Browsing by Author "Severinsen C"

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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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    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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    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.