Situated in a Canadian multiethnic urban neighbourhood, this exploratory study examines the experiences of youth dancing Hip Hop. Critical and performance ethnographic research was conducted at a drop-in Hip Hop class at a community centre using participant observation and dyadic…

Women diagnosed with breast cancer who carry a mutation in the genes BRCA1/2 are at an increased risk of developing cancer in the contralateral breast. Undergoing bilateral mastectomy significantly reduces the risk of developing second primary breast cancer in these…

Research on suicidal behaviors from non-Western countries is limited, and knowledge from Western studies may not be suitable for developing appropriate intervention strategies in other cultures. An understanding of the sociocultural context within which suicidal behaviors take place can provide…

The polyamine system plays an essential role in a myriad of cellular functions, and dysregulated polyamine metabolism and functioning has been implicated in a number of pathological conditions, including neurological and psychiatric disorders. In recent years, gene expression and genetic…

Objectives: Research on the family burden of mental illness has traditionally centered on parents as caregivers and the social and economic impacts on families more broadly, largely neglecting the sibling experience. Three primary objectives were established for this thesis: to…

Background: Self-rated health (SRH) is one of the most widely used measures of general health status in population health research and has received strong support as an independent predictor of mortality and morbidity. Knowledge is limited as to what exactly…

Early studies of antidepressants have demonstrated clinical efficacy at doses much lower than those currently recommended. Even when deemed sub-therapeutic by modern standards, lower doses are often clinically effective – perhaps through a placebo effect. Emerging from clinical trial analyses,…

Impulsivity is considered a major contributor to various antisocial behaviours (Nofziger, 2010) and is present in many mental and personality disorders (American Psychiatric Association, 2000). Given that clear sex differences have been observed in such behaviours and disorders (Nofziger, 2010;…

Background: Annually, an estimated 8.2% of Canadians aged 18 or older are affected by major depressive disorder (MDD). Nearly half of those suffering from MDD will fail to achieve remission while also having an inadequate response to an initial and…