Using Virtual Reality to Examine Peer Defending Behaviors
Bullying is one of the top threats to youth in Canada, linked to serious outcomes like increased anxiety and depression, relationship problems and poor academic achievement. Peer defending - standing up for the person being bullied - is a very effective way to stop bullying. Although peers witness 85% of bullying, very few intervene. Our research aims to understand why some youth defend their peers while others don't. By using a new virtual reality (VR) tool developed by Dr. Lambe, we can explore these behaviours in the moment as the bullying event unfolds. This research will also explore young people's (and their parents') perceptions of bullying and peer defending using qualitative interviews. We hope to use the findings from our research to inform bullying-intervention strategies and empower youth to intervene safely and effectively. This research is currently funded by a SSHRC Insight Development Grant and is conducted with collaborators Dr. Ralph Redden (St.FX) and Dr. Natalie Spadafora (Brock).
Bullying is one of the top threats to youth in Canada, linked to serious outcomes like increased anxiety and depression, relationship problems and poor academic achievement. Peer defending - standing up for the person being bullied - is a very effective way to stop bullying. Although peers witness 85% of bullying, very few intervene. Our research aims to understand why some youth defend their peers while others don't. By using a new virtual reality (VR) tool developed by Dr. Lambe, we can explore these behaviours in the moment as the bullying event unfolds. This research will also explore young people's (and their parents') perceptions of bullying and peer defending using qualitative interviews. We hope to use the findings from our research to inform bullying-intervention strategies and empower youth to intervene safely and effectively. This research is currently funded by a SSHRC Insight Development Grant and is conducted with collaborators Dr. Ralph Redden (St.FX) and Dr. Natalie Spadafora (Brock).
Bystander Intervention for Campus Sexual Violence
The rate of sexual violence is very high on university campuses. Around 1 in 10 female students experience sexual assault in a Canadian postsecondary setting each year, and 71% of all students report witnessing or experiencing unwanted sexual behaviour in a postsecondary setting. In 2016 the Antigonish Women's Centre and Sexual Assault Services Association worked to develop Waves of Change, a bystander intervention program for combatting sexual and gender-based violence on university campuses. Waves of Change is delivered to university students throughout Nova Scotia, including at St.FX. Using a longitudinal design, our research aims to better understand how this program works at St. FX by conducting a preliminary program evaluation. We are specifically examining how students' knowledge and attitudes are related to their bystander actions, and whether students who receive the Waves of Change training engage in more bystander intervention than their peers who do not take the program. This research is currently funded by a SSHRC Partnership Engage Grant and the Nova Scotia Department of Advanced Education, and involves collaboration with the StFX Sexual Violence Prevention Office and the Antigonish Women's Centre.
The rate of sexual violence is very high on university campuses. Around 1 in 10 female students experience sexual assault in a Canadian postsecondary setting each year, and 71% of all students report witnessing or experiencing unwanted sexual behaviour in a postsecondary setting. In 2016 the Antigonish Women's Centre and Sexual Assault Services Association worked to develop Waves of Change, a bystander intervention program for combatting sexual and gender-based violence on university campuses. Waves of Change is delivered to university students throughout Nova Scotia, including at St.FX. Using a longitudinal design, our research aims to better understand how this program works at St. FX by conducting a preliminary program evaluation. We are specifically examining how students' knowledge and attitudes are related to their bystander actions, and whether students who receive the Waves of Change training engage in more bystander intervention than their peers who do not take the program. This research is currently funded by a SSHRC Partnership Engage Grant and the Nova Scotia Department of Advanced Education, and involves collaboration with the StFX Sexual Violence Prevention Office and the Antigonish Women's Centre.
Creating an Open Educational Resource for Clinical Psychology
The overarching goal of this project is to develop an "Introduction to Clinical Psychology" Open Educational Resource (OER) textbook that will be freely available at St. FX University and other institutions. Currently, no open-access textbook exists for this subject, and commercial options are expensive and/or do not include Canadian content. This OER will consist of 10 chapters covering key topics such as ethics, assessment, prevention, and intervention in clinical psychology. Most chapters are authored by students, under the supervision of Dr. Lambe. Our aim is to improve accessibility and inclusivity for students studying mental health care by providing a free, comprehensive resource. This research is funded by Atlantic OER with collaborator Dr. Angela Weaver (St. FX).
The overarching goal of this project is to develop an "Introduction to Clinical Psychology" Open Educational Resource (OER) textbook that will be freely available at St. FX University and other institutions. Currently, no open-access textbook exists for this subject, and commercial options are expensive and/or do not include Canadian content. This OER will consist of 10 chapters covering key topics such as ethics, assessment, prevention, and intervention in clinical psychology. Most chapters are authored by students, under the supervision of Dr. Lambe. Our aim is to improve accessibility and inclusivity for students studying mental health care by providing a free, comprehensive resource. This research is funded by Atlantic OER with collaborator Dr. Angela Weaver (St. FX).
Mental Health Impacts of Witnessing Identity-Based Bullying
Bullying is a serious and growing concern for youth in Nova Scotia. According to the province’s Auditor General, incidents of school violence have increased by 60% in the past seven years, with a 196–285% rise in racist and discriminatory behaviours. Many of these acts are forms of identity-based bullying, where students are targeted based on characteristics like gender identity, sexual orientation, ethnicity, religion, weight, or disability. By using novel virtual reality methods, this project will be used to help us better understand the mental health impacts of witnessing identity-based bullying. This research is funded by a Research Nova Scotia New Investigator in Addictions and Mental Health grant, with support from collaborators Dr. Ann Farrell (Brock) and Dr. Deinera Exner-Cortens (University of Calgary).
Bullying is a serious and growing concern for youth in Nova Scotia. According to the province’s Auditor General, incidents of school violence have increased by 60% in the past seven years, with a 196–285% rise in racist and discriminatory behaviours. Many of these acts are forms of identity-based bullying, where students are targeted based on characteristics like gender identity, sexual orientation, ethnicity, religion, weight, or disability. By using novel virtual reality methods, this project will be used to help us better understand the mental health impacts of witnessing identity-based bullying. This research is funded by a Research Nova Scotia New Investigator in Addictions and Mental Health grant, with support from collaborators Dr. Ann Farrell (Brock) and Dr. Deinera Exner-Cortens (University of Calgary).
Understanding Social Power in Adolescence
Social power is the ability to influence others, and is a central tenant of harmful relationship problems like bullying and dating violence. Yet, we know surprisingly little about how social power works during adolescence, a time when young people are learning key social skills and forming lasting beliefs. This project aims to fill that gap through a five-year study tracking how teens use two types of social power: cooperative (influencing others through respect and collaboration) and coercive (using pressure or threats). By following hundreds of adolescents over time and gathering insights from their own perspectives, their peers, and their social networks, the research will explore how these forms of power develop, what influences them, and what effects they have. The goal is to better understand how social power shapes teen wellbeing and to help schools, families, and communities support healthier, more positive relationships. This research is funded by a SSHRC Insight Grant and is lead by Dr. Tony Volk (Brock) with collaborators at Brock University (Dr. Naomi Andrews, Dr. Andrew Dane, Dr. Ann Farrell) and Queen's University (Dr. Wendy Craig).
Social power is the ability to influence others, and is a central tenant of harmful relationship problems like bullying and dating violence. Yet, we know surprisingly little about how social power works during adolescence, a time when young people are learning key social skills and forming lasting beliefs. This project aims to fill that gap through a five-year study tracking how teens use two types of social power: cooperative (influencing others through respect and collaboration) and coercive (using pressure or threats). By following hundreds of adolescents over time and gathering insights from their own perspectives, their peers, and their social networks, the research will explore how these forms of power develop, what influences them, and what effects they have. The goal is to better understand how social power shapes teen wellbeing and to help schools, families, and communities support healthier, more positive relationships. This research is funded by a SSHRC Insight Grant and is lead by Dr. Tony Volk (Brock) with collaborators at Brock University (Dr. Naomi Andrews, Dr. Andrew Dane, Dr. Ann Farrell) and Queen's University (Dr. Wendy Craig).