Development of Cybermoms: A Computer-mediated Peer Support Group to Address the Needs of Young Mothers

This article presents findings from a three-year demonstration project in Sudbury, Ontario that used Internet-based technologies combined with other program elements to support teen mothers through the establishment of a computer-mediated peer support group. Based on an analysis of survey data and qualitative data from online chat messages, we conclude that most participants of the Cybermoms program gained some benefit from access to computers and the Internet, particularly in terms of online peer support. While online participation cannot immediately change life circumstances related to poverty, interactions within the program, such as the real time chat sessions with social service providers and decision-makers supported the young women in transcending some of the limitations and boundaries of their lives. Sharing experiences and knowledge helped young women to deal with the challenges of parenting and to navigate through the requirements of oppressive service systems. Other benefits of ICT technologies included schooling, labour market transitioning, and life skills that arose from interacting with others and learning ICT

Genome-wide analyses for personality traits identify six genomic loci and show correlations with psychiatric disorders

Personality is influenced by genetic and environmental factors1 and associated with mental health. However, the underlying genetic determinants are largely unknown. We identified six genetic loci, including five novel loci2,3, significantly associated with personality traits in a meta-analysis of genome-wide association studies (N = 123,132–260,861). Of these genomewide significant loci, extraversion was associated with variants in WSCD2 and near PCDH15, and neuroticism with variants on chromosome 8p23.1 and in L3MBTL2. We performed a principal component analysis to extract major dimensions underlying genetic variations among five personality traits and six psychiatric disorders (N = 5,422–18,759). The first genetic dimension separated personality traits and psychiatric disorders, except that neuroticism and openness to experience were clustered with the disorders. High genetic correlations were found between extraversion and attention-deficit– hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and between openness and schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. The second genetic dimension was closely aligned with extraversion–introversion and grouped neuroticism with internalizing psychopathology (e.g., depression or anxiety)

Interactions des personnes sans abri avec les services de police : profilage social et droits

Dans le présent article, nous examinons les récits de 29 personnes sans abri afin de comprendre comment leurs interactions avec les policiers présentent des traits de profilage social et racial. Ces personnes sont des femmes et des hommes de 18 à 54 ans provenant du nord-est de l’Ontario. Les personnes autochtones forment la majeure partie de l’échantillonnage (66 %), tandis que les personnes anglophones, francophones ou membres de groupes racialisés en constituent des parts moins importantes. Les transcriptions des entrevues ont fait l’objet d’une analyse thématique qualitative afin d’identifier des thèmes d’interaction et de les coder. Nous examinons les cinq types d’interaction avec la police les plus communs selon deux aspects : premièrement, comment les personnes sans abri décrivent leurs mauvaises expériences d’interaction du point de vue du profilage social, y compris le profilage racial, et, deuxièmement, comment certaines actions de la police peuvent porter atteinte aux droits des personnes sans abri garantis par les articles 7 à 10 de la Charte canadienne des droits et libertés. Les résultats indiquent que le profilage social est un concept plus pertinent que le profilage racial lorsqu’on considère les expériences vécues par les personnes sans abri, étant donné que la police tend apparemment à cibler l’ensemble des personnes sans abri en leur infligeant un traitement éprouvant, voire violent, qui porte atteinte à leurs droits, notamment ceux garantis par la Charte.This article explores the narratives of 29 homeless people in order to understand how interactions with police officers reflect elements of social and racial profiling. The participants included women and men between the ages of 18 and 54 from northeastern Ontario. Most participants were Indigenous people (66%) while smaller proportions were Anglophone, Francophone or members of racialized groups. A thematic, qualitative analysis of interview transcripts was conducted to identify and code themes of interactions. We examine the five most common types of interactions with police in two different ways: first, how homeless people described negative interactions with respect to social profiling, including racial profiling, and secondly, how specific actions of police may violate the rights of homeless people under sections 7 to 10 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The findings suggest that, when considering the experiences of homeless people, social profiling is a more relevant concept than racial profiling as all homeless people appear to be targeted by police and subjected to difficult or even abusive treatment that breaches their human rights as well as rights under the Charter

Societal Constraints, Systemic Disadvantages and Homelessness: An Individual Case Study

Research utilizing the individual case study method examined the complex issues related to pathways into and out of home-lessness for an Aboriginal man from a First Nation community on the western James Bay in Canada. This instrumental case study focused on an individual's story, rather than on a site or a group of individuals, an incident or a series of incidents, or a program [6] [15]. First, as a research tool, it provides insight into the issue of homelessness and some of its causes from the perspective of an Aboriginal person. Second, the in-depth data gathered allowed us to understand some of the factors that work and those that do not work in facilitating transitions out of homelessness. Third, as an educational tool, it allows people from the outside to have a better understanding of how systemic disadvantages contribute to individuals falling into homelessness