Canadian Post-secondary Students Research Articles

Identity Theft: Comparing Canadian and Mexican Students' Perceptions and Awareness and Risk of Victimization

While there is considerable descriptive information on identity theft and identity fraud originating from a few countries, there is a dearth of information about people's knowledge and awareness of identity theft and their potential risk of becoming a victim. This study measured the self-reported perception and awareness about the nature, risk and effects of identity theft and a variety of fraudulent behaviors among 104 Mexican and 360 Canadian post-secondary students. The findings indicate that overall the students were not well informed about identity theft and were not overly vigilant in protecting their personal identity information. However, there were some differences between the two groups. Based on the findings, general policy implications and educational strategies are offered to better combat identity theft within the respective countries studied. A number of suggestions for future research are also proposed.

Campus physicians’ tobacco interventions with university students: A descriptive study of 16 Ontario university clinics

Objective About one-quarter of Canadian post-secondary students smoke cigarettes. We examined how physicians from Ontario university health clinics intervene with these young adult smokers. Method A convenience sample of 16 universities was identified and surveys were hand-delivered to all 228 physicians from these schools. A total of 125 doctors (54.82%) responded; 70 were from universities that were involved in a government-sponsored, coordinated, multi-campus, tobacco control initiative. Results Twenty percent of doctors reported asking all or almost all patients about tobacco use; 25.22% asked fewer than half. Describing how they respond to patients identified as smokers, 96.00% of physicians advised cessation, 72.00% offered assistance, and 64.00% arranged for follow-up. Doctors discussed patients’ tobacco use with 78.59% of smokers. Nicotine replacement therapies were rarely offered to patients wanting to quit. Doctors from universities involved in the tobacco control initiative were more likely to keep patient education materials in the examining room. Conclusion Because most doctors ask only some patients about tobacco use, they may be missing opportunities to provide appropriate advice and assistance to all smokers. Practice implications Physician education and support to the clinic are needed to improve the frequency and quality of physician-delivered smoking cessation services to post-secondary students.

Canadian Postsecondary Students With Disabilities: Where Are They?

Results of a Canada-wide and a Quebec based study of students with a variety of disabilities in Canadian postsecondary education are presented. Study 1 involved 156 professionals. They represent 80% of the population of professionals who provide on-campus disability support services. Results indicate that (1) 8% of postsecondary institutions reported not having any students with disabilities, (2) overall, 2% of students are registered to receive disability related services from their post- secondary institutions, and (3) this varies from 1/2% to 6% across the country. Junior/community colleges had a higher percentage of students with disabilities registered to receive disability related services (3 3/4%) than universities (1 2/3%). (4) Distance education had 3%. (5) Quebec has a smaller proportion of both college (2/3% vs 6%) and university (1/2%) vs 2 1/2%) students with disabilities than the rest of Canada. A targeted study involving 46 professionals who provide disability related services in Quebec's public junior/community colleges, the CEGEPs, revealed that lack of recognition of learning disabilities for postsecondary funding by the Quebec government is an important contributor to the small percentages, although it cannot explain the huge discrepancies between Quebec and the rest of Canada. Extrapolation suggests that there are over 100,000 students with disabilities currently enrolled in Canadian postsecondary education, although only 1/4 to 1/2 of them register to receive disability related services.

Lay Knowledge of Courts in Canada

This study examines what Canadian post-secondary students, as lay persons, know about the law as it applies to the system of courts in their jurisdiction. The level of accurate knowledge of the courts is generally low. The authors argue that this lack of palpable familiarity with a pervasive social institution plays a role in their attitudes toward the resolution of civil disputes.…the truth is that the public has never held the judiciary in higher esteem. This is demonstrated by the fact that it turns to the judiciary more and more for the resolution of its problems… The new powers which the governments of our country conferred on the courts through the adoption of the Charter in 1982 represent nothing if not a vote of confidence in the Canadian judiciary. The increase in litigation in courts of all levels similarly attests to the confidence in which the general public holds the judicial system. (McLachlin 1993.)

Using critical incidents to investigate cross-cultural transitions

The process of cross-cultural transition is of interest to researchers who attempt to uncover factors that lead to sojourner adjustment and cross-cultural effectiveness. The purpose of the current study is to investigate the perceived stressors and coping strategies of Canadian post-secondary students during a 7-week cross-cultural Seminar program in Vietnam. Using a critical incidents methodology, the study tracked both the common and unique experiences of students. Specific critical incidents were collected from students at six time points regarding experiences that were stressful, selected coping strategies, use of social support, shifting views of self and perspectives about international development. Results from the study are discussed with suggestions for pre-departure training programs and the use of critical incidents as a tool for understanding cross-cultural transitions.

Income Contingency and the Repayment of Student Loans

The current systems of financial support to postsecondary students in Canada and elsewhere are clearly inadequate. Their evident deficiencies have revived interest in the possibility of income-contingent loans and in the use of the tax system to deal with repayments. Some simulative experiments are used here to explore the feasibility of income contingency and to explore the sensitivity of financial flows to various assumptions about interest rates, income growth, age-earning profiles, default, and take-up rates for loans. Evidence from these experiments points to some salient features in the design of new schemes or the support of postsecondary students, and it also permits the identification of relevant issues which might significantly affect the practical implementation of any scheme involving income contingence as a basis for repayments.

Review of A Profile of Postsecondary Students in Canada

Review of A Profile of Postsecondary Students in Canada

Religion and Gender: A Comparison of Canadian and American Student Attitudes

The hypothesis that religion is conservatively linked with gender attitudes was examined by means of questionnaire data provided by 938 American and Canadian postsecondary students. Multiple indicators were used for both religion and gender attitudes. In general, the higher the religiosity, the more traditional the gender attitudes. Current religious identification proved to be a stronger correlate of gender attitudes than childhood affiliation. The Religious Nones were the most egalitarian, followed by the Catholics, Mainline Protestants, and Fundamentalists, with the Mormons being the most traditional of all. The religion variables were considerably more powerful predictors of gender attitudes than were the demographic variables.

Review of Some Characteristics of Post-Secondary Students in Canada.

Review of Some Characteristics of Post-Secondary Students in Canada.