Papers by Pauline Tennent
Canadian Journal of Pain
Background: Findings reported in this article emerged from the study titled "Youth's Voices: Thei... more Background: Findings reported in this article emerged from the study titled "Youth's Voices: Their Lives and Experiences of Living with an Anxiety Disorder." Though the initial focus of this study was not on the pain experiences of youth living with an anxiety disorder, it became apparent from the very first interviews that pain and suffering was key in the youth lived experience, permeating their everyday lives and impeding their participation and functioning in the world. Aims: The aim of this article is to highlight the ways in which pain is a central experience for young people living with an anxiety disorder. Methods: The study was approached from the qualitative research design of hermeneutic phenomenology. Fifty-eight young people who were living with anxiety disorders and their parents participated in the study. Youth took part in multiple qualitative open-ended interviews and the participatory arts-based method of photovoice. Themes were developed using van Manen's method of data analysis. Results: The overall theme emerged as "anxiety is very much about pain." The four subthemes are (1) embodied experience of anxiety: physical pain; (2) a prominent symptom of anxiety: mentalemotional pain; (3) difficult interpersonal relationships: social pain; and (4) articulating their pain. Conclusions: Use of qualitative, arts-based methodologies provided the opportunity and space for youth with anxiety to articulate their multifaceted experience with pain in their own words. This work reinforces the need for use of qualitative approaches to understanding pain experiences in young people. RÉSUMÉ Contexte: Les conclusions présentées dans ce document sont issues de l'étude intitulée « La voix des jeunes : Leurs vies et leurs expériences de la vie avec un trouble anxieux ». Bien que l'objectif initial de cette étude n'était pas de s'intéresser aux expériences de douleur des jeunes vivant avec un trouble anxieux, il est apparu dès les premiers entretiens que la douleur et la souffrance étaient des éléments clés de l'expérience vécue par les jeunes, qui imprégnaient leur vie quotidienne et entravaient leur participation et leur fonctionnement dans le monde. Objectifs: Le présent document vise à mettre en lumière les façons dont la douleur constitue une expérience de premier plan pour les jeunes vivant avec un trouble anxieux. Méthodes: L'étude a été abordée à partir de la conception de la recherche qualitative de la phénoménologie herméneutique. Cinquante-huit jeunes vivant avec des troubles d'anxiété et leurs parents ont participé à l'étude. Les jeunes ont pris part à de multiples entretiens qualitatifs ouverts et à la méthode participative Photovoice, fondée sur les arts. Les thèmes ont été déterminés en utilisant le processus d'analyse des données inspiré de van Manen. Résultats: Le thème général qui s'est dégagé est le suivant : « L'anxiété est essentiellement liée à la douleur ». Les quatre sous-thèmes sont les suivants : (1) L'expérience de l'angoisse incarnée : La douleur physique ; (2) Un symptôme important de l'anxiété : la douleur mentale et émotionnelle ; (3) Les relations interpersonnelles difficiles : la douleur sociale ; et (4) l'articulation de leur douleur. Conclusions: L'utilisation de méthodologies qualitatives fondées sur les arts a permis aux jeunes anxieux d'exprimer leur expérience multidimensionnelle de la douleur dans leurs propres mots. Ce travail renforce la nécessité d'utiliser des approches qualitatives pour comprendre les expériences de la douleur chez les jeunes.
Little is known about how factors related to the post-secondary academic setting impact Canadian ... more Little is known about how factors related to the post-secondary academic setting impact Canadian students’ self-reported anxiety. Using a socio-ecological framework, we examined lifetime prevalence and correlates of self-reported student anxiety. Data were collected from 593 university students (422 of whom were undergraduates) from a university in central Canada through an online survey. Descriptive statistics and a series of regression models were used to examine the study’s objectives. Most students reported having experienced anxiety that had impacted their lives. Findings provide support for a socio-ecological explanation of anxiety: socio-demographic, relationship, and academic factors predicted self-reported student anxiety. The results highlight the need to ensure that campus services and supports are well equipped to address the mental health problems of students. Theoretical, practice, and research implications are noted.On sait peu de choses sur la façon dont les facteurs...
Canadian Journal of Counselling and Psychotherapy, Aug 27, 2020
Peace and Conflict Studies, 2009
This article focuses on the North American Conflict Resolution Program-a twenty-first century mob... more This article focuses on the North American Conflict Resolution Program-a twenty-first century mobility consortium in which universities in Canada, Mexico, and the United States exchanged students of conflict resolution. Drawing on student perceptions and, in particular, the experiences of the universities of Manitoba and Louisville, the authors discuss the positive outcomes of mobilizing students to study conflict resolution abroad for the students themselves, for faculty members involved, for university and other communities, and for the field of conflict analysis and resolution.
Forum Qualitative Social Research, 2016
Bei Photovoice, einer eingefuhrte Methode im Rahmen partizipativer Forschung, nutzen Individuen F... more Bei Photovoice, einer eingefuhrte Methode im Rahmen partizipativer Forschung, nutzen Individuen Fotos, um fur sie relevante Themen zu dokumentieren und zu reflektieren. Entwickelt Mitte der 1990 Jahre und eng verbunden mit partizipativen Prinzipien hat sich Photovoice bewahrt, um Ausdrucksweisen von und Zugangsweisen zu spezifischen Untersuchungsgruppen besser als vorher zu unterstutzen. In diesem Beitrag befassen wir uns mit Herausforderungen und Optionen der Nutzung von Photovoice fur qualitative Studien durch die Diskussion relevanter Literatur und von Studien, die im Rahmen von IN•GAUGE ® durchgefuhrt wurden, einem Forschungsprogramm, in dem Photovoice und anderer visuelle Verfahren uber 15 Jahre angewandt wurden in Untersuchungen mit Jugendlichen und ihren Familien. Vor diesem Hintergrund identifizieren wir Potenziale fur die Weiterentwicklung von Photovoice und fur die Konzeption ethischer Richtlinien, die erforderlich sind, um die partizipativen und Empowermentanteile des Ver...
Forum Qualitative Social Research, 2017
In diesem Beitrag veranschaulichen wir, wie wir Grenzobjekte genutzt haben, um Ergebnisses der St... more In diesem Beitrag veranschaulichen wir, wie wir Grenzobjekte genutzt haben, um Ergebnisses der Studie Youth's Voices zu kommunizieren, die die Untersuchung von Angsterfahrungen junger Menschen zum Ziel hatte. Insgesamt interviewten wir 58 Jugendliche mit Angststorungen unter Hinzuziehung des Photovoice -Verfahrens. Themen, die im Zuge der Datenauswertung eruiert wurden, wurden dann in Grenzobjekte transformiert, in unserem Fall in eine Serie von Videovignetten mit tanzerischen Umsetzungen dieser Themen. Die Videovignetten fuhrten zu bedeutungsvollen Interpretationen der Erfahrungen der Jugendlichen und eroffneten wichtige Potenziale fur Empathie und gegen Stigmatisierung. Sie halfen, deren Erlebensweise einem breiteren Publikum – Politiker/innen, Praktiker/innen, Forscher/innen und der interessierten Offentlichkeit – zu kommunizieren.
Child & Youth Care Forum, 2020
Background Bullying is common in school age youth and more frequent for youth living with anxiety... more Background Bullying is common in school age youth and more frequent for youth living with anxiety. Parents are in a unique position to contextualize and increase understanding of youth experiences. Objective This study examined parents’ perspectives on bullying experiences of youth with anxiety to deepen our understanding of the challenges faced by youth and families and to inform interventions and supports. Method In-depth qualitative interviews were conducted with 54 parents/caregivers of youth aged 10–19 with an anxiety diagnosis. Participants were interviewed twice using semi-structured and open-ended questionnaires. Analysis was conducted using a hermeneutic phenomenology approach which privileges thick description and interpretation. Results Four key themes emerged from the parent interviews: (1) The experiences of bullying and anxiety are intertwined and pervasive; (2) Bullying in youth with anxiety is difficult to recognize; (3) For youth with anxiety, bullying can make school very unsafe; and (4) Parents face multiple challenges approaching schools to address bullying. Conclusions This study found that bullying involvement is common and more complex for youth living with anxiety; parents’ lack of awareness impedes their ability to help youth; bullying at school can lead to worsening anxiety and school avoidance; and inadequate responses by schools further compounds the suffering faced by youth living with anxiety and their families.
Social science & medicine (1982), Dec 14, 2017
Indigenous peoples (First Nations, Inuit, and Métis) are currently overrepresented in the HIV epi... more Indigenous peoples (First Nations, Inuit, and Métis) are currently overrepresented in the HIV epidemic in Canada and are infected at a younger age than those who are not Indigenous. This article presents our findings on the stigma and discrimination (as well as related themes such as disclosure) experienced by Indigenous people who contracted HIV in their youth and live in urban and non-urban settings in Manitoba, Canada. The findings were derived from a qualitative study that sought to understand the experiences and needs of Indigenous people living with HIV (including AIDS). We situate such experiences within a social ecological framework towards developing a better structural understanding of the impacts of stigma and discrimination on the lives of Indigenous people who are HIV positive. Stigma and discrimination caused barriers for Indigenous people living with HIV through inhibiting their ease of access to supports including family, peers, community, and long- and short-term he...
International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 2017
This article explores ethical challenges in qualitative research by bringing forward examples fro... more This article explores ethical challenges in qualitative research by bringing forward examples from the literature and from INGAUGE 1 , a research program spanning over 15 years and focusing on the significance of multiple perspectives and the value of gauging the health needs of young people and their families. In addition to exploring the ethical challenges in working with children and youth in research, we make the case that ethical considerations need to extend beyond research ethics boards protocols and present "sustaining mindful presence" as a conceptual frame practical guide for working through ethical challenges in qualitative research. We contend that greater participation of research subjects, including children and youth, is the way forward for developing more holistic and effective approaches to ethics within research institutions.
International journal for equity in health, Jul 21, 2017
Indigenous young people are currently highly overrepresented in the HIV epidemic in Canada, espec... more Indigenous young people are currently highly overrepresented in the HIV epidemic in Canada, especially in the Prairie Provinces, such as Manitoba. Understanding HIV-vulnerability in Indigenous peoples must begin with understanding that social determinants are intersectional and linked to the historical legacy of European colonization. In this paper findings that detail the influence of the intersectional social determinants on Indigenous people who become infected with HIV in their youth are presented. The qualitative research design of phenomenology was used as it afforded the opportunity to understand Indigenous young people from their frames of reference and experiences of reality, resulting in a phenomenological understanding of their perspectives and experiences of the early years of living with HIV. A total of 21 Indigenous young people took part open-ended interviews. The stories that the Indigenous young people shared revealed their deeply interconnected social worlds, and h...
Nationalism and Ethnic Politics, 2009
... Jessica Senehi, The Role of Constructive, Transcultural Storytelling in Ethnopolitical Confl... more ... Jessica Senehi, The Role of Constructive, Transcultural Storytelling in Ethnopolitical Conflict Transformation in Northern Ireland, in Vamik Volkan ... Paul Bew, Peter Gibbon, and Henry Patterson, Northern Ireland, 19212002: Political Forces and Social Classes (London: Serif ...
Journal of Human Security, 2010
During the summer of 2006, 98 interviews were conducted in the Border areas, Derry, and Belfast, ... more During the summer of 2006, 98 interviews were conducted in the Border areas, Derry, and Belfast, with recipients of economic aid from the International Fund for Ireland and/or the European Union Peace II Fund. The research findings point to the importance of micro-...
Qualitative Health Research, 2020
Anxiety disorders typically emerge in childhood and, if left untreated, can lead to poor health a... more Anxiety disorders typically emerge in childhood and, if left untreated, can lead to poor health and social outcomes into adulthood. Stigma contributes to the burden of mental illness in youth. Mental health stigma has been conceptualized as a wicked problem and efforts to address this complexity require a greater understanding of how stigma operates in the lives of youth. Fifty-eight youth in Manitoba, Canada aged 10 to 22 years and living with anxiety took part in the study. Data collection involved in-depth interviews and arts-based methodologies. Youth living with anxiety faced stigma at three levels: (a) interpersonal, (b) intrapersonal, and (c) structural. Stigma held by others, internalized by youth and embedded in social institutions led to compromised relationships with family and peers, low self-esteem and self-efficacy, reduced help-seeking, and discrimination in school, workplace and health care settings. Implications and potential strategies for addressing these levels o...
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
Living with anxiety can be a complex, biopsychosocial experience that is unique to each person an... more Living with anxiety can be a complex, biopsychosocial experience that is unique to each person and embedded in their contexts and lived worlds. Scales and questionnaires are necessary to quantify anxiety, yet these approaches are not always able to reflect the lived experience of psychological distress experienced by youth. Guided by hermeneutic phenomenology, our research aimed to amplify the voices of youth living with anxiety. Fifty-eight youth living with anxiety took part in in-depth, open-ended interviews and participatory arts-based methods (photovoice and ecomaps). Analysis was informed by van Manen’s method of data analysis with attention to lived space, lived body, lived time, and lived relationships, as well as the meanings of living with anxiety. Youth relied on the following metaphors to describe their experiences: A shrinking world; The heavy, heavy backpack; Play, pause, rewind, forward; and A fine balance. Overall, youth described their anxiety as a monster, contribu...
It is estimated that less than 25% of young people in need of treatment for mental illness receiv... more It is estimated that less than 25% of young people in need of treatment for mental illness receive specialized services, and even fewer receive a diagnosis by their doctor. These findings are troubling given that living with a mental illness can have a significant impact on a young person's life, the lives of his/her family members, the young person's community and society generally. The objective of this systematic review was to synthesize the best available qualitative evidence on the meanings young people assign to living with mental illness and their experiences in managing their health and lives. The current review considered both interpretive and critical research studies that drew on the experiences of young people with mental illness. The search for published studies included the following databases: MEDLINE, CINAHL, Social Sciences Full Text, PsycINFO, Social Work Abstracts, Sociological Abstracts, Embase, Social Services Abstracts, Child Development and Adolescent Studies, Scopus, Web of Science and Academic Search Complete. The search for unpublished studies included conference proceedings and ProQuest Dissertations and Theses Database. Each paper was assessed independently by two reviewers for methodological quality. The Joanna Briggs Institute Qualitative Assessment and Review Instrument (JBI-QARI) was used to appraise the methodological quality of the articles. Qualitative data were extracted from papers included in the review using the standardized data extraction tool from JBI-QARI. JBI-QARI was used to pool findings based on their similarity of meaning and developed into four synthesized findings. Fifty-four research papers generated 304 study findings that were aggregated into nine categories. The nine categories were further aggregated into four synthesis statements: (1) A different way of being, (2) Getting through the difficult times, (3) Yearning for acceptance and (4) Room for improvement. Young people with mental illness experienced a range of feelings and thoughts that at times left them feeling uncomfortable in their body and world. Rejection by family and friends was a common fear. The changes experienced by young people required them to use a variety of strategies that were both negative and positive. The challenges young people faced in seeking and receiving care reinforce that there is a need for improvement in mental health services for youth living with mental illness.
Journal of Health Psychology
The aim of this paper is to illuminate findings of disclosure experiences for youth living with c... more The aim of this paper is to illuminate findings of disclosure experiences for youth living with chronic illness using a non-categorical approach. The findings were derived from a larger qualitative study framed by social constructivist grounded theory that sought to understand youth’s involvement in healthcare decision-making in the context of chronic illness. Fifty-four youth participated in the study, ranging from 9 to 24 years. Three main themes representing the youth’s perspectives and experiences of disclosing chronic illness were identified: (1) disclosure is central to the illness experience; (2) spectrum of disclosure; and (3) navigating others’ reactions to disclosure. The findings reinforce that more emphasis on decisions related to disclosing illness in research and clinical care for youth with chronic conditions is warranted.
International Journal of Qualitative Methods
This paper examines youth’s disclosure experiences within the context of chronic illness, drawing... more This paper examines youth’s disclosure experiences within the context of chronic illness, drawing on examples from IN•GAUGE, an on-going research program led by Dr. Roberta L. Woodgate. Youth’s descriptions of their disclosure experiences provide valuable insights into the ways in which they use their voice in everyday life. This examination of the disclosure experiences of youth offers a lens through which the concept of youth voice in the research process can be understood and youth’s agency foregrounded. We present implications for researchers, ethics boards, funding agencies, and others who engage in youth-centered research, and offer alternative terminology to use in characterizing the elicitation and dissemination of youth voice in the research process. We contend that conceptualizing such efforts as giving youth voice has the potential to discredit the significant agency and autonomy that youth demonstrate in sharing their stories, perspectives, and opinions within the resear...
PLOS ONE
Background Anxiety can create serious disruption in the life and mind of youth who are affected. ... more Background Anxiety can create serious disruption in the life and mind of youth who are affected. Youth living with anxiety suffer a wealth of physical and psychological challenges, yet little is known about how anxiety influences the sense of the self. The purpose of this research was to explore the experience of the self in a sample of Canadian youth living with anxiety.
Journal of Human Security, 2010
During the summer of 2006, 98 interviews were conducted in the Border areas, Derry, and Belfast, ... more During the summer of 2006, 98 interviews were conducted in the Border areas, Derry, and Belfast, with recipients of economic aid from the International Fund for Ireland and/or the European Union Peace II Fund. The research findings point to the importance of micro-...
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Papers by Pauline Tennent