Laboring to Mother in the Context of Past Trauma: The Transition to Motherhood

The occurrence of interpersonal trauma is a reality for many women, with effects that often persist long after the traumatic events end. The purpose of this feminist grounded theory study was to examine how past trauma shaped the lives of women as they became new mothers. We recruited a purposive sample of 32 women from two Canadian communities and conducted semistructured, dialogic interviews during the second trimester of pregnancy. We analyzed data using thematic content analytic methods, including open coding whereby we read transcripts line by line and applied codes to portions of text that illustrated concepts or themes. The substantive grounded theory, “laboring to mother in the context of past trauma,” describes the exceedingly difficult emotional and cognitive work undertaken by pregnant women with histories of trauma as they anticipate becoming mothers. In this article, we present key components of the theory and offer recommendations for health and social service providers

The Relationship between Overt Verbal Attitude Responses toward Cheating Behavior, Achievement Needs, and Cheating on Test Items

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between overt verbal attitude responses of college students toward cheating behavior, achievement needs, and cheating behavior on test items. A further purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between grades and/or the number of errors made on an exam and cheating or non-cheating behavior. Procedure: The sample was comprised of sixty-six subjects-thirty- three cheaters and thirty-three non-cheaters. A stratified random sample was drawn from 184 students in six sections of Education 110 classes at the University of Maryland. The cheaters were matched with a group of noncheaters by sex and class. The data was obtained in three separate experimental sessions. During the first session a 35 item multiple-response attitude measure was administered to the subjects during the usual class period. Attitude toward cheating in a college setting was assessed utilizing an instrument developed by the writer in a pilot study. The second experimental session occurred one week after the presentation of the attitude measure. The McClelland n Achievement measure was administered using a set of four TAT-type pictures used to elicit imaginative stories which could be scored for the presence or absence of achievement related imagery. The third experimental session occurred two weeks after the administration of the n Achievement measure. During the third session the professor was absent from class by prior arrangement. The writer presented a twenty minute taped lecture which focused upon elementary statistical concepts. Immediately following the taped lecture the subjects were administered a 30 item multiple-response test. Subjects were provided with an opportunity to exhibit cheating behavior in a classroom setting while correcting their own examination papers after a copy of their original responses was surreptitiously recorded. Findings: 1. There were no differences in verbal attitude responses toward cheating behavior between subjects who exhibited cheating behavior and those who did not. 2. There were no differences in achievement needs between subjects who exhibited cheating behavior and those who did not. 3. There were differences in the number of errors made by subjects who exhibited cheating behavior and those who did not. 4. There were no differences in grades between subjects who exhibited cheating behavior and those who did not. 5. There were no differences in cheating and noncheating behavior between subjects who scored high and low on a verbal (written) measure of attitudes toward cheating. 16. There were no differences in cheating and noncheating behavior bet ween subjects with high and low need achievement scores

Uprooted and Displaced: A Critical Narrative Study of Homeless, Aboriginal, and Newcomer Girls in Canada

Uprooting and displacement are a common part of everyday life for millions of girls and young women throughout the world. While much of the discourse has centered on movement from one country to another, uprooting and displacement are also a reality for many within Canada. Notably, a growing population of homeless girls and Aboriginal girls also have experienced uprooting and dislocation from home, community, and in some cases, family. For many of these girls, multiple forms of individual and systemic violence are central features of their lives. The primary purpose of this critical narrative study is to examine how uprooting and displacement have shaped mental health among three groups: (1) newcomers to Canada (immigrant and refugee girls); (2) homeless girls; and (3) Aboriginal girls. In-depth narrative interviews were conducted with 19 girls in Southwestern Ontario. Narrative themes revealed that although there is much diversity within and between these groups, uprooting and displacement create social boundaries and profound experiences of disconnections in relationships. Barriers to re/establishing connections generate dangerous spaces within interlocking systems of oppression. However, in negotiating new spaces, there is the potential for the forming and re-forming of alliances where sources of support hold the promise of hope. It is within these spaces of hope and pathways of engagement where connections offer a renewed sense of belonging and well-being. The findings highlight the relevance of the construct of uprootedness in girls\u27 lives, provide beginning directions for the design of gender-specific and culturally meaningful interventions, and comprise a substantial contribution to the growing body of research related to girls and young women