Browsing by Author "Fedchuk, Darya"

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    "It's definitely been a roller coaster" : an exploration of youth service users' understandings of personal recovery and experiences of intentional peer support : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Clinical Psychology at Massey University, Wellington, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2022) Fedchuk, Darya
    Worldwide, young people aged 18-25 experience high rates of mental distress. Youth mental health services are under immense pressure, resulting in ongoing unmet need. Currently, Aotearoa policy supports recovery-oriented practice, however literature is sparse on how youth understand personal recovery. Furthermore, peer support is an established but underutilised recovery-oriented intervention, which may be viable as a complementary or alternative modality to conventional services. However, little is known about the experiences of young people accessing peer support. Additionally, collaboration with young people is paramount if we are to create responsible and responsive youth research. This thesis aimed to explore youth service user understandings of personal recovery in the context of mental distress. It also aimed to explore their experiences of accessing intentional peer support. The research used co-production with 12 youth service users across the project. A further 26 youth service users were recruited through their involvement in a mental health service (delivered in the Wellington region) and interviewed as research participants. The data were analysed separately for each study aim, using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). The first aim explored how youth understand personal recovery in relation to mental distress. Recovery was understood to be a complicated and multifactorial phenomenon, involving connection with the internal and external worlds. There were three superordinate themes relating to youth understandings of recovery: recovery is paradoxical; recovery is awareness about yourself; and recovery is connecting with others. The second aim explored participant experiences of accessing Intentional Peer Support (IPS). IPS was seen as a novel and personalised intervention, which supported participants if they were able to connect with their peer support workers. Regarding experiences of peer support, three superordinate themes were identified: experiences of business as (un)usual; seeing themselves reflected; and peer support as a tailored practice. Overall, findings demonstrated how young people held important and meaningful information about their recovery experiences. In turn, this research provided much-needed lived experience perspectives on the utility of IPS as an intervention for youth. Furthermore, this research demonstrated that co-production can and should be utilised by researchers (including those at doctorate level), despite academic constraints. Taken together, these findings emphasise the importance of youth-appropriate recovery-orientated interventions within clinical practice and provides a platform for further research into youth experiences of IPS.
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    Majorities within minorities : the experiences of non-suicidal self-injury in the LGBTQ communities : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Psychology at Massey University, Wellington, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2017) Fedchuk, Darya
    Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) is a maladaptive behaviour, defined as the purposeful destruction of one’s own body tissue performed in absence of suicidal intent or social custom. Research suggests that NSSI is a risk factor for suicidal ideation and suicide attempts. Research also suggests that LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer) identifying individuals are at a higher risk for experiencing mental distress, NSSI and suicidality. Within Aotearoa/New Zealand, the Youth’12: Health and Wellbeing of Secondary School Students survey found that LGBTQ adolescents had significantly higher rates of NSSI and were five times more likely to attempt suicide than their heterosexual and/or cisgender counterparts. This thesis addresses these concerns through a qualitative approach, guided by the methodology of Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. This research examines how LGBTQ individuals who have previously engaged in NSSI make sense of their experience. The six individuals interviewed share their background histories, the process of coming out, and their experiences with NSSI. Participants further comment on the various ways in which existing ideologies within their social climates impacted their overall health and wellbeing. There were numerous challenges faced by the participants. Some experienced discriminatory behaviours from family, friends, and health professionals. The process of coming out as LGBTQ was a difficult time for many. Participants experienced stigma and discrimination in association with both their identity, and the self-injurious behaviour. NSSI was seen largely as a coping mechanism, and participants displayed resilience in light of their circumstances. Self-esteem and self-acceptance increased as participants acquired a stronger sense of belonging through meaningful connections. Building supportive friendships, and finding a community contributed to positive health outcomes. However, despite a solidified identity, societal pressures remained. The results of this thesis suggest that education and tailored support from health professionals is of utmost importance. The ongoing challenges experienced by the participants are reflected in research, and signify that educating families, health professionals, and the wider society is a crucial step in assisting this at-risk group. Implications for future directions are discussed.