small group, structured interventions can mitigate learning barriers posed by executive dysfunction. However, the patterns of relationships between EF and reading fluency suggest that more research is needed.
Situational Affordances and Psychopathy: Examining Contextual Influences on Exploitative Behavior in Economic Games
(Brock University) Doyle, Liam; Book, Angela; Department of Psychology
Psychopathy is a personality construct most prominently characterized by traits such as callousness, manipulativeness, and lack of guilt and remorse (Hare, 2003). This dissertation focused on the relationship between psychopathy and exploitation, using economic games as a method to measure exploitative behavior. Specifically, the research investigated the interplay between psychopathy and environmental factors in shaping decision-making and social interactions. In Study 1, a meta-analysis was conducted to provide a quantitative summary of the empirical literature on the relationship between psychopathy and exploitative behavior in economic games. A novel theoretical framework, the Affordance-Based Framework of Prosocial Behavior (ABFPB), was used to identify moderators, generate hypotheses, and interpret the findings of the meta-analysis. The findings of Study 1 supported the notion that psychopathy was related to exploitation and found that this relationship was particularly strong in certain economic games. This relationship was also found to vary as a function of other moderators, such as whether the game was one-shot or iterated. In Study 2, a within-subjects experiment was conducted to determine if match length was a moderator of the psychopathy-exploitation and psychopathy-success relationships in the Prisoner’s Dilemma Game. While the relationship between psychopathy and exploitation did not differ as a result of match length, the relationship between psychopathy and success was contingent on the length of interactions. The findings are consistent with the view that psychopathic traits are more adaptive in environments characterized by transient, short-term relationship but incur significant costs in environments characterized by stable, long-term relationships. In sum, this dissertation provides a nuanced understanding of psychopathy as a contextually adaptive strategy. Furthermore, this dissertation highlights the importance of integrating personality and situation factors in the prediction and understanding of behavior.
The interplay of citizen-sourced, conventionally surveyed, and meteorological data in recreational fisheries
(Brock University) Azar Taheri Tayebi; Ramazi Pouria; Department of Mathematics
Traditional methods of collecting data on angler activity involve conventional surveys, such as creel surveys
and aerial surveys, which are often costly. A modern, cost-effective alternative is utilizing online platforms
and smartphone applications (apps) designed for anglers. Previous studies identified correlations between
data reported by citizens via these apps and data gathered from conventional surveys. However, it is
still unclear if the activities recorded by the two sources are directly related, or if other “intermediate”
variables are primarily related to the conventionally surveyed data. In my first study, I employed Bayesian
networks (BNs) to explore this question, focusing on two metrics: daily catch rate and daily fishing effort.
These metrics were sourced from creel surveys, aerial surveys, and Angler’s Atlas website with related
MyCatch app in Alberta and Ontario, Canada. I included additional factors, e.g., weather conditions, as
possible “intermediate” variables in the network. To study the uncertainty of the results, I measured the
strength of connections between variables using Bayesian model averaging. Waterbody webpage views were
directly related to daily and weekly-aggregated boat counts in Ontario (51% and 100% probability) and to
weekly-aggregated creel survey-reported fishing duration in Alberta (100%). This highlights the value of
citizen-sourced data in providing unique insights beyond meteorological factors, with online interest serv
ing as a potentially reliable proxy for angler pressure and effort. In my second study, I aimed to evaluate
three BN structure learning approaches: (i) expert knowledge, (ii) ChatGPT, and (iii) data-driven models,
in predicting angler activity as reported through aerial surveys on the Ontario dataset. The Friedman
test indicated no significant difference in prediction accuracy between the three models. These findings
underscore the potential of AI-driven approaches, as the ChatGPT-assisted model performed on par with
expert-based and data-driven models, demonstrating its viability for ecological predictions.
Dissecting the anti-allergic potential of carnosic acid during IgE and IL-33-mediated mast cell activation
(Brock University) Robert W.E. Crozier; Adam J. MacNeil; Applied Health Sciences Program
Mast cells are critical immune sentinels and essential regulators of inflammation, most notably recognized for their central role in allergic inflammation. Allergen-induced cross-linkage of FcεRI complexes initiates a biphasic mast cell response, characterized by the immediate degranulation of preformed mediators and the delayed production and release of pro-inflammatory cytokine and chemokines. As a result of mast cells being the main perpetrators of the inflammatory responses associated with allergy, identifying novel mast cell stabilizing compounds is an area of intense investigation worldwide in an effort to alleviate the severity of the allergy epidemic. Carnosic acid (CA), a major polyphenolic constituent of the Lamiaceae family herbs has been shown to exhibit potent anti-inflammatory effects on other cellular models, but it’s role as a potential modulator of mast cell activation is currently undefined. Therefore, the purpose of this dissertation was to dissect the anti-allergy potential of CA in a mast cell model. Here, study 1 identified that out of the 3 major polyphenols derived from rosemary, CA showed the most promise as an inhibitor of mast cell responses, impairing mast cell degranulation and cytokine/chemokine release at increased concentrations, warranting its further investigation. Study 2 followed up on our previous investigation, to fully uncover the therapeutic potential of CA and its underlying mechanism of action. Here, we found that CA significantly impairs critical inflammatory responses during both the early and late phase response of allergic inflammation by targeting and inhibiting the upstream tyrosine kinase Syk, a novel mechanistic finding. To further establish CA as a mast cell stabilizer, study 3 determined its inhibitory effects following IL-33-induced mast cell activation in the presence or absence of allergen and SCF activation. Here, we found that similar to study 2, CA treatment significantly impaired the secretory mechanisms responsible for pro-inflammatory mediator release as IL-33-activated signaling and gene expression of mediators was significantly increased despite a decrease in secretion. Finally, study 4 investigated the role of CA treatment during the mast cell differentiation process. We determined that the presence of CA during differentiation has a dramatic effect on the presence of key mast cell surface receptors, and differentially regulates the inflammatory response following activation with allergen and or IL-33. Collectively, the findings of this dissertation help to establish the potential therapeutic utility of CA in a mast cell model of allergic and IL-33-mediated mast cell activation. We expect that the data presented will help the progression of future research identifying novel anti-allergy compounds and will contribute to better understanding the mechanisms responsible for mast cell function in various pathological contexts.
Investigating the Impact of the Current ADHD Diagnostic Process on Women in Canada
(Brock University) Henderson, Rachel; Dr Jan Frijters; Center for Applied Disability Studies
This thesis investigates the impact of Canada’s ADHD diagnostic process on women, focusing on systemic, gendered, and sociocultural factors that lead to delayed or missed diagnoses. Through a review of literature and interviews with women diagnosed in adulthood, the study examines seven themes: self-blame, systemic ableism, misogyny, reaching a breaking point, community importance, grief, and self-acceptance (Mowlem et al., 2019; Quinn & Madhoo, 2014). Using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA), feminist, and critical disability theories, the research explores intersectional barriers affecting women’s access to ADHD diagnosis and support in Canada (Smith et al., 2009). Findings indicate that current diagnostic criteria, designed around male presentations, often overlook women’s unique ADHD symptomology, resulting in underdiagnosis and misattribution to other conditions (American Psychiatric Association, 2022; Agnew-Blais et al., 2016). This often leads to emotional distress and inadequacy, compounded by societal expectations (French et al., 2019). The study advocates for gender-sensitive diagnostic criteria and support resources. Practical recommendations include healthcare education reforms, inclusive diagnostic tools, and peer support networks. This Canadian-focused research aims to enhance diagnostic practices and improve experiences for women with ADHD (Espinet et al., 2022).