List of Current Thesis Topics

Our MA FSGN students are currently working on these thesis topics:

  • Not just a balancing act: Mothering and military service
  • Low and modest income women in the current affordable housing crisis
  • Exploring the structural barriers bacilitating the availability and utility of help-seeking resources for immigrant women experiencing intimate partner violence
  • Spousal support and post traumatic growth (PTG) among Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) veteran couples
  • A silenced voice: The experience of low and modest income older women in the current affordable housing crisis
  • Nursing home physical design and homelikeness: How does it impact quality of life for long-term care residents in Nova Scotia?
  • Informal and formal supports in the lives of parents with adult children with intellectual and/or developemental disabilities: Mapping social relations”

Completed Theses Click here for abstracts

To learn more about past MA FSGN thesis topics, browse the list below, or visit the Family Studies and Gerontology thesis collection »

McKenzie, J. R (2020) Assessing Therapeutic Recreation Attendance and Potentially Inappropriate Antipsychotic Use in Long-Term Care (supervised by J. Keefe)

Gillies, A. (2019) The role of family councils in long term care facilities in Nova Scotia (supervised by J. Keefe)

O’Neil, K. (2019) Dimensions of housing insecurity for older women living with a low income (supervised by J. Keefe)

Dhillon, S. (2019) The mental health and well-being of older immigrant Punjabi women living in Nova Scotia (supervised by A. Humble)

Smith-Evans, K. (2018) Spousal support and post-traumatic growth (PTG) among Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) veteran couples (supervised by D. Norris)

MacEachern, L. (2017) Diffusions of innovations in the long-term care sector: the role of motivation (Supervised by J. Keefe)

Bornemann, S. (2017) We are family: LGBT inclusion in family resource centres across Nova Scotia (Supervised by A. Humble)

Paterson, S. (2017) End-of-life preparation and technology: A comparison of gay men and lesbians (Supervised by A. Humble)

McAfee, E. (2017) Out of the loop: Social network isolation in long-term care in Nova Scotia (Supervised by J. Keefe)

Delaney, K. (2017) Relationships matter: How family and staff can enhance quality of life of residents in long-term care facilities (Supervised by J. Keefe)

Wynia, K. (2017) Exploring family resiliency within CAF veteran families during military-to-civilian transition (MCT) (Supervised by D. Norris)

Hogenbirk, V. (2017) Family support and intimate partner violence: A scoping review (Supervised by D. Norris)

Green, M. (2016). The experience of living in long-term care for LGBT individuals: Perspectives from residents and stakeholders (supervised by A. Humble)

Zederayko, A. (2014) Processes of change: Interviews with men who have perpetrated intimate partner violence (supervised by D. Norris)

Lake, S. (2014). Growing food security in Nova Scotia from the ground up: A case study of the Kid’s Action Program. (co-supervised by D. Norris with P. Williams – Department of Applied Human Nutrition)

Larkin, T. (2014). Why bi? Bisexual individuals’ coming out experiences (supervised by A. Humble)

Berwick, S. (2014). Not all positive: A feminist phenomenological analysis of women’s experiences of Botox treatment and other injectable facial fillers (supervised by A. Humble)

Chamberlain, S. (2014). Silent partner in care: Impact of physical environment on quality of life for residents with cognitive impairment in long-term care. (supervised by J. Keefe)

O’Hare, M. (2014). Analyzing provincial supports for family/friend caregivers: A comparison of the Manitoba Primary Caregiver Tax Credit and the Nova Scotia Caregiver Benefit. (supervised by J. Keefe)

Nadeau, S. (2014). An exploration of how individual characteristics and facility features influence long-term care residents’ personal relationships. (supervised by J. Keefe)

Boudreau, M. (2013). Mapping the social relations of violence and homelessness in the everyday lives of women: An institutional ethnography. (supervised by D. Norris)

Cameron, C. (2013). A critical discourse analysis of gendered language in on-line parenting education. (supervised by D. Norris)

McCarney, G. (2013). Exploring and explaining patterns of mutual assistance among unlicensed care providers in a Nova Scotian nursing home. (supervised by F. Eghan)

Drake, J. (2012). I chose to leave work? Examining retirement decisions and outcomes among single rural women caregivers. (supervised by A. Humble)

Boswell, J. (2012). An exploration of the relationship between retirement reasons and retirement congruency. (supervised by A. Humble)

Terakita, C. (2012). Single divorced fathers: Ecological risk and protective factors. (supervised by D. Norris)

Brown, T. (2012). Assessing the physical environment in adult day programs. (supervised by J. Keefe)

Lowe, A. (2012). Exploring the lived experiences of intimate partner violence in Bermuda. (supervised by D. Norris)

Ogilvie, R. (2011). The future housing preferences and expectations of older adults with unmet housing needs. (supervised by D. Shiner)

Nesto, S. (2011). An ecological examination of housing situations and preferences of Atlantic Canadian senior aboriginals, individuals with disabilities, and persons of ethnic minority status. (supervised by L. Weeks)

Herder, J. (2011). Recycled motherhood: The lived experiences of grandmothers parenting their grandchildren. (supervised by F. Eghan)

Herrell, T. (2009). Giving voice to non-residential fathers: Examining post-divorce paternal involvement using a phenomenological approach. (supervised by D. Norris)

Dill, D. (2009). Recruitment of home support workers in Nova Scotia. (supervised by J. Keefe)

Petite, K. (2008). Tinker, tailor! Soldier, sailor! Mother? Making sense of the competing institutions of motherhood and the military. (supervised by D. Norris)

Mewhort, R. (2008). Spirituality in women religious elders. (supervised by D. Norris)

Ross, P. (2008). Older women’s knowledge and attitudes regarding sexuality, intimacy, and HIV/AIDS. (supervised by A. Humble)

Engel, L. (2007). Factors predicting support utilization by older adults. (supervised by J. Keefe)

McEvenue, S. (2007). Palliative care in long-term care: A multi-methods approach to assessing quality. (supervised by J. Keefe)

Saunders, B. (2007). Making the link: The relationship between practices and outcomes in family resource programming. (supervised by D. Norris)

Brushett, C. (2007). Let’s talk about sex: A glimpse into Nova Scotia youth’s perceptions of high school sexuality education. (supervised by A. Humble)

Hawkins, G. (2005). Patterns and predictors of home care utilization: Analyzing changes over a 5-year period (1996-2001). (supervised by J. Keefe)

Brennan, C. (2005). Sibling relationships and lifelong disabilities. (supervised by D. Norris)

Manning, M. (2004). The mechanics of policy change: Home care histories in three provinces, 1985 – 2000. (supervised by J. Keefe)

Colepaugh, J. (2004). Lessons to be learned: A gender-based policy analysis of international direct compensation policies for informal caregivers. (supervised by J. Keefe)

Elliott, S. (2003). Factors influencing the recruitment and retention of continuing care assistants in Nova Scotia. (supervised by J. Keefe)

Hemeon, K. (2003). The experience of anticipatory grief and loss in spousal caregivers of persons with Alzheimer Disease. (supervised by J. Keefe)

Burton, E. (2002). Growing up, growing older: A curriculum resource implementation evaluation. (supervised by F. Eghan)

Koizel, D. (2001). The effects of structural changes on age cohorts of female caregivers’ levels of filial obligation. (supervised by J. Keefe for the Masters of Human Ecology)