Constraining the Nature of the 18 min Periodic Radio Transient GLEAM-X J162759.5-523504.3 via Multiwavelength Observations and Magneto-thermal Simulations

We observed the periodic radio transient GLEAM-X J162759.5-523504.3 (GLEAM-X J1627) using the Chandra X-ray Observatory for about 30 ks on 2022 January 22–23, simultaneously with radio observations from the Murchison Widefield Array, MeerKAT, and the Australia Telescope Compact Array. Its radio emission and 18 min periodicity led the source to be tentatively interpreted as an extreme magnetar or a peculiar highly magnetic white dwarf. The source was not detected in the 0.3–8 keV energy range with a 3σ upper limit on the count rate of 3 × 10−4 counts s−1. No radio emission was detected during our X-ray observations either. Furthermore, we studied the field around GLEAM-X J1627 using archival European Southern Observatory and DECam Plane Survey data, as well as recent Southern African Large Telescope observations. Many sources are present close to the position of GLEAM-X J1627, but only two within the 2'' radio position uncertainty. Depending on the assumed spectral distribution, the upper limits converted to an X-ray luminosity of LX < 6.5 × 1029 erg s−1 for a blackbody with temperature kT = 0.3 keV, or LX < 9 × 1029 erg s−1 for a power law with photon index Γ = 2 (assuming a 1.3 kpc distance). Furthermore, we performed magneto-thermal simulations for neutron stars considering crust- and core-dominated field configurations. Based on our multiband limits, we conclude that (i) in the magnetar scenario, the X-ray upper limits suggest that GLEAM-X J1627 should be older than ∼1 Myr, unless it has a core-dominated magnetic field or has experienced fast cooling; (ii) in the white dwarf scenario, we can rule out most binary systems, a hot sub-dwarf, and a hot magnetic isolated white dwarf (T ≳ 10.000 K), while a cold isolated white dwarf is still compatible with our limits.N.R., F.C.Z., C.D., M.R., V.G., C.P., A.B., and E.P. are supported by the ERC Consolidator Grant "MAGNESIA" under grant agreement No. 817661, and National Spanish grant No. PGC2018-095512-BI00. F.C.Z., A.B., and V.G. are also supported by Juan de la Cierva Fellowships. C.D., M.R., and C.A.'s work has been carried out within the framework of the doctoral program in Physics of the Universitat Autónoma de Barcelona. N.H.W. is supported by an Australian Research Council Future Fellowship (project number FT190100231) funded by the Australian Government. D.d.M. acknowledges financial support from the Italian Space Agency (ASI) and National Institute for Astrophysics (INAF) under agreements ASI-INAF I/037/12/0 and ASI-INAF n.2017-14-H.0 and from INAF "Sostegno alla ricerca scientifica main streams dell'INAF," Presidential Decree 43/2018 and from INAF "SKA/CTA projects," Presidential Decree 70/2016. D.B. acknowledges support from the South African National Research Foundation. D.V. is supported by the ERC Starting Grant "IMAGINE" under grant agreement No. 948582. This work was also partially supported by the program Unidad de Excelencia Maria de Maetzu de Maeztu CEX2020-001058-M and by the PHAROS COST Action (grant No. CA16214)

Adolescence 2.0 : an examination of basic need satisfaction and well-being in a socio-technological world using latent profile transition analysis

This dissertation provides a contemporary examination of adolescents’ development and well-being in the current socio-technological context through the lens of Self-Determination Theory. Specifically, this work employs a person-centered approach (i.e., Latent Profile Transition Analysis) to investigate the developmental and motivational factors (i.e., basic psychological need satisfaction) underpinning the relationship between adolescents’ smartphone engagement and well-being across two time points. Data was collected from two high schools in British Columbia, Canada, using an online questionnaire between April 27th and May 3rd, 2021 (Time 1), and between February 15th and March 1st, 2022 (Time 2). The final longitudinal sample for this study included 875 adolescents (mage = 14.71; 43.7% girls). Findings from the Latent Profile Analyses across both time points revealed four distinct profiles of adolescents’ online and overall basic psychological need satisfaction and frustration: (1) “Unsatisfied and Frustrated”; (2) “Satisfied and Frustrated” (3) “Online Satisfied and Frustrated”; (4) “Overall Satisfied and Unfrustrated”. Results from Multinomial Logistic Regression analyses indicated that membership into these latent profiles was differently predicted by intra- and inter-personal factors (i.e., gender, ethnicity, fear of missing out, habitual smartphone use, and parent/peer attachment). Girls were more likely to be in profiles with less overall need satisfaction, and adolescents’ who identified as Southeast Asian were less likely to be in the “Satisfied and Frustrated” profile. Moreover, adolescents higher in fear of missing out and habitual smartphone use were more likely to be in profiles with more online need satisfaction and overall frustration, while those higher in parent/peer attachment security were more likely to be in profiles with less need frustration. Additionally, higher habitual smartphone use at Time 1 predicted transitions from the “Unsatisfied and Frustrated” profile into profiles with more need satisfaction at Time 2. Finally, membership in the “Overall Satisfied and Unfrustrated” profile at Time 2 was associated with significantly better mental health (i.e., lower levels of stress, anxiety, and depression) when compared to the other profiles. Findings from this work highlight the nuances with which adolescents’ online and overall basic need satisfaction is experienced in the current socio-technological context and have important implications for interventions and educational programming.Education, Faculty ofEducational and Counselling Psychology, and Special Education (ECPS), Department ofGraduat

Attachment to mobile phones : an examination of university students’ mobile phone use within an attachment theory framework

With the increasingly ubiquitous use of mobile phones in modern culture, particularly among university students, recent research has focused on the behaviours, characteristics, and effects of mobile phone use, with the evaluation of addictive features largely dominating work in this area. Given the lack of consensus regarding the etiology and standard measure of this addiction model, the objective of this study was to explore the possibility of an alternative framework for understanding university students’ relationships with their mobile phones (i.e., that of attachment theory rather than addiction). To this end, data was collected from 403 undergraduate participants (between the ages of 18-25, who owned a smartphone with at least one active social media account) recruited from two large Canadian universities. Participants responded to an online questionnaire including measures of sociodemographic information (e.g., gender, ethnicity, mobile phone use), adult attachment dimensions, mobile phone attachment, problematic mobile phone use, and their device’s perceived relationship-facilitating function. Findings indicated that, overall, participants were forming some degree of attachment to their mobile phones, and that this was particularly true for those higher in attachment anxiety. Further, attachment anxiety was found to be related to characteristics of problematic mobile phone use, and this relationship was mediated by features of mobile phone attachment. Thus, results from this study supported the use of an attachment theory framework for understanding what has typically been conceptualized as mobile phone addiction (i.e., there was an indirect relationship between attachment anxiety and problematic mobile phone use through participants’ attachments to their mobile phones). As the first study to examine the relationship between mobile phone attachment and problematic mobile phone use, findings from this work have important implications for understanding university students’ relationships with their mobile phones, while offering insight into some of the alarming behaviours that have emerged alongside increasing mobile phone use.Education, Faculty ofEducational and Counselling Psychology, and Special Education (ECPS), Department ofGraduat

Should We Be Worried about Smartphone Addiction? An Examination of Canadian Adolescents’ Feelings of Social Disconnection in the Time of COVID-19

As the COVID-19 global pandemic limited face-to-face social contact, mental health concerns increased for adolescents. Additionally, many adolescents turned to technology to communicate with their peers, which also raised concerns about adolescent smartphone addiction. However, research has yet to examine how mental health and technology engagement are related to adolescents’ feelings of social connection—an important developmental predictor of wellbeing across the lifespan. Specifically, little is known regarding the relative risk of adolescents’ mental health concerns, a known risk factor for social disconnection and isolation and smartphone addiction in contributing to feelings of social disconnection in the time of COVID-19. The present study investigated how mental health outcomes and smartphone addiction contributed to Canadian adolescents’ (n = 1753) feelings of social disconnection during COVID-19. Between October 2020 and May 2021, data were collected from five secondary schools in and around the lower mainland of British Columbia using an online-administered self-report questionnaire. Adolescents responded to questions about their smartphone addiction, internalizing problems, and an open-ended question about their feelings of connection to others. Findings from logistic regression analyses indicated that depression was a predictor of feeling socially disconnected: however, smartphone addiction was not associated with feelings of social disconnection during COVID-19. Implications of these findings can help inform the development of prevention programs targeting adolescents at risk for social disconnection in times of increased social isolation (e.g., a global pandemic). Specifically, these findings suggest that adolescents higher in depressive symptoms, and not those higher in smartphone addiction, are the ones most at risk.Education, Faculty ofEducational and Counselling Psychology, and Special Education (ECPS), Department ofReviewedFacult

Developmental Trajectories of Cyber-Aggression among Early Adolescents in Canada: The Impact of Aggression, Gender, and Time Spent Online

The objective of the present study was to examine developmental trajectories of cyber-aggression in early adolescence, as well as their relationship with predictive factors related to cyber-aggression (e.g., overt aggression, gender, and time spent online). Participants were 384 adolescents from the Lower Mainland of British Columbia, Canada who were in grade six and grade seven at Time 1 of the study (192 boys, Mage = 13.62 years, SD = 0.74 year). Three years of longitudinal data on cyber-aggression, overt aggression, and time spent online were collected via online self-report questionnaires. Findings indicated three different trajectories of cyber-aggression: (a) a low-increasing (85.7% of the sample), (b) a stable trajectory (9.3% of the sample), and (c) a high-decreasing trajectory (4.9% of the sample). Adolescents who reported higher scores on overt aggression and spent more time online were more likely to be in the stable or high-decreasing groups. These findings highlight the importance of studying subgroups regarding the developmental course of cyber-aggression in early adolescence. The implications of present study findings give insight into gender differences and overt aggression among youth to inform cyber-aggression intervention and prevention.Education, Faculty ofEducational and Counselling Psychology, and Special Education (ECPS), Department ofReviewedFacult

Differentiating the role of alcohol in young men’s use of substances with sex: A qualitative study

Background Alcohol consumption is common among young men and occurs in many contexts. The sexualized substance use literature has generated some insight into the role of alcohol alongside other substances in the context of sex, though there remain opportunities for targeted and context-sensitive studies to examine the sexual practices and outcomes associated with alcohol, specifically. Methods This interpretive description study explores how experiences and contexts of alcohol use feature in the sexual lives of young men who use substances with sex. Data collection involved in-depth interviews conducted between 2018 and 2021 in Vancouver, Canada, with N = 76 young men (ages 18–30; mean = 23.9 years) who use substances with sex, including men with diverse sexual identities. Data were analyzed in an iterative manner through a social constructivist lens and an interpretive description framework, leveraging constant comparison techniques. Findings This analysis yielded three interconnected themes: (1) using alcohol for sexual(ity) freedoms; (2) backgrounding alcohol within a sexualized polysubstance milieu; and (3) navigating the risks and consequences of using alcohol with sex. Alcohol use was found to reduce inhibitions and support experimentation, including by facilitating the transgression of conservative or restrictive social and sexual norms. Alcohol was seldom explicitly classified as a sexualized substance, though it was evidently a widespread and normative social practice. This practice was associated with important risk and consequences, including with respect to consent, pregnancy and sexually transmitted and bloodborne infection risk, and sexual dysfunction. Conclusions Findings from this study position alcohol as a backgrounded yet significantly influential substance that young men use with sex. The sexualized use of substances must be understood, and responded to, in a manner that is grounded in harm reduction and that considers the full spectrum of substances—inclusive of but not limited to alcohol—and associated benefits and risks that feature in young men’s sexual lives. Specifically, sexual health and primary care providers working with young men should invite and open up meaningful conversation about how they may be using substances (including alcohol) with sex, while offering de-stigmatizing, sex-positive, and affirming education and supports to promote safer sex and substance use.Applied Science, Faculty ofMedicine, Faculty ofNon UBCMedicine, Department ofNursing, School ofReviewedFacultyResearche

What externally presented information do VRUs require when interacting with fully Automated Road Transport Systems in shared space?

As the desire for deploying automated (“driverless”) vehicles increases, there is a need to understand how they might communicate with other road users in a mixed traffic, urban, setting. In the absence of an active and responsible human controller in the driving seat, who might currently communicate with other road users in uncertain/conflicting situations, in the future, understanding a driverless car’s behaviour and intentions will need to be relayed via easily comprehensible, intuitive and universally intelligible means, perhaps presented externally via new vehicle interfaces. This paper reports on the results of a questionnaire-based study, delivered to 664 participants, recruited during live demonstrations of an Automated Road Transport Systems (ARTS; SAE Level 4), in three European cities. The questionnaire sought the views of pedestrians and cyclists, focussing on whether respondents felt safe interacting with ARTS in shared space, and also what externally presented travel behaviour information from the ARTS was important to them. Results showed that most pedestrians felt safer when the ARTS were travelling in designated lanes, rather than in shared space, and the majority believed they had priority over the ARTS, in the absence of such infrastructure. Regardless of lane demarcations, all respondents highlighted the importance of receiving some communication information about the behaviour of the ARTS, with acknowledgement of their detection by the vehicle being the most important message. There were no clear patterns across the respondents, regarding preference of modality for these external messages, with cultural and infrastructural differences thought to govern responses. Generally, however, conventional signals (lights and beeps) were preferred to text-based messages and spoken words. The results suggest that until these driverless vehicles are able to provide universally comprehensible externally presented information or messages during interaction with other road users, they are likely to contribute to confusing and conflicting interactions between these actors, especially in a shared space setting, which may, therefore, reduce efficient traffic flow