Browsing by Author "Severinsen C"

Now showing 1 - 8 of 8
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    Crossing disciplinary boundaries: An ethnographic exploration of academic publishing invitations.
    (Taylor and Francis Group, 2024-10-24) Severinsen C
    Background: This autoethnographic study examines email invitations for health researchers to publish in journals outside their expertise, exploring implications for interdisciplinary research and knowledge production. Methods: Over three months, email invitations to publish outside the author’s field were documented and analysed thematically and through reflexive journaling. Results: Five main themes in publication invitations were identified: emphasising novelty, promising rapid publication, appealing to research impact, flattering language, and persistent messaging. Reflexive analysis revealed complex factors shaping responses, including publication pressures, desires for prestige, and tensions between disciplinary norms and interdisciplinary collaboration. While invitations may present opportunities for novel collaborations, they often reflect predatory publishing practices. Conclusions: Navigating this landscape requires careful discernment, commitment to academic integrity, and reflexivity about one’s positionality. The study underscores the need for researchers to critically interrogate the motivations behind such invitations. Further research could explore decision-making processes across disciplines and implications for academic publishing integrity and equity.
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    How does learning about the future of the ocean impact children's emotional wellbeing? Insights from ocean literacy educators in Aotearoa New Zealand
    (John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of British Ecological Society, 2023-09-04) Murray L; Breheny M; Cumming R; Erueti B; Mooney M; Nash KL; Severinsen C; Shanly J; Roy H
    1. Four decades of research on the health effects of ‘connection to nature’ identifiesmany wellbeing advantages for young people. Yet this literature has developedlargely without reference to biophysical evidence about mass biodiversity loss,the degradation of marine environments and climate change. 2. As these interlocking planetary crises progress, children will be more likely to witnessthe marine environments they learn about degrade or disappear as they grow up. 3. Improving ocean literacy is important to protect marine environments into thefuture. However little is known about how learning about ocean degradation af-fects young people's emotional wellbeing. 4. We undertook qualitative research to investigate how ocean literacy educators inAotearoa New Zealand view the content they deliver in relation to the emotionalwellbeing of young people. 5. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 21 key informants from non-government organisations (NGOs), Ministry of Education funded programmes,university-community partnerships, youth-led initiatives and local and nationalmuseums and aquariums. Transcripts were analysed using the six steps of Braunand Clarke's (2022) reflexive thematic analysis. 6. Ocean literacy education was described as positively affecting young people'semotional wellbeing through interactive experiences in coastal environments.These provided opportunities for experiencing wonder, curiosity and a sharedsense of connection and belonging. 7. Educators reported witnessing distress and overwhelm in young people whensome information was delivered. This resulted in educators ‘not focusing on thenegative’ and moving straight to solutions young people could take part in. 8. Our findings provide opportunities for re-imagining ocean literacy education asa space for promoting mental wellbeing, especially when young people have theopportunity to be part of collective experiences that promote joy and wonder. 9. Intergenerational solutions where young people can be supported to take actionwith adults who work in solidarity with them are also recommended. 10. Further research into how educators can be resourced to acknowledge and fa-cilitate support around young people's negative emotional responses (such asgrief, overwhelm and anxiety) is required.
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    Mātai ako: Te Tiriti o Waitangi in learning and teaching
    (Taylor and Francis Group on behalf of the Association for Tertiary Education Management, 2025-05-23) Severinsen C; Erueti B; Desai F; Mahuika R; Graham P; Tawhai R
    This article examines initiatives within the College of Health at Massey University to embed Te Tiriti o Waitangi in learning and teaching. Situated within broader strategies, it focuses on the Mātai Ako initiative, which supports staff in building an understanding of Te Tiriti, developing competence, and aligning curricula. Drawing on national policy and university commitments, the initiative advances four actions: developing foundational knowledge, offering skill-building workshops, providing pedagogical mentoring, and reviewing curricula. Early outcomes include increased understanding, pedagogical shifts, and identification of next steps, though sustaining systemic change remains a challenge. The initiative is guided by an ethic of open communication, collective growth, and a staged approach that centres mātauranga Māori while respecting diverse starting points. It offers lessons for higher education institutions navigating tensions between Western academic traditions and obligations to Indigenous rights. Despite ongoing challenges, strategic alignment has established a platform for meaningful change.
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    Missed Opportunities for Addressing Maternal Mental Health: A Thematic Analysis of Mothers' Experiences of Using the Well Child Tamariki Ora Service in Aotearoa NZ
    (Hindawi collaboration with John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2024-03-23) Clapham B; Breheny M; Reweti A; Severinsen C; Ware F; Aydin M
    Maternal mental health plays a vital role in the overall wellbeing of mothers, children, families, whānau (core support network) and communities. However, many mothers face mental health challenges during the transition to parenthood. In this study, we used an online story-sharing platform to collect the experiences of mothers who have faced unmet needs while using the Well Child Tamariki Ora (WCTO) service in Aotearoa New Zealand. From the 420 submitted stories, 125 stories related to mental health need while using the WCTO service. Using thematic analysis, we identified three main themes that highlighted the experiences of mothers with the service. This includes (1) making it seem that I'm coping: Mothers' fear of being judged; (2) i wish I had connected with my WCTO nurse: Fostering meaningful relationships to facilitate personal information sharing; and (3) beyond the baby: Mothers desire for recognition and support during WCTO visits. These findings point to several missed opportunities for WCTO providers to inquire about mental health and offer support needed by mothers. To address this, a relational approach to care would prioritise families and whānau as the focus of care rather than just monitoring the development of babies.
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    Representations of Youth Climate Anxiety: A Framing Analysis of Emotional Responses to the Climate Crisis in International News Media
    (Taylor and Francis Group, 2025-06-02) Murray L; Breheny M; Cumming R; Doig T; Erueti B; Mooney M; Severinsen C; Shanly J
    Reports of children feeling distressed, anxious, or angry about the impacts of climate change have appeared in the international news media with increasing frequency since 2019. There is international evidence that young people are increasingly worried about climate change, and such distress negatively affects their daily lives. The ways that such distress is framed in public discourse vary widely. We conducted a framing analysis of 274 articles from the international news media (published between 2019 and 2021) to explore how the media frames young peoples' emotional reactions to the climate crisis. Our findings revealed three key frames: (1) Climate distress as inevitable “teen angst” fueled by activists and the media. (2) Climate distress as an appropriate response to a genuine threat, and (3) Climate distress as embodied social suffering caused by societal inaction on climate change. These framings of negative emotional responses to climate change have implications for public health responses to youth mental health in a changing climate. Framing distress in terms of social suffering brings about productive possibilities for social change. This framing avoids pathologizing widely felt experiences, builds empathy between generations, and situates young people's mental distress in the context of their present and unfolding social milieu.
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    Resisting stigma: the role of online communities in young mothers' successful breastfeeding.
    (BioMed Central Ltd, 2024-03-06) Severinsen C; Neely E; Hutson R
    BACKGROUND: Breastfeeding initiation and continuation rates are shaped by complex and interrelated determinants across individual, interpersonal, community, organisational, and policy spheres. Young mothers, however, face a double burden of stigma, being perceived as immature and incompetent in their mothering and breastfeeding abilities. In this study, we aimed to understand the experiences of young mothers who exclusively breastfed for six months and beyond and explore their experiences of stigma and active resistance through social media. METHODS: In 2020, in-depth telephone interviews about breastfeeding experiences were conducted with 44 young mothers under age 25 in Aotearoa New Zealand who breastfed for six months or longer. Participants were recruited via social media. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed and analysed thematically. RESULTS: Analysis yielded four themes on young mothers' negotiation of breastfeeding and support. The first three themes revealed young mothers' encounters with socio-cultural contexts. They faced negative judgments about maturity and competence, adverse guidance to supplement or cease breastfeeding, and an undermining of their breastfeeding efforts. The fourth theme showed how young mothers sought alternative support in online environments to avoid negative interactions. Online spaces provided anonymity, convenience, experiential knowledge and social connections with shared values. This facilitated identity strengthening, empowerment and stigma resistance. CONCLUSION: Our research highlights the importance of online communities as a tool for young mothers to navigate and resist the societal stigmas surrounding breastfeeding. Online spaces can provide a unique structure that can help counteract the adverse effects of social and historical determinants on breastfeeding rates by fostering a sense of inclusion and support. These findings have implications for the development of breastfeeding promotion strategies for young mothers and highlight the potential of peer support in counteracting the negative impacts of stigma. The research also sheds light on the experiences of young mothers within the health professional relationship and the effects of stigma and cultural health capital on their engagement and withdrawal from services. Further research should examine how sociocultural barriers to breastfeeding stigmatise and marginalise young mothers and continue to reflect on their socio-political and economic positioning and how it can exacerbate inequities.
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    The Whakapiri framework in higher education: nurturing relational teaching
    (SAGE Publications, 2025-01-10) Moriarty H; Severinsen C; Rowe L; Towers A
    A growing body of research suggests that utilising Indigenous frameworks grounded in relational connection and multi-modal knowledge acquisition has numerous benefits for both Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities. This article focuses on the Whakapiri framework, and its application at Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa Massey University, Aotearoa New Zealand, within a new undergraduate mental health and addiction programme. This programme aims to equip graduates in the field, providing them with the foundational knowledge and engagement competencies necessary for working with both Māori (Indigenous people of New Zealand) and non-Māori. The Whakapiri framework enhances student engagement, fosters relational teaching practices, and designs effective online learning curricula. The framework also informs the design of online learning curricula, acknowledging the unique challenges and opportunities of digital education environments. Through its emphasis on engaging, enlightening, and empowering, the Whakapiri framework offers professional guidance and enriches student engagement, teaching methodologies, and the development of online learning curricula.
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    Wāhi Kōrero: The Development of an Online Story-Sharing Research Platform for Health Research
    (SAGE Publications, 2025-05-30) Severinsen C; Breheny M; Reweti A; Ware F
    Storytelling has the power to forge connections and foster empathy, providing insights into shared human experiences. In the digital age, online platforms offer opportunities to amplify historically underrepresented voices. This article introduces Wāhi Kōrero, a bespoke online story-sharing platform designed to collect stories from people whose experiences are often absent from health research. Wāhi Kōrero was developed through a collaborative approach between Indigenous and non-Indigenous researchers and web designers, prioritizing ethical considerations, cultural respect, and inclusivity. Wāhi Kōrero provides a safe and welcoming space for people to share their experiences, crafted in their own words, with minimal researcher involvement. Analyzing these stories can reveal the structural inequities that shape personal experiences with health professionals. The platform’s transformative impact extends to power dynamics, political discourse, and knowledge production. Wāhi Kōrero works toward a collectively determined health research agenda, elevating the voices of health service users and validating their expertise in their own lives and health. Ultimately, Wāhi Kōrero exemplifies the changing landscape of online information access, presentation, and control, paving the way for a more equitable and inclusive approach to health research and practice.