Research Library

The increasing population of working immigrant women in Canada demands special considerations surrounding their mental health. This exploratory-descriptive qualitative research has investigated the influences on the mental well-being of 14 working immigrant women in Calgary. Participants were interviewed to describe their unique experiences at the intersections of race, gender, religion, work, and social class, and to discuss useful interventions that support their mental wellbeing. The findings demonstrated that migration to Canada had provided participants with high awareness about mental health; however, stigma, religious beliefs, financial concerns, and discriminatory behavior in healthcare services were barriers to pursue mental health care. Racism, microaggressions, intersectional discrimination, language barriers, and employment difficulties had adversely affected their mental well-being. Conversely, freedom, security, and multiculturalism were some of the advantages of living in Canada. Ultimately, working immigrant women’s needs were discussed as individual/micro-, meso-, and macro-level interventions based on ecological model. The increasing population of working immigrant women in Canada demands special considerations surrounding their mental health. This exploratory-descriptive qualitative research has investigated the influences on the mental well-being of 14 working immigrant women in Calgary. Participants were interviewed to describe their unique experiences at the intersections of race, gender, religion, work, and social class, and to discuss useful interventions that support their mental wellbeing. The findings demonstrated that migration to Canada had provided participants with high awareness about mental health; however, stigma, religious beliefs, financial concerns, and discriminatory behavior in healthcare services were barriers to pursue mental health care. Racism, microaggressions, intersectional discrimination, language barriers, and employment difficulties had adversely affected their mental well-being. Conversely, freedom, security, and multiculturalism were some of the advantages of living in Canada. Ultimately, working immigrant women’s needs were discussed as individual/micro-, meso-, and macro-level interventions based on ecological model.
This publication has no Abstract to dispaly

This study’s findings contribute to a body of research that explores power dynamics within intimate partner relationships among African immigrants in Lethbridge. The purpose of this research was to 1) explore shifting power dynamics within intimate partnerships among West African immigrants in Lethbridge, Southern Alberta, Canada, and 2) to address the existing literature gap related to power dynamics within intimate partnerships among West African immigrants in Lethbridge, Southern Alberta, Canada. An exploratory descriptive qualitative research study design, incorporating semi-structured, in-depth interviews as the primary data collection technique was used to collect data from a purpose/snowball sample of individuals who have knowledge and experience of shifting power dynamics in intimate partnership following immigration to Canada. The findings of this research study indicated that gender intersected with other social, economic, and cultural factors to influence power dynamics within intimate partner relationships among West African immigrants in Lethbridge. This study’s findings contribute to a body of research that explores power dynamics within intimate partner relationships among African immigrants in Lethbridge. The purpose of this research was to 1) explore shifting power dynamics within intimate partnerships among West African immigrants in Lethbridge, Southern Alberta, Canada, and 2) to address the existing literature gap related to power dynamics within intimate partnerships among West African immigrants in Lethbridge, Southern Alberta, Canada. An exploratory descriptive qualitative research study design, incorporating semi-structured, in-depth interviews as the primary data collection technique was used to collect data from a purpose/snowball sample of individuals who have knowledge and experience of shifting power dynamics in intimate partnership following immigration to Canada. The findings of this research study indicated that gender intersected with other social, economic, and cultural factors to influence power dynamics within intimate partner relationships among West African immigrants in Lethbridge.
This publication has no Abstract to dispaly

This study explored the support and service experiences of resettled Syrian refugee parents of autistic children in terms of their pre- and post-migration. These lived experiences were investigated with participants (n = 3) through semi-structured interviews using interpretive phenomenological analysis. This study identified the supports and services parents received, their experiences with those services, their overall experiences with resettlement having an autistic child(ren), the implications of culture in support/service provision, and their perceived areas of service need during and after their resettlement in Alberta, Canada. Parents all had unique experiences that were delineated through clustered emergent themes and subsequently organized into a superordinate conceptual structure. The results of the study are discussed in the context of theory and relevant literature to elucidate and make findings applicable. Practical implications and future directions are discussed. This study explored the support and service experiences of resettled Syrian refugee parents of autistic children in terms of their pre- and post-migration. These lived experiences were investigated with participants (n = 3) through semi-structured interviews using interpretive phenomenological analysis. This study identified the supports and services parents received, their experiences with those services, their overall experiences with resettlement having an autistic child(ren), the implications of culture in support/service provision, and their perceived areas of service need during and after their resettlement in Alberta, Canada. Parents all had unique experiences that were delineated through clustered emergent themes and subsequently organized into a superordinate conceptual structure. The results of the study are discussed in the context of theory and relevant literature to elucidate and make findings applicable. Practical implications and future directions are discussed.
This publication has no Abstract to dispaly

About one in five Canadians is a former immigrant. In 2019, Canada welcomed over 340,000 permanent residents, 43,000 of whom came to Alberta.2 Starting in 2021, Canada proposes an ambitious plan to welcome even more permanent residents to Canada, increasing Canada’s population by more than 1 per cent every year for the next three years. Newcomers are an integral part of Canada; they support the local economy in towns and cities across the country by filling employment gaps and contributing their knowledge, skills and experiences to the community. Educated, skilled economic newcomers allow Canada to build its future economic capacity to address a shrinking labour force in the country. To help newcomers integrate in Canada, achieve their full potential and participate in the labour market and in society, the Government of Canada supports newcomers through settlement and integration services. The Settlement Program is characterized by a public-private partnership between the Department of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), provinces and territories, municipalities and many partner organizations. Settlement services are delivered by a network of local organizations and service providers to all newcomers arriving in Canada, removing barriers to their full participation in life and work in Canada and providing them with the tools needed for a smooth and fast integration into their new home – Canada. To evaluate the success of its Settlement Program, the IRCC developed a Performance Measurement Strategy. The Strategy outlines some immediate and intermediate desired outcomes of newcomer settlement and integration, including newcomers’ labour market participation and income, their ability to use the official languages, their uptake of services, participation in the community and the program’s ability to meet and adapt to their needs. To measure the level of integration by newcomers and estimate the direct and measurable outputs of program delivery, the government often uses proxy variables (such as service uptake, naturalization rate, labour market indicators and newcomers’ own sense of belonging). The introduction of Express Entry system in 2015 changed the way Canada selects immigrants. Canada now prioritizes younger, educated individuals with work experience, strong English or French language skills and the ability to integrate in Canada. These immigrants have high human capital (intangible personal attributes such as knowledge, skills, training and experience). These highly-educated skilled economic newcomers prioritize employment integration above all in the hopes of putting their knowledge, education and skills into use upon arrival in Canada. However, once in Canada, many skilled economic immigrants struggle to quickly and effectively integrate economically. This varied economic integration occurs in part because Canada’s Settlement Program is slow to respond to the needs of high skilled economic immigrants. Additional opportunities of on-the job training and improvements to the system of professional accreditation would allow newcomers to contribute their knowledge and skills to the Canadian society while enhancing their skills and easing their integration. To achieve this, settlement services must be made more accessible for all types of newcomers by offering services much sooner in the immigration process and expanding the eligibility criteria for services beyond permanent residents to include temporary residents and naturalized Canadians. To understand newcomer integration from a local perspective, I address settlement and integration services in Calgary, Alberta. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and a cooling off of the natural resources market, the city is experiencing unemployment levels much higher than the national average. Newcomers in Calgary are especially impacted by the recession as they tend to experience higher rates of unemployment and underemployment. With the economy predicted to be sluggish for the next few years, settlement programs are more important than ever, especially as the Government of Canada prepares to welcome over 400,000 of newcomers annually until at least 2023, some of whom will arrive in Calgary. Afterwards, I also give a preliminary overview and evaluation of the Alberta Gateway Project. About one in five Canadians is a former immigrant. In 2019, Canada welcomed over 340,000 permanent residents, 43,000 of whom came to Alberta.2 Starting in 2021, Canada proposes an ambitious plan to welcome even more permanent residents to Canada, increasing Canada’s population by more than 1 per cent every year for the next three years. Newcomers are an integral part of Canada; they support the local economy in towns and cities across the country by filling employment gaps and contributing their knowledge, skills and experiences to the community. Educated, skilled economic newcomers allow Canada to build its future economic capacity to address a shrinking labour force in the country. To help newcomers integrate in Canada, achieve their full potential and participate in the labour market and in society, the Government of Canada supports newcomers through settlement and integration services. The Settlement Program is characterized by a public-private partnership between the Department of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), provinces and territories, municipalities and many partner organizations. Settlement services are delivered by a network of local organizations and service providers to all newcomers arriving in Canada, removing barriers to their full participation in life and work in Canada and providing them with the tools needed for a smooth and fast integration into their new home – Canada. To evaluate the success of its Settlement Program, the IRCC developed a Performance Measurement Strategy. The Strategy outlines some immediate and intermediate desired outcomes of newcomer settlement and integration, including newcomers’ labour market participation and income, their ability to use the official languages, their uptake of services, participation in the community and the program’s ability to meet and adapt to their needs. To measure the level of integration by newcomers and estimate the direct and measurable outputs of program delivery, the government often uses proxy variables (such as service uptake, naturalization rate, labour market indicators and newcomers’ own sense of belonging). The introduction of Express Entry system in 2015 changed the way Canada selects immigrants. Canada now prioritizes younger, educated individuals with work experience, strong English or French language skills and the ability to integrate in Canada. These immigrants have high human capital (intangible personal attributes such as knowledge, skills, training and experience). These highly-educated skilled economic newcomers prioritize employment integration above all in the hopes of putting their knowledge, education and skills into use upon arrival in Canada. However, once in Canada, many skilled economic immigrants struggle to quickly and effectively integrate economically. This varied economic integration occurs in part because Canada’s Settlement Program is slow to respond to the needs of high skilled economic immigrants. Additional opportunities of on-the job training and improvements to the system of professional accreditation would allow newcomers to contribute their knowledge and skills to the Canadian society while enhancing their skills and easing their integration. To achieve this, settlement services must be made more accessible for all types of newcomers by offering services much sooner in the immigration process and expanding the eligibility criteria for services beyond permanent residents to include temporary residents and naturalized Canadians. To understand newcomer integration from a local perspective, I address settlement and integration services in Calgary, Alberta. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and a cooling off of the natural resources market, the city is experiencing unemployment levels much higher than the national average. Newcomers in Calgary are especially impacted by the recession as they tend to experience higher rates of unemployment and underemployment. With the economy predicted to be sluggish for the next few years, settlement programs are more important than ever, especially as the Government of Canada prepares to welcome over 400,000 of newcomers annually until at least 2023, some of whom will arrive in Calgary. Afterwards, I also give a preliminary overview and evaluation of the Alberta Gateway Project.
This publication has no Abstract to dispaly

In response to recent refugee crises around the world, scholars have called for research on resilience among war-affected children and youth as an important area of focus that offers culturally and contextually relevant implications for effective support services. While empirical research on the resilience of refugee youth has been gradually increasing, the current scholarship still lacks social, cultural, and contextual sensitivity. As such, this dissertation research, which consists of three conceptually linked manuscripts, represents a purposeful attempt to address this gap by exploring the resilience of refugee youth in a postmigration Canadian context, with contributions to research, policy, and practice. Refugee youth were recruited from Calgary, Vancouver, Montreal and Toronto. Manuscript 1 centres on the definition of refugee youth resilience as it relates to postmigration resettlement and explores the theoretical connections between resilience and positive adaptation. This manuscript proposes a culturally and contextually relevant conceptualization of resilience from the bioecological lens, integrating the three intertwined developmental, acculturative, and psychological perspectives. Manuscript 2 focuses on a critical and extensive review of the extant literature on refugee children and youth. It synthesizes empirical evidence from scholarship on young refugees’ resilience and presents a host of biological, psychological, social and cultural determinants of resilience, which interact with one another across multiple levels of social and ecological contexts to determine adaptive responds to stressful experiences. Finally, Manuscript 3 reflects qualitative research on pathways leading to positive adaptation to a Canadian postmigration context to provide knowledge about the pathways leading to resilience among refugee youth. It outlines a classic grounded theory study that generated a substantive theory conceptually explaining the underlying process of positive adaptation from the perspectives of 15 Canadian refugee youth. Together, findings from this dissertation research spur integration of knowledge and strategies to inform practice and policies to mitigate risk and promote resilience in multiple systems that shape refugee youth adaptation over the resettlement course. In response to recent refugee crises around the world, scholars have called for research on resilience among war-affected children and youth as an important area of focus that offers culturally and contextually relevant implications for effective support services. While empirical research on the resilience of refugee youth has been gradually increasing, the current scholarship still lacks social, cultural, and contextual sensitivity. As such, this dissertation research, which consists of three conceptually linked manuscripts, represents a purposeful attempt to address this gap by exploring the resilience of refugee youth in a postmigration Canadian context, with contributions to research, policy, and practice. Refugee youth were recruited from Calgary, Vancouver, Montreal and Toronto. Manuscript 1 centres on the definition of refugee youth resilience as it relates to postmigration resettlement and explores the theoretical connections between resilience and positive adaptation. This manuscript proposes a culturally and contextually relevant conceptualization of resilience from the bioecological lens, integrating the three intertwined developmental, acculturative, and psychological perspectives. Manuscript 2 focuses on a critical and extensive review of the extant literature on refugee children and youth. It synthesizes empirical evidence from scholarship on young refugees’ resilience and presents a host of biological, psychological, social and cultural determinants of resilience, which interact with one another across multiple levels of social and ecological contexts to determine adaptive responds to stressful experiences. Finally, Manuscript 3 reflects qualitative research on pathways leading to positive adaptation to a Canadian postmigration context to provide knowledge about the pathways leading to resilience among refugee youth. It outlines a classic grounded theory study that generated a substantive theory conceptually explaining the underlying process of positive adaptation from the perspectives of 15 Canadian refugee youth. Together, findings from this dissertation research spur integration of knowledge and strategies to inform practice and policies to mitigate risk and promote resilience in multiple systems that shape refugee youth adaptation over the resettlement course.
This publication has no Abstract to dispaly

The Islamic State or Daesh led genocide against the Yazidi people – a religious cultural minority population in Northern Iraq- left thousands of Yazidis fleeing and in need of refuge. The majority of those forcefully displaced vanished in-between borders far from the “developed world”. About 1200 of the displaced refugees were initially selected to be resettled in Canada under the Survivors of Daesh program, out of whom about 265 were settled in Calgary, Canada. As they arrived in a cold foreign land, they found themselves wrapped around by services that although warming, surfaced a structure that pushed them to quickly become “economic” and “independent”. The scarcity of services provided and the expiration date on Yazidi refugee families’ federal income assistance, and most importantly the unfulfilled promise of family reunification put mental burdens on the already traumatized Yazidi community in Calgary. My thesis is based on qualitative analysis of in-depth interview data with 66 adult Yazidi women and 7 key resettlement agency women staff from CCIS, and observational and indirect data on women as Family Host volunteers (83% of all Family Hosts) who closely work with the Yazidi families. My analysis shows that what fills the gaps created due to insufficient budgets, delayed child support benefits, unfamiliar “mental support,” and confusing Canadian laws are what I call maternal strategies that Yazidi mothers, the service provider staff, and Family Host volunteers utilize to enable resettlement. The pressures from the Canadian neoliberal approach towards social services have been absorbed by Yazidi refugee women/mothers who have regularly been trying to smoothen the resettlement process for their families. The resettlement agency’s staff as well as the Family Host volunteers who are by majority women, also employ their own set of maternal strategies. By going above and beyond their duty descriptions and forming personal relationships that resemble familial connections and caregiving, these actors have played a significant role in moving the resettlement wheel for the Yazidi refugee families. Maternal strategies get woven into the larger Canadian institutional resettlement practice and discourse and are often overlooked. Nonetheless, these efforts are what have made the resettlement of Yazidi refugees possible in Calgary, Canada. The Islamic State or Daesh led genocide against the Yazidi people – a religious cultural minority population in Northern Iraq- left thousands of Yazidis fleeing and in need of refuge. The majority of those forcefully displaced vanished in-between borders far from the “developed world”. About 1200 of the displaced refugees were initially selected to be resettled in Canada under the Survivors of Daesh program, out of whom about 265 were settled in Calgary, Canada. As they arrived in a cold foreign land, they found themselves wrapped around by services that although warming, surfaced a structure that pushed them to quickly become “economic” and “independent”. The scarcity of services provided and the expiration date on Yazidi refugee families’ federal income assistance, and most importantly the unfulfilled promise of family reunification put mental burdens on the already traumatized Yazidi community in Calgary. My thesis is based on qualitative analysis of in-depth interview data with 66 adult Yazidi women and 7 key resettlement agency women staff from CCIS, and observational and indirect data on women as Family Host volunteers (83% of all Family Hosts) who closely work with the Yazidi families. My analysis shows that what fills the gaps created due to insufficient budgets, delayed child support benefits, unfamiliar “mental support,” and confusing Canadian laws are what I call maternal strategies that Yazidi mothers, the service provider staff, and Family Host volunteers utilize to enable resettlement. The pressures from the Canadian neoliberal approach towards social services have been absorbed by Yazidi refugee women/mothers who have regularly been trying to smoothen the resettlement process for their families. The resettlement agency’s staff as well as the Family Host volunteers who are by majority women, also employ their own set of maternal strategies. By going above and beyond their duty descriptions and forming personal relationships that resemble familial connections and caregiving, these actors have played a significant role in moving the resettlement wheel for the Yazidi refugee families. Maternal strategies get woven into the larger Canadian institutional resettlement practice and discourse and are often overlooked. Nonetheless, these efforts are what have made the resettlement of Yazidi refugees possible in Calgary, Canada.
This publication has no Abstract to dispaly

Little is known about leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) habits of Arab immigrants in Canada. LTPA has been linked to decreased risks for various disease, as well as increased life expectancy. Socioeconomic status has also been recognized as a significant factor affecting health and wellbeing. The socioeconomic determinants of LTPA, and which individual, social, and environmental factors contribute to LTPA participation for adult Arab immigrants in Edmonton, AB were examined. Around 40% of participants were physically active. Factors that were associated with increased LTPA included: higher educational degrees, higher income, occupations with less physical effort, and familiarity with the health benefits of LTPA. Findings from this research have the potential to design and implement targeted LTPA recommendations and interventions for Arab immigrants. Little is known about leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) habits of Arab immigrants in Canada. LTPA has been linked to decreased risks for various disease, as well as increased life expectancy. Socioeconomic status has also been recognized as a significant factor affecting health and wellbeing. The socioeconomic determinants of LTPA, and which individual, social, and environmental factors contribute to LTPA participation for adult Arab immigrants in Edmonton, AB were examined. Around 40% of participants were physically active. Factors that were associated with increased LTPA included: higher educational degrees, higher income, occupations with less physical effort, and familiarity with the health benefits of LTPA. Findings from this research have the potential to design and implement targeted LTPA recommendations and interventions for Arab immigrants.
This publication has no Abstract to dispaly

Researchers have traditionally examined and explored immigration and single motherhood in isolation from one another. In the research reported in this thesis, I adopted intersectionality theory as the framework to examine the lived experiences of single, immigrant mothers in Alberta, Canada. This includes investigating single motherhood and immigration in relation to the intersections of gender, ethnicity, social class within the context of cross-cultural transitioning, diverse mothering ideologies, and shifting social locations. The aim of the study was to gain insight into the challenges that single, immigrant mothers face and thereby to inform the provision of counselling services for them. The findings indicate that the single, immigrant mother participants’ lived experiences and acculturation processes were influenced by discourses related to gender, ethnicity, and mothering, from both their former world and their new world. Findings also revealed that single, immigrant mothers’ relationships with their children were affected by the intersectionality of their cultural identities. Service providers play an important role in supporting these mothers through their cross-cultural transitions; this study provides insights into how they can better address the specific and complex needs of this population. Researchers have traditionally examined and explored immigration and single motherhood in isolation from one another. In the research reported in this thesis, I adopted intersectionality theory as the framework to examine the lived experiences of single, immigrant mothers in Alberta, Canada. This includes investigating single motherhood and immigration in relation to the intersections of gender, ethnicity, social class within the context of cross-cultural transitioning, diverse mothering ideologies, and shifting social locations. The aim of the study was to gain insight into the challenges that single, immigrant mothers face and thereby to inform the provision of counselling services for them. The findings indicate that the single, immigrant mother participants’ lived experiences and acculturation processes were influenced by discourses related to gender, ethnicity, and mothering, from both their former world and their new world. Findings also revealed that single, immigrant mothers’ relationships with their children were affected by the intersectionality of their cultural identities. Service providers play an important role in supporting these mothers through their cross-cultural transitions; this study provides insights into how they can better address the specific and complex needs of this population.
This publication has no Abstract to dispaly

The settlement and integration of immigrants is a common policy focus for governments and researchers across the world. In Canada, these policies have become more relevant over the last twenty years. Still, most of the conversations about integration processes in Canada occur in the context of Canada’s largest and most diverse cities. In this thesis, I examine the settlement experiences of recent landed immigrants in Lethbridge—a small Albertan city. My analyses especially highlight the crucial roles that community support, length of residence, and admission class play in determining settlement outcomes of recent immigrants in Lethbridge, Alberta. Based on the data, it is safe to say that integration is promoted in Lethbridge, but immigrants still do not fare as well as the general population. The outcomes of integration process also varies depending on the lived experience of newcomers. For example, refugees are more susceptible to poorer outcomes of integration processes, while highly educated immigrants tend to perform relatively well. To increase the efficiency of integration programmes in Lethbridge, I propose to hire more immigrants to have their perspectives at the table in decision-making; increase access to and availability of relevant settlement information to immigrants; provide more mental health support; provide specific employment supports for economic immigrants; offer services to people without PR status. The settlement and integration of immigrants is a common policy focus for governments and researchers across the world. In Canada, these policies have become more relevant over the last twenty years. Still, most of the conversations about integration processes in Canada occur in the context of Canada’s largest and most diverse cities. In this thesis, I examine the settlement experiences of recent landed immigrants in Lethbridge—a small Albertan city. My analyses especially highlight the crucial roles that community support, length of residence, and admission class play in determining settlement outcomes of recent immigrants in Lethbridge, Alberta. Based on the data, it is safe to say that integration is promoted in Lethbridge, but immigrants still do not fare as well as the general population. The outcomes of integration process also varies depending on the lived experience of newcomers. For example, refugees are more susceptible to poorer outcomes of integration processes, while highly educated immigrants tend to perform relatively well. To increase the efficiency of integration programmes in Lethbridge, I propose to hire more immigrants to have their perspectives at the table in decision-making; increase access to and availability of relevant settlement information to immigrants; provide more mental health support; provide specific employment supports for economic immigrants; offer services to people without PR status.
This publication has no Abstract to dispaly

Many African immigrants moving to Canada tend to experience deterioration of health with time in their host country due to the influence of multiple factors on their health care decisions. The purpose of this study was to understand the problems and decision dynamics relevant to Ghanaian adult immigrants’ healthcare choices with the first five to ten years of arrival in Calgary, Alberta. This research used a qualitative naturalistic approach with ten Ghanaian adult immigrants. Thematic analysis revealed that participants’ healthcare choices were influenced by their pre-and post-migration experiences, which informed their pathways to care. Participants provided insights about tensions among themselves and with health providers in making healthcare choices as they settled in a new environment. Further, there is a need to provide health education programs and a strong supportive system to facilitate better health choices and encourage health care service use among recent newcomers. Many African immigrants moving to Canada tend to experience deterioration of health with time in their host country due to the influence of multiple factors on their health care decisions. The purpose of this study was to understand the problems and decision dynamics relevant to Ghanaian adult immigrants’ healthcare choices with the first five to ten years of arrival in Calgary, Alberta. This research used a qualitative naturalistic approach with ten Ghanaian adult immigrants. Thematic analysis revealed that participants’ healthcare choices were influenced by their pre-and post-migration experiences, which informed their pathways to care. Participants provided insights about tensions among themselves and with health providers in making healthcare choices as they settled in a new environment. Further, there is a need to provide health education programs and a strong supportive system to facilitate better health choices and encourage health care service use among recent newcomers.
This publication has no Abstract to dispaly