Browsing by Author "Houkamau CA"

Now showing 1 - 4 of 4
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    Culture as cure? The protective function of Māori cultural efficacy on psychological distress
    (New Zealand Psychological Society, 7/09/2015) Muriwai EM; Houkamau CA; Sibley CG
    Māori, the indigenous peoples of New Zealand, continue to experience health disparities in comparison to other ethnic groups. Previous research suggests Māori who affiliate jointly as Māori and Pākehā (New Zealand European) tend to experience different psychological outcomes than those who solely identify as Māori. Using a culturally-specific approach we propose and test an Efficacy-Distress Buffering Model, which posits that high levels of Māori Cultural Efficacy should have a buffering function, protecting Māori against Psychological Distress (N = 632). Our findings indicate that Māori with a higher level of Cultural Efficacy showed greater psychological resilience. In contrast, increased rates of psychological distress were documented amongst those who were lower in Cultural Efficacy and this effect was most pronounced among individuals who identified solely as Māori. Our results support a ‘culture-as-cure’ perspective and indicate that increased Māori Cultural Efficacy has a direct protective effect for those who may be at risk of negative psychological outcomes and associated risk factors.
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    Developing a Māori theory of value: Report prepared for Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga
    (Te Au Rangahau, 2021-03-31) Dell KM; Newth J; Mika J; Houkamau CA
    This report sets out the findings and outcomes of the Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga (NPM) funded platform research project entitled ‘Developing a Māori theory of value,’ which was completed between 1 October 2018 and 31 March 2021. The original end date of 30 September 2020 was extended by way of variation due to the impact of Covid-19. The purpose of the project was to develop a Māori theory of value for the Māori economy.
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    The multidimensional model of Māori identity and cultural engagement: Measurement equivalence across diverse Māori groups
    (New Zealand Psychological Society, 3/04/2017) Greaves LM; Manuela S; Muriwai EM; Cowie CJ; Lindsay CJ; Matika CM; Houkamau CA; Sibley CG
    The Multidimensional Model of Māori Identity and Cultural Engagement (or MMM-ICE2) is a self-report questionnaire that measures seven distinct dimensions of one’s subjective identity as Māori. Prior research indicates that the scale performs well psychometrically and predicts a wide range of outcomes for Māori peoples. However, the measurement equivalence of the MMM-ICE2 is yet to be assessed. That is, the extent to which the scale provides comparable measurement of the same aspects of identity for all Māori, for instance, across different age groups, for Māori men and women, and for Māori living in different urban or rural regions. Here, we address this gap in the validation of the MMM-ICE2 using Multigroup Confirmatory Factor Analysis to assess the configural, metric, and scalar equivalence of the scale across different demographic groups. We test our models using data from Māori participants who completed the MMM-ICE2 as part of the broader New Zealand Attitudes and Values Study (N = 696). Results indicate that the scale has reasonable measurement equivalence over metric, configural, and scalar assessments across most demographic comparisons. In sum, the results indicate that the MMM-ICE2 provides a valid assessment tool for Māori across a range of contexts, but nevertheless points to ways in which the scale could be improved in future.
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    The wellbeing of Māori pre and post Covid-19 lockdown in Aotearoa / New Zealand
    (University of Auckland, 2021-06-11) Houkamau CA; Dell KM; Newth J; Mika J; Sibley C; Keelan T; Dunn T
    The first MIFAS survey was open between September and December 2017, and round two went out between April and November 2020. Round 2 MIFAS data collection occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic in Aotearoa New Zealand. Round two MIFAS respondents were experiencing a variety of lockdown levels at the time they were completing their surveys. During the highest lockdown level (Level 4), New Zealanders were asked not to leave their homes other than for essential personal movement. New Zealanders were asked to form “bubbles” and stay within them (small groups of people, typically close family members, who would be the only people in close contact for the period of lockdown). Except for essential services, including hospitals, essential health clinics, supermarkets and pharmacies, all businesses were closed, as were schools and universities, and childcare facilities. During Level 3, people were instructed to stay home other than for essential personal movement, including to go to work or school if they have to, or for local recreation. When outside of the home, physical distancing was required (i.e. distanced one metre from other people) in schools and workplaces. People were allowed to expand their contacts to reconnect with close family/whānau and bring in caregivers or support isolated people. In Levels 1–2, restrictions loosened; however, life was still not normal, and people were asked to exercise social distancing and caution. To explore the mental, relational, psychological, and spiritual wellbeing of Māori during and after the COVID-19 lockdowns in Aotearoa, the MIFAS team took the opportunity to include a range of open-ended survey items in the MIFAS survey to provide respondents with the opportunity to tell us how they were feeling and what they were experiencing during and after the lockdown. The MIFAS open-ended items included the following four questions. 1. Please indicate here how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted you and your whānau. 2. How do you think the experience of the COVID-19 pandemic should change us as a society? 3. Who has supported you to stay safe and well during the level 3 and 4 “lockdown” period in New Zealand? 4. What support do you think Māori families will need once the level 4 lockdown requirements have been lifted?” A total of 3,116 Māori responded with completed surveys and answered some (or all) of the open- ended questions. The data gathered includes details of what was happening in people’s homes and lives over this unprecedented time in our history. Some surveys were completed during level 4 lockdown, and others responded once this was lifted, and during levels 3, 2 and 1. It is very clear from their answers that many families found these restrictions incredibly challenging. Yet, others found lockdown a regenerating time for themselves and their whānau. To analyse the data, all responses to the 3116 surveys were manually typed into excel spreadsheets (except from the online survey responses which were directly cut and pasted from their online responses into the excel format). Respondents’ unique numerical identifiers were retained with each answer (to ensure each answer was kept traceable to the correct survey) however like with all MIFAS data analyses all personal information was separated from the surveys before research assistants received any data. This means there was no way that research assistants, or indeed anyone in the MIFAS research team, could see the names or details of who wrote each comment. This report provides a snapshot of their responses to each of the four open ended questions above.