Patrick O'Neill (1942-2021) was a Canadian psychologist with expertise in community-clinical psychology.

Biography

Patrick Terence Hugh O'Neill was born in

Vancouver Vancouver is a major city in Western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the List of cities in British Columbia, most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the cit ...

in 1942. He was raised by his mother Catherine after his father did not return from the war. He left school early and worked initially as a radio announcer. He later was an actor, director and playwright in

Victoria, British Columbia Victoria is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of British Columbia, on the southern tip of Vancouver Island off Canada's Pacific Ocean, Pacific coast. The city has a population of 91,867, and the Gre ...

. In 1967, he began working as a child care worker and then enrolled at the

University of Victoria The University of Victoria (UVic) is a public research university located in the municipalities of Oak Bay, British Columbia, Oak Bay and Saanich, British Columbia, Canada. Established in 1903 as Victoria College, British Columbia, Victoria Col ...

from which he obtained a BA. He proceeded to

Yale University Yale University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701, Yale is the List of Colonial Colleges, third-oldest institution of higher education in the United Stat ...

from which he obtained an MS and then a PhD in clinical-community psychology. He returned in Canada in 1974 to a post in

Acadia University Acadia University is a public, predominantly Undergraduate education, undergraduate university located in Wolfville, Nova Scotia, Canada, with some Postgraduate education, graduate programs at the master's level and one at the Doctorate, doctor ...

where he worked for the next 29 years when he retired as emeritus professor. During his time at Acadia he was very active in trade union affairs. He was for nine years a member of the Academic Freedom and Tenure Committee of the Canadian Association of University Teachers, including a term as chair. He was also active in local and national psychology associations. He became Chair of the Nova Scotia Board of Examiners in Psychology, Editor of the Canadian Psychologist and President of the

Canadian Psychological Association The Canadian Psychological Association (CPA) is the primary organization representing psychologists throughout Canada. It was organized in 1939 and incorporated under the Canada Corporations Act, Part II, in May 1950. Its objectives are to imp ...

. He was executive director of the Council of Canadian Departments of Psychology. He was appointed to two of the Interagency Advisory Panel on Research Ethics (PRE) committees: the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Ethics Special Working Committee (SSHWC) and the SubGroup on Procedural Issues for the TCPS (ProGroup).

Research

His main research interest were in community psychology and ethical decision-making.

Publications

* ''Negotiating Consent in Psychotherapy'' (New York University Press) * ''Community Consultation'' (Jossey-Bass)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:O'Neill, Patrick 1942 births 2021 deaths 20th-century Canadian psychologists Academic staff of Acadia University Presidents of the Canadian Psychological Association Yale University alumni