My program of research focuses on the application of feminist, relational theories to better understand the lived experience of interpersonal connections and disconnections, and how these impact a person's psychological health. In addition, I am interested in how diversity issues, such as gender, ethnicity, and social class are emedded and interwoven into these interpersonal experiences. Using an ecological perspective, I examine the interconnectedness between psychological processes (intrapersonal), relationships with others (interpersonal), and societal and cultural influences (institutional). The relational focus spans my research interests, which has focused on international student issues, and separately, suicide and suicide prevention. I utilize a variety of qualitative methodologies to conduct research, but am particularly drawn to in-depth, interpretive methods, because of the literary quality that creates rich, contextualized, and nuanced narratives.

As part of my program of research, I have studied the transition and adjustment of high school students who were attending Vancouver secondary schools by using a narrative-informed Critical Incident Methodology. Additionally, I've explored difficult intimate relationships with women international students studying at a Canadian university using the Feminist Biographical Method. This hermeneutic methodology provides a lens for a critical analysis of gender, ethnicity, and social class within the context of fluid power relations. IThe use of sociocultural texts (e.g. tv shows, advertisements, and movies; myths and fairytales; poetry and literature; religious texts and spiritual beliefs;and so on) relevant to participant narratives are used to better understand the embeddedness of the person's lived experiences in relation to the larger cultural matrix of society.

Currently, I am in the midst of collecting data for two different studies with international students. The first focuses on the connections, disconnections, and reconnections of these students as they leave their home country and come to live and work in Canada. I seek to better understand the lived experiences of the cultural transition and adjustment based on relational theories and concepts. Secondly, I am listening to the narratives of international students who have been required to withdraw from the university, but who have been given the opportunity to stay at SFU and participate in an innovative SFU Student Success Program. Both of these studies utilize the Feminist Biographical Method as a way of collecting and analyzing the narrative data. In addition, participants in the Student Success Program research study are also involved in submitting electronic Critical Incidents throughout the eight month program.

The feminist and relational components of my program of research also extends to the area of suicide and suicide prevention. In particular, I seek to learn more about how issues of power, privilege, and oppression are implicated in the lived experience of people who become suicide. In one study, I examined the relational difficulties in working with people who are suicidal by conducting focus groups and interviews with experienced clinicians working in the field. My colleague and I, Dr. Richard Young, explored the possible uses of an innovative intervention, the Self-confrontation Procedure, through an Action Research methodology with these front-line practitioners.

Research Funding

Popadiuk, (2007). International Student Experiences of the Student Success Program: A Qualitative Inquiry. President’s Research Grant. $10,000

Popadiuk, (2007). International Student Experiences of the Student Success Program: A Qualitative Inquiry. Student Services Grant. $4,000.00

Popadiuk (2007). International Students’ Interpersonal Relationships:  Connections, Disconnections, and Reconnections. SSHRC, Small Grant $5,000

Young, R. & Popadiuk, N. E. (2005). Self-confrontation interviews with suicide attempters. Humanities & Social Sciences, Small Grant. $4,000.00

Popadiuk, N. E. (2001) Graduate Research Scholarship, Competitive:  $4,000

Popadiuk, N. E. (2000) Graduate Research Scholarship, Competitive:  $2,000

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