MSVU e-Commons

The MSVU e-Commons is the institutional repository for Mount Saint Vincent University. It allows MSVU faculty, students, and staff to store their scholarly output, including theses and dissertations. Works in the e-Commons have permanent URLs and trustworthy identifiers, and are discoverable via Google Scholar, giving your work a potential local and global audience.


In addition to free storage, the e-Commons provides Mount scholars with an open access platform for disseminating their research. Depositing your work in the e-Commons complies with the requirements for open access publication of work supported by Tri-Agency funding (CIHR, NSERC, SSHRC).


If you would like to deposit your work in the e-Commons, or you have any questions about institutional repositories, copyright, or open scholarship, please contact the MSVU Library & Archives.

 

Communities in DSpace

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Recent Submissions

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Mothers, Household Bubbles, and Social Support During the First Wave of the COVID-19 Pandemic
(2023-12-13) Humble, Áine M.; McIsaac, Jessie-Lee D.
Parents of young children experienced many stressors due to stay-at-home directives in the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. Bubbles were implemented by some governments, allowing households to connect with another household while minimizing contagion risk, but little is known about their effectiveness. We explored the social support experiences of Canadian mothers living in Nova Scotia during this first wave, focusing on whether they perceived household bubbles to be helpful in reducing parenting stress. In-depth interviews were completed with 18 mothers (aged 21–49) who had at least one child under the age of 12 during the first shutdown. Interviews focused on how they coped during the initial shutdown period, the immediate time after they paired up with another household, and what was happening for them currently (approximately eight to ten months later). Data were analyzed using qualitative description and content analysis through application of topic, descriptive, and analytical coding; memo writing; and matrix analysis. Deciding who to bubble with typically focused on direct support for parents or having playmates for children. Having a bubble arrangement reduced the pressure of the situation, and perceptions of future emergency backup support also reduced anxiety levels. Support from family members who lived far away, however, was still key for some families. Household bubbles play an important role in reducing stress levels during a pandemic through received and perceived support. As the COVID-19 pandemic evolves, policy directives and support interventions need to enhance social support for parents and peer interactions for young children.
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A Scholarly Examination of Zoom Fatigue: A Systematic Review
(Mount Saint Vincent University, 2024) Onoigboria, Destiny
This systematic review focused on the nature, prevalence, contributing factors and mitigating strategies of Zoom fatigue. The study reviewed 42 research articles identified from the peerreviewed literature published between 2020-2024. In the current study, Nadler’s third skins theory and Latour’s Actor-Network Theory were used as the theoretical lens. The results indicate that Zoom fatigue is a construct with cognitive, physical, and social-psychological plight. Some of the main areas are; staring, self-observation, lack of motion and abnormal social signals. The findings reveal variations of the disorder affect more women than men and persons with previous anxiety or stress related disorders. Measures for reduction are development of structured breaks, provision for ‘no camera’ option, toggling between synchronous and asynchronous communication. The work shows that Zoom fatigue is a multifaceted phenomenon that relates to human psyche and cognitive activity; technologies and interfaces; as well as organisational and managerial institutions. All of these have important implications for remote work policies and design of video conferencing platforms. The research affirms and prescribes a multi-level response to the problem of Zoom fatigue that entails technology solutions, policy changes, and personal adaptations. More future longitudinal researches are necessary to evaluate the effectiveness of these interferences in the long term, as well as in different circumstances and with people.
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This is my story: Bringing voice to the violence of anti-Black racism trauma with African Nova Scotians through digital storytelling
(Mount Saint Vincent University, 2024) Willis, Rajean N.
This qualitative research study explored and examined with six African Nova Scotian participants (co-researchers) their experiences of race-based trauma, and the ways these experiences impacted their overall well-being and quality of life. Specifically, I addressed the research question: What are the Indigenous ANS’ experiences of race-related trauma and how have these experiences impacted their overall well-being and quality of life? The study used an arts-based research method: digital storytelling. There is a growing body of literature examining the intersections and complexities of race-related experiences that have been identified as traumatic by those who experience them. This study looks explicitly at the relationship between racism, trauma, and Indigenous African Nova Scotians’ overall quality of life through their own accounts with a group of six co-researchers. Indigenous African Nova Scotian refers to those whose ancestors had arrived in Nova Scotia as early as the early 1700s, which are a group distinct from more recent Black immigrants (Elliott Clark, 2012). Using Digital Storytelling (DST), co-researchers created a two to five-minute mini-movie articulating their traumatic experience(s) with racism and its impact on their lives. Co-researchers participated in three two-hour group workshops, during which they engaged in finding their story, telling their story, crafting the story and sharing the story. Informed by theories such as Post Traumatic Slave Syndrome Theory, Africentric Theory and Critical Race Theory, this study acknowledges the intersectional nuances of how anti-Black racism has been experienced with co-researchers. The recognition of structural and systemic anti-Black racism is reflected in the co-researchers’ digital stories. The resiliency and critical hope for equity and healing have also been made evident through their ability to take appropriate action against the assaults of anti-Black racism. Study recommendations point to the need to expand education, including African Nova Scotian-centred/Africentric pedagogies, to contextualize this reality into trauma-informed care in education. Additionally, this study provides further evidence of the value of DST as a research method for individual, communal, institutional, and structural transformation.
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Canadian Registered Dietitians’ Perceptions, Experiences, and Knowledge of Weight- Related Evidence in Practice: A National Questionnaire
(Mount Saint Vincent University, 2024-11) Waugh, Rachel Lynn
A recent nation-wide survey conducted by Dietitians of Canada (2020) found dietitians are divided in their interpretation of (body) weight evidence. There is limited data on Canadian Registered Dietitians' (RDs’) perspectives, experiences, and knowledge on this topic. Moreover, current evidence suggests Canadian RDs are predominantly female, white, and young-to-middle aged. It has been established that one’s intersecting characteristics can impact how they see themselves and others, but there is limited Canadian research impacting how these factors impact weight evidence interpretation and application.
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Compassion in Healthcare: A Qualitative Study Exploring Knowledge and Experiences of Compassion of Nutrition Students
(Mount Saint Vincent University, 2024-11) Goswami, Suhnandany
This study aims to explore the knowledge and experiences of compassion among a sample of graduate nutrition students. By understanding the students' current knowledge and experiences of compassion, this study can help to identify areas of strength and gaps in their understanding of compassion and related concepts. This information can then be used to inform the development of teaching and learning strategies and curricula for nutrition and dietetics students that promote the integration of compassion into practice. Additionally, the results of this study will contribute to the existing body of research on compassion-based nutrition and healthcare practice. This study was qualitative in nature, and it is based on the qualitative description (QD) method.