CityU Scholarly Work (Open Access)
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Contains open access scholarly work from City University of Seattle students, faculty, and staff.
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Item South Asian Parenting, Mental Health, and Cultural Adaptation in First-Generation Immigrant Youth(2025-10) Thakur, ShivaniThis capstone explores how South Asian parenting and intergenerational family dynamics influence the cultural adaptation and mental health of first-generation immigrant youth in North America. Drawing on established models of acculturation, bicultural identity integration, and resilience, the paper synthesizes theoretical and empirical research to illuminate how collectivist family values can serve as both protective and challenging forces in the adaptation process. The analysis highlights the intersections of parental expectations, stigma, and systemic inequities with resilience, spirituality, and community strengths that shape youth well-being. Findings emphasize the importance of cultural humility in counselling practice, encouraging counsellors to approach cultural tension as a potential site of empathy and growth rather than conflict. The applied component, Bridging Generations: Culturally Responsive Counselling with South Asian Immigrant Families, translates research into practice through a two-day workshop designed to enhance counsellor cultural awareness, communication, and advocacy. Together, the findings advance multicultural counselling scholarship and provide a framework for culturally responsive, strengths-based engagement with South Asian clients and families.Item Building The Alliance: Teaching Emerging Therapists The Skills To Develop Relationships(2025-12) Morrison, JustinThis capstone project critically examines the pedagogy of relational skills in counselling training programs. While the history of the therapeutic alliance demonstrates a consistent, reliable correlation between a strong relationship and positive client outcomes, current training models often fail to prioritize the development of these skills. This paper contrasts the limitations of traditional didactic approaches with the necessity of embodied, experiential learning. It further explores how the reliance on academic achievement and subjective expert interviews in candidate selection may reinforce colonial structures and fail to predict clinical efficacy. Recommendations are made for a radical shift in training and accreditation: moving toward objective, evidence-based selection of candidates, mandatory experiential modules for rupture and repair, and a commitment to decolonizing the path to licensure.Item Exploring Labour Division and Parental Stress During Early Parenthood(2025-11) Taylor, ChelseaThe transition to parenthood is a critical period marked by high stress, particularly when caregiving and household responsibilities are unequally divided. This capstone explores how the equitable division of unpaid labour between partners impacts chronic stress and mental well-being in new parents. Guided by the question How does an equitable distribution of co-parenting tasks impact chronic stress in new parents? The author synthesises empirical studies from psychology and family research. Using thematic analysis of 13 peer-reviewed articles selected through comprehensive database searches, the author identifies recurring themes related to gendered labour inequities, their psychological effects on mothers and fathers, and the central role of partner support. Major findings indicate that unequal labour division elevates parental stress, emotional exhaustion, and depressive symptoms, which in turn affects family functioning and child development. The review highlights a notable gap in the literature concerning the protective and relational benefits of equitable labour sharing. In response, in Chapter Four the author examines clinical interventions and recommendations for counsellors who support clients who are navigating these inequities and their associated mental-health impacts. Drawing on feminist and systemic frameworks, the author emphasises that relational therapy models can help couples to recognise and renegotiate the power dynamics embedded in caregiving roles. The author concludes by underscoring the importance of integrating these perspectives into research and practice to promote relational equity, reduce chronic stress, and enhance family well-being, with implications for adaptation across diverse family structures.Item Invisible Distress: Understanding the Cultural and Structural Barriers Shaping Alcohol Use and Help-Seeking Among Punjabi-Sikh Men in Canada(2025-12) Brar, RohanDrinking rarely exists in isolation, as sociocultural norms around alcohol often shape how it is experienced, discussed, and understood across different communities and cultural contexts. Cultural identity and stigma collectively form barriers that limit both Punjabi-Sikh men and the effectiveness of support services. Although harmful drinking is a global concern, culture and religion intensify the challenges Punjabi-Sikh men face when trying to manage alcohol. Sikhism prohibits drinking as a moral and spiritual sin, yet it is frequently normalized in Punjabi-Sikh social gatherings. The cultural-religious contradictions are notably evident in Western contexts such as Canada, where diaspora communities commonly associate drinking with a sense of collective identity and celebration. Personal beliefs can begin to conflict with external expectations, and abstinence or autonomy may be seen as defiance. As a result, cultural norms contribute to higher rates of drinking as Punjabi-Sikh men navigate a cycle perpetuated by loyalty, respect, and honour. Research involving South Asian adults in Canada remains limited, and the unique realities of subgroups such as Punjabi-Sikh men are neglected. The lack of depth and specificity in the literature is reflected by support services that predominantly centre around Western psychological paradigms. Common interventions often overlook the cultural beliefs of Punjabi-Sikh men that shape views on health and wellness. Therefore, support services can reduce accessibility barriers by considering how religious expectations, cultural identity, and familial responsibilities coincide. Focusing on the voices and lived experiences of Punjabi-Sikh men may increase the effectiveness of interventions, as unique sociocultural factors will likely provide context for the barriers that perpetuate alcohol use and limit help-seeking.Item The Effectivness of Attachment-Based Therapy for New Parents with Adverse Childhood Experinces(2025-12-18) Lesburg, KatelynThe purpose of this research is to identify the specific challenges that arise for new parents with Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) histories and to subsequently examine the relevance of attachment-based therapy to assist these individuals in their new parental roles. ACEs are strongly linked to long-term mental health consequences that are associated with intergenerational impacts on parenting and child development. Despite their broad effects, current interventions for parents with ACE histories remain broad in approach and limited in efficacy. This literature review examines the effectiveness of attachment-based therapy in supporting positive parenting among new parents with ACEs. Recent research was synthesized to explore how ACE exposure shapes parental functioning and how attachment-based interventions may address these challenges. Thematic analysis identified key areas of impairment, including deficits in executive functioning, emotional regulation, and reflective capacity, which influence parent-child dynamics. These outcomes are further shaped by cultural and contextual factors and moderated by Positive Childhood Experiences (PCEs). Evidence from existing studies suggests that Attachment-Based Therapy shows promise in fostering secure attachments, reducing parental stress, and supporting more adaptive parent-child relationships. Clinicians are encouraged to consider clients’ intersectional experiences and integrate attachment-based therapy with other approaches to provide holistic, trauma-informed care.