Dr. Brenda Bruner

BSc, University of Saskatchewan;
MSc, University of Saskatchewan;
PhD, University of Saskatchewan

Areas of Specialization: 

Community-based physical activity health promotion

Research Interests:

Physical activity, healthy eating, chronic disease prevention, women's health, Indigenous health, adolescent & emerging adult health, older adults

Planet Youth Nipissing (Co-Principal Investigator)

    Funding Source: Public Health Agency of Canada. Youth Substance Use Prevention Program – Stream 2 Implementation and Intervention Research

    Funding Amount: $750,000

The Role of Sport and Physical Activity in the Recovery of Youth Mental Health Following COVID-19 Restrictions (Co- Investigator)

    Funding Source: MITACS

    Funding Amount: $120,000

Understanding adolescents’ physical activity and sedentary behaviour choices, motives, and quality of life during COVID19 pandemic recovery (Co-Applicant)

    Funding Source: Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council

    Funding Amount: $52,174

The Tim Bit Effect: Exploring food rewards and the role it plays on children's motivation to participate in sport (Co-Principal Investigator)

    Funding Source: Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council

    Funding Amount: $70,047

Opportunities for Moving More and Sitting Less: Exploring a Whole School Approach to Improve Children’s 24-Hour Movement Patterns (Co-Principal Investigator)

    Funding Source: Canadian Institutes of Health Research

    Funding Amount: $504,900

• PHED 1017: Health Concepts in Physical Education
• PHED 3017: Contemporary Health Issues
• PHED 3036: Health Promotion
• PHED 3037: Gerontology
• PHED 3046: Physical Fitness Principles, Prescription & Assessment
• PHED 4227: Nutrition
• KINE 5006: Research Methods
• KINE 5027: Health Promotion

Publications in Refereed Journals – Last Five Years:

1. Peltier, KCT., McLaren, C., Peltier, C., Bruner, BG., Bruner, MW. (in press). Understanding Sport, Physical Activity, and Wholistic Health in First Nations Youth. Accepted for publication in the International Journal of Indigenous Health.
2. Bruner, B., Shwed, A., & Law, B. (2024) Examining the effectiveness of a professional development conference to increase knowledge and skills of educators to promote physical literacy among childrenRevue phénEPS / PHEnex Journal, 14(1).
3. Bruner, B., Rickwood, G., Shwed, A., Karvinen, K., Lévesque, L., Mantha, S., & Raymer, G. (2023). Child and parent perspectives on active transportation to school: Facilitators and barriers in a northern, rural environment Journal of Transport & Health, 33, 101708
4. Shwed, A., Bruner, B., Law, B., & Bruner, M. (2023). Investigating the impact of food rewards on children's motivation to participate in sport: A multiple instrumental case study. Children, 10(3), 432
5. da Costa, BGG., Bruner, B., Raymer, G., Scharoun Benson, SM., Chaput, JP., McGoey, T., Rickwood, G., Robertson-Wilson, J. Saunders, TJ., Law, B., (2022). Association of daily and time-segmented physical activity and sedentary behaviour with mental health of school children and adolescents from rural Northeastern Ontario, Canada. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, 1025444 https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1025444
6. Shwed, A.N.M., O'Rourke, B.L., Bruner, B.G., & Ferguson, K.A. Impact of COVID-19 School-Related Policies in Ontario on Parents’ School Lunch Packing Habits (2022). Canadian Journal of Dietetic Practice and Research, 84(1) 10-16, DOI: https://doi.org/10.3148/cjdpr-2022-022
7. da Costa, B., Bruner, B., Scharoun-Benson, S., Raymer, G., Law, B. (2022) Canadian children’s physical activity and sedentary behaviours during segments of the school day. American Journal of Health Education, DOI:1080/19325037.2022.2071781
8. O'Rourke, B.L., Shwed, A.N.M., Bruner, B.G., & Ferguson, K.A. (2020). What's for lunch? Investigating the experiences, perceptions, and habits of parents and school lunches: A scoping review. Journal of School Health, 90(10), 812-819
9. Scharoun-Benson, S.M., Bruner, B., Mayer, A. (2020). Lessons learned from evaluating the Trottibus Walking School Bus pilot program in Northeastern Ontario. Journal of Transport & Health, 19, 100914.

Refereed conference presentations – Published Abstracts – Last Five Years:

1. Schertzinger, M., Misiaz, R., McLaren, C., Bruner, B., Law, B., Warner, M., Robinson, J., Arhen, B., & Bruner, MW. “MLSE LaunchPad really improved my mental health because now I can make good connections”: Understanding Social Identity and Mental Health Among Youth Following the COVID-19 Pandemic. Journal of Exercise, Movement, and Sport, 55(1).
2. Cardinal, E., Schertzinger, M., Fransen, K., McLaren, C., Haslam, C., Cruwys, T., Bruner, B., & Bruner, MW. More Than Sport – Youth: Supporting Youth Athletes Through Sport Career Transitions. Journal of Exercise, Movement, and Sport, 55(1).
3. Misiaz, R., Schertzinger, M., McLaren, C., Bruner, B., Law, B., Warner, M., Robinson, J., Arhen, B., & Bruner, MW. ‘I feel comfortable here, I feel it's safe, and I feel happy’: Investigating Theory of Change and Core Values of MLSE LaunchPad. Journal of Exercise, Movement, and Sport, 55(1).
4. Da Costa, BGG., Bruner, B., Raymer, G., Law, B. How much do schools help? The contribution of school to children’s physical activity levels. Journal of Exercise, Movement & Sport, 2023; 54(1).
5. Da Costa, BGG., Bruner, B., Raymer, G., Law, B. Sport participation and accelerometer-measured 24-h movement behaviours among children of rural Northeastern Ontario. Presented at the International Society for Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity in Uppsala, Sweden. June 14-17, 2023
6. McLaren, CD., Bruner, B., da Costa, BGG., Heal, B., Law, B., MacIsaac, K., Mater, J., Robinson, J., Warner, M., Arbour-Nicitopoulos, K., & Bruner, MW. Social Identity and Mental Health in Community Youth Sport Organizations. Journal of Exercise, Movement & Sport, 2022; 53(1).
7. Willis, V., da Costa, BGG., Bruner, B., Law, B. Exploring parents’ reward behaviour toward their children in sport. Journal of Exercise, Movement & Sport, 2022; 53(1).
8. Da Costa, BGG., Bruner, B., Law, B. Association of time-segmented physical activity and sedentary behaviour with mental health of school children from Northeastern Ontario. Journal of Exercise, Movement & Sport, 2022; 53(1).
9. Shwed, A., Bruner, B., Law, B., & Bruner, M. “I don’t care about the candy; I care about the game.” Exploring the impact of food rewards in youth recreation ice hockey. Journal of Exercise, Movement & Sport, 2021; 52(1). Canadian Society for Psychomotor Learning and Sport Psychology (SCAPPS)
10. Law, B., Massana-Stroud, A., & Bruner, B. Parents, personalized infographics, and the Canadian 24-hour movement guidelines for children and youth. Journal of Exercise, Movement & Sport, 2021; 52(1).

Refereed conference presentations – Unpublished Abstracts – Last Five Years:

1. Bruner, B., Law, B., da Costa, B. Context matters! Co-creating movement interventions within a rural, northeastern Ontario school community. Presented at the European Federation of Sport Psychology (FEPSAC) XVII Congress, Innsbruck, Austria July 15-19, 2024
2. Schertzinger, M., Bruner, B., Brown L., & Bruner, M. Using Self-Determination Theory and The Social Identity Approach to Understand the Role of Incentivization on Youth Sport Participation. Presented at the 4^th International Conference on Social Identity in Sport, Dijon, France June 23-25
3. Schertzinger, M., Cardinal, E., Fransen, K., McLaren, CD., Haslam, C., Cruwys, T, Bruner, B., & Bruner, MW. More Than Sport - Youth: Supporting Youth Athletes Through Sport Career Transitions. Presented at the 4^th International Conference on Social Identity in Sport, Dijon, France June 23-25
4. O’Rourke, B., Law, B., Bruner, B., Raymer, G., & McLaren, C. Move Eat Sleep Repeat: Investigating Diet, 24-Hour Movement, and Indicators of Mental Health among Children and Youth. Presented at the International Society for Behavioural Nutrition and Physical Activity Annual Conference, Phoenix, AZ, June, 2022