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Moazami S, Ashley M, Czechowski K, Courtice EL, Shaughnessy K. The Sexual Communication Scale (SeCS). J Sex Res 2023; 60:71-90. [PMID: 36449265 DOI: 10.1080/00224499.2022.2129558] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Many measures of comfort and frequency of sexual communication between partners are limited in gender/sex and sexual orientation inclusivity, how constructs are measured, and for whom. We conducted two studies to investigate a revised and extended version of the Female Partner's Communication During Sexual Activity Scale: the Sexual Communication Scale (SeCS). We revised the gender/sex language to improve inclusion and added items to assess frequency and comfort with sexual communication. In Study 1, an exploratory factor analysis (n = 578) supported a three-factor structure (Frequency of bidirectional communication, α = .96; Ease of own communication, α = .90; Ease of partner's communication, α = .83). In Study 2, a confirmatory factor analysis (n = 1479) further supported the three-factor structure. Specifically, the three-factor model provided a reasonably good fit (χ2 (44) = 511.35, p < .001, CFI = .97, GFI = .95, AGFI = .91, SRMR = .00, RMSEA = .08). In both studies, we found small or no differences in men and women's comfort and frequency of sexual communication. The results provide initial support that the SeCS is an internally consistent, multidimensional gender/sex inclusive tool for future research on sexual communication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Moazami
- School of Psychology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Marilyn Ashley
- School of Psychology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
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2
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Czechowski K, Sylvestre J, Gogosis E, Agha A, Kerman N, Polillo A, Palepu A, Hwang SW. Cycles of instability: Proximal and distal influences on residential instability among people with histories of homelessness in three Canadian cities. J Community Psychol 2022; 50:3402-3420. [PMID: 35322426 DOI: 10.1002/jcop.22843] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2021] [Revised: 01/31/2022] [Accepted: 03/03/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
People with histories of homelessness often have difficulties obtaining and maintaining adequate housing. This qualitative study examined the residential transitions of people with histories of residential instability and homelessness to understand factors contributing to the instability they experience. Interviews were conducted with 64 participants about their housing transitions, in the final year of a 4-year, prospective cohort study in three Canadian cities (Ottawa, Toronto, and Vancouver). Findings showed that participants pointed to both distal and proximal factors as affecting residential transitions, including interpersonal conflict, safety concerns, substance use, poverty, pests, and health. Many reported disconnection from their housing and a lack of improvement from one housing situation to the next, demonstrating how even when housed, instability persisted. Our study highlights the complexity associated with participants' often unplanned and abrupt residential transitions. The complex and distal issues that affect housing transitions require structural changes, in addition to individual-based interventions focused on the proximal problems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Konrad Czechowski
- Centre for Research on Educational and Community Services, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - John Sylvestre
- Centre for Research on Educational and Community Services, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Evie Gogosis
- MAP Centre for Urban Health Solutions, Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, St. Michael's Hospital, Unity Health Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Ayda Agha
- Centre for Research on Educational and Community Services, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Nick Kerman
- Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Alexia Polillo
- Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Anita Palepu
- Centre for Health Evaluation and Outcome Sciences, St. Paul's Hospital, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Stephen W Hwang
- MAP Centre for Urban Health Solutions, Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, St. Michael's Hospital, Unity Health Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Medicine, Division of General Internal Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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Czechowski K, Turner KA, Labelle PR, Sylvestre J. Sexual and romantic relationships among people experiencing homelessness: A scoping review. Am J Orthopsychiatry 2021; 92:25-38. [PMID: 34570553 DOI: 10.1037/ort0000583] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Homelessness is widely recognized as a pervasive issue. Despite increasing research on factors affecting the health and well-being of people who are homeless, one that remains relatively understudied is the role of romantic and sexual relationships. Given that this population has the same needs for intimacy and closeness as anyone else, it is important to understand how these relationships occur, what barriers exist in developing and maintaining them, and what is their impact. This scoping review aimed to (a) characterize the nature of research that has examined sexual and romantic relationships among people who are homeless and (b) identify and synthesize the findings of studies that examined romantic and sexual relationships among people who are homeless. Of 539 studies that examined sexual or romantic relationships among people who are homeless, 88.87% examined sexual health risk, 11.13% examined sexual victimization, 5.57% examined survival sex, and 2.41% examined consensual sexual or romantic relationships. Of the studies that examined consensual sexual or romantic relationships substantially (n = 13) all used qualitative methods and identified common themes such as love, romance, and emotional support; partner relationships as transactional; barriers to partner relationships; and casual sex and pleasure. Despite the possible benefits of sexual and romantic relationships in the context of homelessness, researchers instead have primarily focused on possible risks associated with sex. We introduce how sexual citizenship can be applied to understand how current practices and policies limit people's civic participation when homeless. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).
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Affiliation(s)
- Konrad Czechowski
- Centre for Research on Educational and Community Services, University of Ottawa
| | - Kimberly A Turner
- Centre for Research on Educational and Community Services, University of Ottawa
| | | | - John Sylvestre
- Centre for Research on Educational and Community Services, University of Ottawa
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Courtice EL, Czechowski K, Noorishad PG, Shaughnessy K. Unsolicited Pics and Sexual Scripts: Gender and Relationship Context of Compliant and Non-consensual Technology-Mediated Sexual Interactions. Front Psychol 2021; 12:673202. [PMID: 34349699 PMCID: PMC8326365 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.673202] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2021] [Accepted: 06/22/2021] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Technology-mediated sexual interaction (TMSI) refers to any partnered interaction that involves sending or receiving self-created, sexually explicit content using communication technology (e. g., sexting, cybersex). Most research on TMSI assumes that experiences are desired and consensual. However, it is likely that some people do not desire all their TMSI experiences but consent to them anyways (compliance), or experience non-consensual TMSIs. People also engage in TMSIs with different types of partners. According to the traditional sexual script (TSS), other-gender attracted women and men's non-consensual TMSI experiences should differ overall and depending on the relationship context of the experience. The goal of this study was to examine the role of sexual scripts in other-gender attracted women and men's non-consensual and compliant TMSI experiences with committed romantic partners (CRPs), known non-partners (KNPs), and strangers (Ss). Women (n = 331) and men (n = 120) completed an online survey with questions about lifetime prevalence of experiencing seven types of compliant and non-consensual TMSIs in each relationship context. Results of mixed ANOVAs revealed significant interactions: overall, more participants reported compliant TMSI with CRPs. More women than men had received a non-consensual TMSI from someone they were not in a committed relationship with, and more men than women reported sending non-consensual TMSIs to a stranger. Tests of unpaired proportions suggested that the prevalence of sending and receiving non-consensual TMSIs was discordant in the KNP and S contexts: both women and men received more non-consensual TMSIs from KNPs and Ss than the other-gender reported sending. Our findings suggest that gendered sexual scripts are evident in some, but not all, aspect of other-gender attracted women and men's compliant and non-consensual TMSI experiences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erin Leigh Courtice
- Faculty of Social Sciences, School of Psychology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Konrad Czechowski
- Faculty of Social Sciences, School of Psychology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Pari-Gole Noorishad
- Faculty of Social Sciences, School of Psychology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Krystelle Shaughnessy
- Faculty of Social Sciences, School of Psychology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
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Cobigo V, Czechowski K, Chalghoumi H, Gauthier-Beaupre A, Assal H, Jutai J, Kobayashi K, Grenier A, Bah F. Protecting the privacy of technology users who have cognitive disabilities: Identifying areas for improvement and targets for change. J Rehabil Assist Technol Eng 2020; 7:2055668320950195. [PMID: 33062296 DOI: 10.1177/2055668320950195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2020] [Accepted: 07/22/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction Information Technologies (IT) may serve assistive roles that facilitate the interaction of people living with cognitive disabilities (CD) within their environments. However, there are some notable concerns related to privacy threats associated with the use of IT. The purpose of this study was to examine how assistive technology developers may best adapt over time to develop their IT to be resilient against threats to privacy. We therefore focused on the following areas: (1) developers' knowledge and practices related to privacy protection; (2) challenges when applying recommended practices, and; (3) preferred channels to acquire knowledge. Method We conducted semi-structured interviews with ten technology developers who are members of the AGE-WELL network undertaking research and development of assistive technologies to be used by people who have cognitive disabilities. We used an inductive-deductive method for the analysis of qualitative data to examine participant responses and generate themes related to the study goals. Results Principal themes that emerged from the data include practices specific to populations with CD, challenges to obtaining consent to use of information, and preferred channels to acquire knowledge. Conclusion We identify areas of focus for developing a knowledge mobilization strategy to improve relevant policies and practices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Virginie Cobigo
- School of Psychology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.,Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | | | - Hajer Chalghoumi
- School of Psychology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | | | - Hala Assal
- School of Psychology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Jeffery Jutai
- Interdisciplinary School of Health Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Karen Kobayashi
- Department of Sociology, University of Victoria, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Amanda Grenier
- Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Baycrest Hopsital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Fatoumata Bah
- School of Psychology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
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Cénat JM, Noorishad PG, Czechowski K, McIntee SE, Mukunzi JN. Racial disparities in child welfare in Ontario (Canada) and training on ethnocultural diversity: An innovative mixed-methods study. Child Abuse Negl 2020; 108:104659. [PMID: 32858480 DOI: 10.1016/j.chiabu.2020.104659] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2020] [Revised: 07/10/2020] [Accepted: 07/31/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Despite continuous reports showing the overrepresentation of Black children in the child welfare system in Ontario, Canada's most populous and ethnically diverse province, knowledge in the factors contributing to this issue remain scarce. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to explore questions relating to caseworker's training on ethnocultural diversity in connection with racial disparities and overrepresentation of Black children in child welfare services. PARTICIPANTS AND SETTINGS This two-fold mixed-methods study included (1) a qualitative methodology based on four focus groups with child welfare caseworkers from a Children's Aid Society (CAS) in Ontario and community facilitators (N = 24), and (2) an analysis of academic curriculums from all 36 Ontarian colleges and universities offering social work programs. METHODS We used an innovative and complementary mixed-method design based on grounded theory. RESULTS Results from categorical content analyses with NVivo revealed that community facilitators perceived a lack of ethnocultural competency amongst CAS caseworkers. Similarly, CAS caseworkers reported inadequate training on ethnocultural diversity during and following their post-secondary education (college or university). Corroborating these findings, results from documentary analyses of Ontarian university and college curriculums in social work revealed that barely one in two programs had a mandatory course on cultural issues. CONCLUSIONS This study reveals a need for additional efforts to provide adequate training to child welfare caseworkers on ethnocultural diversity, starting with undergraduate training programs, in order to understand and tackle the overrepresentation of Black children in child welfare services. Implications for policy and practice are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jude Mary Cénat
- School of Psychology, University of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
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Czechowski K, Courtice EL, Samosh J, Davies J, Shaughnessy K. "That's not what was originally agreed to": Perceptions, outcomes, and legal contextualization of non-consensual condom removal in a Canadian sample. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0219297. [PMID: 31291320 PMCID: PMC6619686 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0219297] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2019] [Accepted: 06/20/2019] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Non-consensual condom removal (NCCR) is the removal of a condom before or during sexual intercourse without one’s partner's consent. Despite considerable news and media attention devoted to the trend (as stealthing), little empirical research to date has examined people’s views of the practice. The present study aimed to contribute toward generating empirical evidence to guide the discussion surrounding NCCR. We asked participants about whether or not they felt NCCR is wrong, whether there should be consequences for its perpetration, and contextualized responses within legal context. A total of 592 undergraduate students took part in an online survey inquiring about their experiences with and views of NCCR. We used descriptive statistics to determine sample prevalence and outcomes of NCCR and qualitatively analyzed responses to open-ended questions asking about perceptions of NCCR. Of participants who had engaged in penetrative sexual intercourse with a male partner using an external condom, 18.7%, 95% CI [14.4, 22.7] reported that they had NCCR perpetrated against them. The majority of these participants reported that they experienced NCCR negatively and encountered related consequences; several reported contracting an STI, experiencing an unplanned pregnancy, or both. Nearly all participants expressed that NCCR is wrong, citing reasons that included the lack of consent, possibility of unplanned or unwanted outcomes, and a betrayal of trust. In this study, we found that there was agreement that NCCR is wrong, but variability in responses regarding the circumstances under which there should be consequences for the action. These perceptions reflect the current uncertainty in law. We recommend researchers refer to the phenomenon as NCCR (rather than stealthing) and discuss related issues to encourage future research to adopt consistent and accurate labels and definitions for NCCR. We hope that our findings will guide future research and spur public and legal discussion on NCCR.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Jared Davies
- School of Psychology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada
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Sylvestre J, Klodawsky F, Gogosis E, Ecker J, Polillo A, Czechowski K, Agha A, Shankar S, To M, Gadermann A, Palepu A, Hwang S. Perceptions of Housing and Shelter among People with Histories of Unstable Housing in three Cities in Canada: A Qualitative Study. Am J Community Psychol 2018; 61:445-458. [PMID: 29577343 DOI: 10.1002/ajcp.12243] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Housing is a key social determinant of health that contributes to the well-documented relationship between socioeconomic status and health. This study explored how individuals with histories of unstable and precarious housing perceive their housing or shelter situations, and the impact of these settings on their health and well-being. Participants were recruited from the Health and Housing in Transition study (HHiT), a longitudinal, multi-city study that tracked the health and housing status of people with unstable housing histories over a 5-year period. For the current study, one-time semi-structured interviews were conducted with a subset of HHiT study participants (n = 64), living in three cities across Canada: Ottawa, Toronto, and Vancouver. The findings from an analysis of the interview transcripts suggested that for many individuals changes in housing status are not associated with significant changes in health due to the poor quality and precarious nature of the housing that was obtained. Whether housed or living in shelters, participants continued to face barriers of poverty, social marginalization, inadequate and unaffordable housing, violence, and lack of access to services to meet their personal needs.
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Affiliation(s)
- John Sylvestre
- Centre for Research on Educational and Community Services, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Fran Klodawsky
- Department of Geography and Environmental Studies, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Evie Gogosis
- Centre for Urban Health Solutions, Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - John Ecker
- Centre for Research on Educational and Community Services, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- Canadian Observatory on Homelessness, York University, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Alexia Polillo
- Centre for Research on Educational and Community Services, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Konrad Czechowski
- Centre for Research on Educational and Community Services, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Ayda Agha
- Centre for Urban Health Solutions, Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Sneha Shankar
- Department of Education and Counselling Psychology and Special Education, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Matthew To
- Centre for Urban Health Solutions, Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Anne Gadermann
- Centre for Health Evaluation and Outcome Sciences, St. Paul's Hospital, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Anita Palepu
- Centre for Health Evaluation and Outcome Sciences, St. Paul's Hospital, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- Division of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Stephen Hwang
- Centre for Urban Health Solutions, Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Division of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
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Abstract
The current article reviews the literature on sexuality among individuals with a severe mental illness (SMI) who have experienced homelessness, a topic that has received little attention in the research literature, particularly from a community psychology perspective. The review begins with a synthesis of the literature on SMI and sexuality, followed by a review of the available literature on SMI, homelessness, and sexuality. It concludes with an interpretation of the findings using community psychology values and principles. The findings highlight the importance of intimate relationships to recovery for many individuals with an SMI who have experienced homelessness. Policy implications for homeless shelters and housing interventions are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- John Ecker
- Canadian Observatory on Homelessness, York University, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Centre for Research on Educational & Community Services, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Rebecca Cherner
- Centre for Research on Educational & Community Services, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Jennifer Rae
- Centre for Research on Educational & Community Services, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Konrad Czechowski
- Department of Psychology, Centre for Research on Educational & Community Services, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
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