The newly appointed director of Yorkville University's Doctor of Counselling and Psychotherapy program is currently seeking student participants for her upcoming research into the impact of screen time.
Dr. Yvonne Hindes' study, entitled Examining Screen Time, Stress and Flourishing in Online Students, will examine the impact of screen time on stress levels and psychological flourishing for students in online programs, as well the role of resilience.
Dr. Yvonne Hindes, director of Yorkville University's Doctor of Counselling and Psychotherapy program
"I know our online students are spending more time on their computers than other individuals might - and I think that has also increased significantly with the pandemic," Hindes explained.
"So, I'm really interested in looking at the connection between screen time on the stress students feel and how that might be correlated, but then also, on the resiliency side of things, look some of the more positive mental health impacts as well - a term we often refer to as psychological flourishing."
The study, which has been approved by Yorkville University's Research Ethics Board, is open to online students enrolled in Yorkville's Doctor of Counselling and Psychotherapy, Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology, Master of Education, Bachelor of Business Administration, Bachelor of Creative Arts and Bachelor of Interior Design students.
Hindes said her decision to focus her research on online students was a very purposeful one, because so much of the research that's already been published on the subject has focused on the mental health of students in traditional face-to-face programs.
"It is critical that we evaluate online students' stress, psychological flourishing, and resilience. This study will provide students with the opportunity to influence understanding of student well-being by contributing data that will inform scholars, administrators, and policy makers about the impacts of screen time on student well-being," she explained.
"Such understanding has the possibility of informing recommendations about improving online student's stress, flourishing, and resilience."
Any online Yorkville students interested in participating in Hindes' study, which involves a 15-to-20-minute survey, can access it here: https://survey.ucalgary.ca/jfe/form/SV_8cu5cuuGfTdEcGW.
All responses will remain anonymous. Students who have questions about the research or who are interested in participating, can contact Hindes at yhindes@yorkvilleu.ca
Originally from Red Deer, Alberta, Hindes is a Calgary-based registered psychologist who earned both her Master and Doctorate degrees from the University of Calgary. A published researcher who's presented at conferences both national and international, her research interests include mental health, resilience, childhood psychopathology, youth leadership, test construction, literacy development and program evaluation.
Before joining the Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology faculty in 2015, Hindes gained extensive training and experience teaching in both online and in traditional psychology programs for various universities including the University of Calgary and Athabasca University, where her course content ranged from ethics, theory, assessment and other more practical courses, to research and statistics.
In her new role as Yorkville's Doctor of Counselling and Psychotherapy Program Director, Hindes is tasked with working alongside Dr. Sarah Stewart-Spencer, the Dean of the Faculty of Behavioural Sciences, to oversee the logistics of running the program.
A 60-credit, course-based professional doctoral program, the Doctor of Counselling and Psychotherapy is designed to equip students with the knowledge and skills required to help define counselling and psychotherapy as a profession distinct from other health and helping professions. Its course work builds both research and leadership skills, preparing graduates to assume leadership positions in the counselling and psychotherapy profession.
"It's definitely exciting to be part of, because it's a pretty unique program - really the only one of its type in Canada," Hindes said of the program, which is delivered entirely online and takes an applied research approach to learning.
"Getting to be a part of this program and its growth, and getting this opportunity to help develop new leaders in the field, is definitely exciting for me," she added.
"Ultimately, we hope to continue to grow it, so that more students have that opportunity to come out in a better position and to take on more leadership roles in their organizations, agencies, associations, and even colleges. It opens the door to grow the leaders of tomorrow."
