Browsing by Author "Tassell NA"

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    Obsessive passion as an explanation for burnout: An alternative theoretical perspective applied to humanitarian work
    (Australian Academic Press, 2007) Tassell NA; Flett RA
    Burnout is an occupationally based syndrome that develops as a result of prolonged and cumulative stress. The experience of burnout has been documented in detail in a variety of human service professions. The purpose of this article is two-fold: to provide an alternative theoretical perspective on the development of burnout, which suggests it is not stressors per se that are responsible for burnout development; and, to use this alternative perspective as an explanation for burnout in the context of another human service profession — humanitarian work. Using the passion for activities notion conceptualised by Vallerand and colleagues (2003), it is explained how a lack of self-determination and autonomy leads to the development of an obsessive passion for an activity. Obsessive passion is linked to a variety of adverse cognitive and affective outcomes. This is then applied to the domain of humanitarian work, and it is suggested individuals with an obsessive passion are more likely to suffer adverse outcomes and consequently develop burnout when working in humanitarian crises. Some suggestions for future theoretical and empirical investigations regarding the relationship between obsessive passion and burnout are provided. © 2007, Cambridge University Press. All rights reserved.
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    Stages of change for fruit and vegetable intake and dietary fat modification in Maori women: Some relationships with body attitudes and eating behaviours
    (New Zealand Psychological Society, 2005) Tassell NA; Flett RA
    We examined the influence of psychological factors (social physique anxiety, dietary self-efficacy), difficulties associated with making dietary changes and food security on stages of change for dietary fat reduction and increased fruit and vegetable intake in a non-probability convenience sample of New Zealand Maori women (N = 111) recruited through several acquaintanceship networks of the first author. We found that dietary fat intake, dietary self-efficacy and difficulties associated with changing fruit intake were significantly related to the stages of change for both dietary fat intake reduction and increased fruit and vegetable intake. In addition, difficulties associated with reducing dietary fat intake were significantly related to the stages of change for dietary fat intake reduction. As one moved along the change continuum, dietary fat intake and barriers associated with dietary change steadily reduced, whilst dietary self-efficacy increased. Sixty eight percent of the sample were categorised as either overweight or obese, and these participants reported significantly more anxiety and lower self-efficacy. Discussion focussed on the applicability of the study variables in the implementation of dietary related interventions for Maori women.