This paper examines the stories of transformative learning of two men reflecting on their recovery from addictions and trauma. We employ the Hero's journey as a useful frame within which to understand their stories of becoming more and progressing towards a recovered self. The article challenges the dominant biomedical model of addiction, and of…

Purpose: This paper presents the use of the Group Analysis Method (GAM), an innovative method developed in a francophone context, to discuss issues related to the services offered in the field of addiction in Quebec's Indigenous communities and to identify perspectives for innovative solutions. Design/methodology/approach: This article begins with…

Background: This study aimed to: (a) explore differences in the prevalence of nomophobia and smartphone addiction (SA) from pre- to during COVID-19; (b) identify students' self-reported changes in smartphone reliance and screen time during COVID-19; and (c) examine whether self-perceived changes in smartphone usage predicted nomophobia and SA…

This paper reviews the Digital Detox project at TRU. At TRU, the Digital Detox is not necessarily about abstaining from technology altogether, but rather establishing a more ethical, healthier approach to the tools we are required to use every day. Conceived this way, a Digital Detox offers an approachable opportunity to discuss difficult and…

Objective: To explore the prevalence and severity of smartphone addiction among a sample of Canadian university students. Participants: A sample of 925 full-time university students enrolled at the host institution were recruited. Participants were primarily undergraduates (70.2%), women (77.1%), and owned an Apple smartphone (70.3%). Methods:…

Smartphone ownership and engagement are at an all-time high. Excessive smartphone use may impart smartphone-specific anxiety; specifically, the fear of being unable to access or use one's smartphone, or nomophobia. Young adults, in particular, are at higher risk for nomophobia, given higher ownership of and engagement with smartphones. Notably,…

Few studies have compared knowledge of the specific health risks of cannabis across jurisdictions. This study aimed to examine perceptions of the health risks of cannabis in Canada and US states with and without legal non-medical cannabis. Cross-sectional data were collected from the 2018 and 2019 International Cannabis Policy Study online…

In every sector, the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of mental health resources for wellbeing. Although scholars have long recognized the interdependent relationship between academic success and positive mental health, research that can be used to guide mental health service design and delivery in post-secondary institutions is…

Mindfulness, which involves paying attention to present-moment experiences in an open, curious, and accepting manner, has received attention as a possible way to reduce substance use among university students. However, previous research on how mindfulness is related to alcohol use in university populations has yielded mixed findings, and thus far,…

This study investigates some of the motivational and behavioral correlates of problem gambling behaviours in a Canadian university sample of emerging adults. This transitional developmental stage presents many new opportunities and challenges that may strain emerging adults' coping capacities, and is typically characterized by heightened tolerance…

Health warning labels (HWLs) on cigarette packs that use strong fear appeals may evoke defensive responses including acts of disparaging the warnings. Whether warning disparagement undermines HWL effectiveness remains unclear. We assessed correlates of one type of HWL disparagement and its association with subsequent cessation attempts.…

Aims: The study objectives were to: (1) understand the value attributed to the lived experience of addiction and recovery among professionals working in addiction agencies serving women in Canada and (2) describe how lived experience influence practice-related decision-making. Methods: A descriptive qualitative study was conducted with a…

This study explored the school and life experiences of four adults diagnosed with a fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) from an urban area in western Canada. Semi-structured interviews provided insight into the lives of these adults, including their experiences with this disorder as it related to their social interactions and peer relationships…

Recovery from drug abuse is a complex process in which motivation is central. The focus of this article is on drug-dependent people's experiences with sources that influence their motivation to change. The sample in our study was comprised of 127 drug-dependent adults identified in criminal courts, hospital emergency departments and Health and…

Internationalization of higher education to include international, intercultural, or global components into the delivery of postsecondary education has drawn increasing attention in the last two decades. A globally relevant course focusing on the "Social Contexts of Addiction" engaged students' online interaction at a Canadian university…