Browsing by Subject "Attitudes"

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A cross-country network analysis of disease infodemics: Looking through the lens of the COVID-19 pandemic
(Elsevier Ltd, 2025-02-27) Adu P; Popoola T; Iqbal N; Roemer A; Medvedev ON; Simpson CR
Infodemics surrounding pandemics and epidemics have persisted for centuries and continue to impede efforts to promote high vaccination coverage. We explored the complex interplay between COVID-19 vaccination attitudes and COVID-19-related infodemics across Germany, Ghana, India, and New Zealand using the novel network analysis. We conducted an online cross-sectional survey and recruited 1822 participants from the general populations of India (n = 411), New Zealand (n = 413), Ghana (n = 523), and Germany (n = 413) to complete COVID-19 infodemic measures and demographics questions. Predictors of less favourable COVID-19 vaccination attitudes included the apocalypse-related infodemic in India, compared to all countries, as well as the not harmful belief of COVID-19 in New Zealand, compared to India and Germany, and in Ghana compared to India. COVID-19 origin-related infodemics were found to positively impact COVID-19 vaccination attitudes in Ghana and New Zealand only. The most influential infodemics in each of the countries studied-Ghana, New Zealand, Germany, and India-were the beliefs in bioweapons, 5G technology, apocalypse, and bat consumption, respectively. Across all countries, there were consistent strong positive connections between the infodemics. Our results suggest that country-specific infodemics significantly impact COVID-19 vaccination attitudes, with variations observed between nations. While the infodemics can reinforce each other and complicate public health efforts during pandemics, understanding the interactions between the central infodemic in each country and others can aid in developing more effective strategies to counter their influences. This highlights the importance of targeted public health interventions that address the unique dynamics of local infodemics during pandemics, epidemics, and Pathogen X outbreaks.
A cultural learning approach to acculturation : teaching and learning between native English-speaking teachers and university students in Southwest China : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Communication at Massey University, Wellington, New Zealand
(Massey University, 2025-08-31) Zhou, Zhidan
The globalisation of education has affected the teaching dynamics of native English-speaking teachers (NESTs) in the Chinese higher education system. The roles of NESTs are challenging and require a nuanced understanding of teaching effectiveness, cultural intelligence (CQ), and leadership in higher education. This study explores the complex and dynamic roles of NESTs in Chinese higher education, focusing on their teaching practices, CQ, and leadership contributions. Forty-five Chinese students, 15 NESTs and five Chinese university leaders (CULs) from Southwest China participated in semi-structured interviews. Findings highlight that the pedagogical practices of NESTs were viewed positively for practical language application but criticized for being culturally incompatible. Instructional outcomes showed that perceived immediacy positively influenced affective and behavioral learning but did not affect cognitive learning. In addition, CQ plays a crucial role in shaping NESTs’ teaching strategies, classroom engagement, and adaptability to diverse learning needs. Participants who described CQ-aligned practices reported more adaptive teaching and richer student participation. NESTs play an important leadership role in improving students' language skills and cultural knowledge. NESTs are credited with providing authentic language environments, innovative teaching methods, and cultural insights that enhance students’ language and cultural understanding. Despite these positive contributions, NESTs have faced various challenges in their leadership role. This study emphasizes the need for culturally responsive teaching, professional development for NESTs, and collaboration between NESTs and institutions, deepens the understanding of NESTs’ contributions to instructional communication, and offers suggestions for improving intercultural communication in global academic contexts
A culture-centered exploration of India’s Community Health Workers’ meanings of the COVID-19 pandemic and the role of mobile technology in response strategies : a thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Communication and Journalism at Massey University, Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa, Center for Culture-Centered Approach to Research and Evaluation (CARE)
(Massey University, 2025-01-20) Pattanaik, Samiksha
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Community Health Workers (CHWs), particularly in developing countries such as India, played a crucial role in controlling the virus's spread (Niyati & Nelson Mandela, 2020). India imposed the world’s largest lockdown (Ghosh, 2020; Mathur, 2020), swiftly deploying its CHWs known as ASHA workers for community-level COVID-19 prevention and mitigation (Niyati & Nelson Mandela, 2020). Reports indicated that ASHAs in some states were required to purchase and use smartphones for COVID-19 tasks (Brar Singh, 2020; Hindustan Times, 2020b). This top-down approach to pandemic communication and mHealth initiatives (M. J. Dutta, S. Kaur-Gill, et al., 2018; Kumar & Anderson, 2015) sidelined ASHAs' their voices in mainstream discourse, despite their essential role. Furthermore, while existing research in this area has identified the structural challenges faced by ASHAs—such as overwhelming workloads and inadequate compensation—these studies often treat these challenges in a reductionist manner (Lazarus, 2020; Nichols et al., 2022; Srivastava, 2021), often from the perspective of the researcher. This marginalisation of ASHAs' voices is particularly concerning in the context of public health emergencies, where they are thrust into frontline roles without adequate infrastructural and policy support. This thesis addresses this significant gap in research by foregrounding their voices and lived experiences as frontline workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Drawing on the Culture Centered Approach (CCA), a meta-theoretical framework particularly suited for research in marginalised settings, this study uses semi-structured interviews to explore ASHAs’ narratives, shedding light on how they navigated the pandemic and engaged with mHealth initiatives. The study finds that ASHAs operate within intersecting layers of structural inequalities shaped by their socio-economic context and the neoliberal organisation of India’s healthcare system. This system reduces these marginalised female workers to ‘efficient’ subjects, using their labour to offload state responsibilities while offering minimal support and compensation. Through this analysis, the research advances the theoretical framework of the CCA by deepening the understanding of the layering of structures upon structures and their simultaneous interaction with culture. While existing CCA literature addresses the structure culture dynamic, this study uniquely highlights how these layered structures intersect, reinforce, and sometimes contradict each other, intensifying marginalisation. In the context of mHealth, the study uncovers the complex, multifaceted, and sometimes contradictory meanings of technology in marginalised spaces, ranging from the relevance of face-to-face communication and bottom-up uses of technology in rural healthcare, to issues surrounding data privacy, confidentiality, and digital burden in marginalised spaces. By placing these evolving and often contradictory meanings at the center of theorising, this research challenges techno-optimism and prompts a critical re-evaluation of the role of technology in healthcare delivery, with mHealth as a key example. Additionally, this study extends the concept of marginalised agency within the CCA by shifting away from binary understandings of resistance and submission, demonstrating how such agency is multidimensional and dynamic, shaped by an intricate web of cultural, social, religious, economic, and professional factors. This multilayered interaction forces ASHAs to continuously negotiate their positions, sometimes exercising their voices and demands, and at other times complying with top-down orders due to structural constraints, while drawing on cultural resources to navigate these structures. The thesis concludes with recommendations for a communicative framework that integrates ASHAs into decision-making processes, fostering resilience among CHWs and the communities they serve in future health crises.
A neurodevelopmental lens in child protection social work : understanding and addressing the impacts of adversity : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Social Work at Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand
(Massey University, 2024) Clark, Braden James Foster
This research explores how child protection social workers understand and address the impacts of childhood adversity through the application of a neurodevelopmental lens. To achieve this, a practice research methodology was utilised. Qualitative, semi-structured interviews were completed with three key informants (with expertise in the neurodevelopmental lens and/or te ao Māori) and 11 child protection social workers. The research drew on an ecological-transactional perspective. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the data. The findings from the study extend the existing principles of the neurodevelopmental lens and suggest some new principles as being important to child protection social workers. The research findings provide a framework for child protection social workers to understand and address the impacts of childhood adversity. The principles informed the selection of interventions to address the impacts of adversity. This study highlighted the importance of social workers working across ecological systems to address the impacts of structural forms of adversity on children and families. The research proposes a model for child protection social work and recommends further research into the neurodevelopmental lens.
Accidents and safety in New Zealand logging : the central role of the contractor : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Health Science at Massey University
(Massey University, 1999) Rowsell, Stephen Raymond
New Zealand logging has a high accident rate which has concerned health and safety personnel, accident insurers, researchers and members of the industry. Efforts to reduce logging accidents and to promote safety, have included development of better equipment and training methods, and understanding of patterns of accident occurrence. The research to date has been mainly quantitative, and focused on individual factors. The aim of the present study was to develop an understanding of the social processes which surround logging accidents to provide a broader perspective of accident causation and its implications for safety promotion. 47 loggers and 32 logging contractors from three regions of New Zealand participated in unstructured interviews which were recorded, transcribed and coded with the assistance of NUD.IST, a computer programme. Personal observations in the workplace and numerous informal discussions with a range of industry personnel, complemented the interviews. The qualitative methodology, Grounded Theory (Strauss & Corbin, 1990), was chosen to analyse the data. The results show that loggers perceive that individual factors such as risk-taking, violation of regulations, training, experience, equipment used, and the physical environment affect safety. The analysis of the data revealed that the impact of all these factors is moderated by the contractor who, in such an isolated environment, has a dominant role in the crew culture. The ability of the contractor to organise and motivate workers so that time can be allowed for learning and using appropriate techniques was critical to the safety of the crew. Frequent restructuring of the logging industry, together with falling log prices, have created instability which has impinged on the ability of contractors to run their crews safely. Increased expectations for production have placed pressure on safety systems. Some contractors managed to maintain safety through a proactive approach to training, efficient systems, and a positive safety culture while still being able to improve production. There is a widening gap between contractors who have responded proactively to the changes and those who have resisted them and struggled to manage in the new environment.
Achieving holistic sustainability in Chinese and New Zealand business partnerships : an integrative approach : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Management at Massey University, Albany, Auckland, New Zealand
(Massey University, 2020) Chen, Michelle Sitong
Tensions in sustainability are a relatively new area and largely unexplored empirically between firms in collaborative business partnerships, particularly drawing from paradox theory and organisational ambidexterity theory. If these tensions cannot be understood and addressed adequately, it will not only have negative impacts on individuals’ interests, but also on the development of organisations and ultimately the prosperity of the society. Hence, this study examines empirically how tensions in addressing divergent sustainability issues arise, and are perceived and managed between Chinese and New Zealand firms in business partnerships. Guided by an interpretivist philosophy, this research adopts a qualitative and abductive approach as the preferred research method. In doing so, 33 in-depth individual interviews alongside one informal group discussion were carried out at 16 relatively large Chinese and NZ firms known for their commitment to sustainability that are in business partnerships. This thesis includes three empirical chapters. The first findings chapter identifies tensions in sustainability between Chinese and New Zealand firms and discovers the reasons for them. The findings reveal that the Chinese and New Zealand firms in business partnership are faced with complex and multiple sustainability tensions which are thus more difficult and challenging for them to address simultaneously. This chapter also shows that the tensions are caused by an integration of multiple reasons from individual, organisational and national levels. The second findings chapter explores how managers make sense of these tensions. The results delineate four kinds of managerial logic – paradoxical, contradictory, business and defensive – which are applied to make sense of different kinds of tensions. In contrast to prior studies, the findings reveal that paradoxical logic is the most common logic adopted by the managers at Chinese and NZ companies in business partnerships; as the other types – contradictory, business and defensive logic – are not commonly used. The third findings chapter investigates the strategies that Chinese and NZ firms adopted to manage the tensions in their business partnerships. The findings show two main approaches: trade-off and integrative. This research highlights that working through sustainability tensions using integrative approaches can bring proactive outcomes which will help these companies to advance their sustainability practice through inter-organisational learning, to enhance their mutual understanding and to strengthen their business partnerships over time, thus achieving holistic sustainability. This research contributes to scholarly understanding of tensions in sustainability between firms in collaborative business partnerships in relation to the nature of the tensions, reasons for the tensions, managerial sensemaking of tensions and the strategies for managing the tensions. This also adds value to paradox theory and organisational ambidexterity theory including structural and contextual ambidexterity, and their theoretical and practical implications for tensions in sustainability research.
Alignment of big data perceptions in New Zealand healthcare : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirement for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Management at Massey University, Albany, New Zealand
(Massey University, 2019) Wannitilake Mudiyanselage, Kasuni Gayara Weerasinghe
The growing use of information systems (IS) in the healthcare sector, on top of increasing patient populations, diseases and complicated medication regimens, is generating enormous amounts of unstructured and complex data that have the characteristics of ‘big data’. Until recent times data driven approaches in healthcare to make use of large volumes of complex healthcare data were considered difficult, if not impossible, because available technology was not mature enough to handle such data. However, recent technological developments around big data have opened promising avenues for healthcare to make use of its big-healthcare-data for more effective healthcare delivery, in areas such as measuring outcomes, population health analysis, precision medicine, clinical care and research and development. Being a recent IT phenomenon, big data research has leaned towards technical dynamics such as analytics, data security and infrastructure. However, to date, the social dynamics of big data (such as peoples’ understanding and their perceptions of its value, application, challenges and the like) have not been adequately researched. This thesis addresses the research gap through exploring the social dynamics around the concept of big data at the level of policy-makers (identified as the macro level), funders and planners (identified as the meso level), and clinicians (identified as the micro level) in the New Zealand (NZ) healthcare sector. Investigating and comparing social dynamics of big data across these levels is important, as big data research has highlighted the importance of business-IT alignment to the successful implementation of big data technologies. Business-IT alignment is important and can be investigated through many different dimensions. This thesis adopts a social dimension lens to alignment, which promotes investigating alignment through people’s understanding of big data and its role in their work. Taking a social dimension lens to alignment fits well with the aim of this thesis, which is to understand perceptions around the notion of big data technologies that could influence the alignment of big data in healthcare policy and practice. With this understanding, the research question addressed is: how do perceptions of big data influence alignment across macro, meso, and micro levels in the NZ healthcare sector? This thesis is by publication with four research articles that answer these questions as a body of knowledge. A qualitative exploratory approach was taken to conduct an empirical study. Thirty-two in-depth interviews with policy makers, senior managers and physicians were conducted across the NZ healthcare sector. Purposive and snowball sampling techniques were used. The interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed using general inductive thematic analysis. Data were first analysed within each group (macro, meso, and micro) to understand perceptions of big data, then across groups to understand alignment. In order to investigate perceptions, Social Representations Theory (SRT), a theory from social psychology, was used as the basis for data collection. However, data analysis led to the decision to integrate SRT with Sociotechnical Systems Theory (SST), a well-known IS theory. This integration of SRT with SST developed the Theory of Sociotechnical Representations (TSR), which is a key theoretical contribution of this research. The thesis presents the concept and application of TSR, by using it to frame the study’s findings around perceptions of big data across macro, meso and micro levels of the NZ healthcare sector. The practical contribution of this thesis is the demonstration of areas of alignment and misalignment of big data perceptions across the healthcare sector. Across the three levels, alignment was found in the shared understanding of the importance of data quality, the increasing challenges of privacy and security, and the importance of new types of data in measuring health outcomes. Aspects of misalignment included the differing definitions of big data, as well as perceptions around data ownership, data sharing, use of patient-generated data and interoperability. While participants identified measuring outcomes, clinical decision making, population health, and precision medicine as potential areas of application for big data technologies, the three groups expressed varying levels of interest, which could cause misalignment issues with implications for policy and practice.
An exploration into gender and generational differences in mental health literacy in Aotearoa New Zealand and Australia : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Clinical Psychology at Massey University, Albany, New Zealand
(Massey University, 2025-07-25) Dodge, Andrew
Mental distress touches the lives of many. Society could benefit from enhancing the public’s ability to effectively assist in its identification, management, and prevention. Mental health literacy is a concept that assesses this capacity in the general population. Prior international research indicates that both gender and generational differences for this construct exist, with men and older adults typically exhibiting lower levels of mental health literacy. However, we currently lack an accurate understanding of why such patterns have emerged and an evaluation of whether these differences may be influenced by measurement bias. This study seeks to enhance our understanding of these differences. Using a cross-sectional quantitative study design, a total of 830 participants aged 18 to 76 from Aotearoa New Zealand and Australia completed an online questionnaire measuring their mental health literacy and restrictive emotionality. Men demonstrated lower levels of mental health knowledge and attitudes than women, while partial support was found for a linear pattern of differences across generations for mental health attitudes (with older generations exhibiting lower mental health attitude scores than younger generations). However, given the lack of evidence to support measurement invariance, it is possible that these observed differences were influenced by differences in measurement properties. The results did not support the assertion that younger generations would be more likely to falsely detect the presence of a mental health disorder when presented with a vignette describing normal levels of distress in a difficult situation. Additionally, the study did not find evidence that restrictive emotionality mediates the relationship between gender and mental health attitudes. Overall, this study raises the possibility that gender and generational differences in mental health literacy may be influenced by measurement bias. The findings also suggest that the broad conceptualisation of mental health literacy as a multidimensional construct may fail to adequately capture the nature and strength of the relationships between the variables that it is comprised of. Additionally, these results contrast voices from concept creep literature suggesting an expanding concept of harm concerning mental health terminology among younger generations. Rather, this study suggests that perceived generational differences within this area may be exaggerated.
Art teaching : making a difference in low decile schools : a thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Education at Massey University
(Massey University, 2004) Sutherland, Sue
Students in low socio-economic schools are over-represented in the group of students who leave school without a qualification. An analysis across seventy New Zealand secondary schools reveals Year 11 examination success in low socio-economic schools that is consistently higher in art than in other subjects. Performance at Year 11 in the Auckland/ North Auckland region for the 2000 School Certificate art exam shows that these students are able to achieve at similar rates in art to medium and high decile schools. This thesis outlines the political and socio-economic culture of Aotearoa/ New Zealand's low SES schools where the study was conducted. The selection of the teachers and the research process is described, and comparisons made to relevant literature. The findings draw from a data set of interviews identifying common teacher attitudes and beliefs which are introduced and elucidated. The study seeks to make visible, the ways in which art teachers enhance examination success by examining the beliefs, attitudes and reported practices of three highly successful teachers.
Assessing four-year-old children's learning : New Zealand early childhood teachers' purposes, practices and knowledge : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Education at Massey University, Manawatū, New Zealand
(Massey University, 2018) Cameron, Monica Jane
Assessment is a core element of quality teaching and learning experiences for all children enrolled in early childhood education settings. This study explored New Zealand early childhood teachers’ purposes, practices and knowledge related to assessing four-year-old children’s learning. Understanding teachers’ beliefs related to the assessment of four-year olds is particularly important for supporting effective transition to school and continuity between early childhood and school contexts. To investigate teachers’ assessment purposes, practices and knowledge, a mixed methods sequential research design was developed. Phase one involved a nationwide survey of early childhood teachers, while phase two involved 14 key informant interviews with teachers representing nine different service types. Interview questions were derived from the survey results. Interviewees were asked to complete the survey and to share three pieces of assessment documentation. Descriptive statistics and thematic coding were utilised to analyse the data gathered. Findings from both phases were used to answer the study’s research questions. Findings demonstrated that teachers recognised the important role of assessment but their assessment knowledge, purposes and practices varied widely. Teachers favoured informal methods and focussed on sharing information with others as a primary purpose for assessment. Teachers’ knowledge of assessment was predominantly developed through their experiences in the sector, thereby conserving established assessment practices. Learning stories were found to dominate teachers’ assessment practices, which focused on specific aspects of children’s learning. Assessing four-year-old children’s learning was considered to be important in relation to transition to school, though challenges associated with sharing assessment information were repeatedly identified. The findings of this study, along with those of extant research, are of concern because New Zealand early childhood teachers’ assessment purposes, practices and knowledge in relation to assessing four-year-olds appear to be constrained relative to international recommendations for quality assessment in early childhood. One implication is that teachers need additional support to develop their knowledge of assessment and understand its multiple purposes. The development of a repertoire of assessment tools would further assist the advancement of teachers’ assessment practices. Early childhood and new entrant teachers need support to develop their understandings of each other’s assessment methods, so that methods with appropriate fit for purpose can be used to promote children’s successful transition to school. Continued research, professional development and initial teacher education need to play a key role in challenging current rhetoric and misunderstandings around assessment.
Athlete basic psychological needs and coaches' contribution to their satisfaction : a case study of a high-performance sports team : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Sport & Exercise Science at Massey University, Albany, New Zealand
(Massey University, 2020) Wood, Warrick
A significant and robust body of research has led to a general consensus that sports coaches play a significant role in influencing a range of athlete experiences and outcomes. In this regard, self-determination theory and basic psychological needs theory (Deci & Ryan, 1985) are two major frameworks within which to consider and understand human motivation, psychological needs, performance and well-being. The primary aim of this study was to investigate athlete perceptions of and experiences regarding their basic psychological needs and to examine their coaches’ contributions towards meeting such needs within the context of a high-performance sports team. The team concerned involved female athletes competing within a New Zealand national competition. A wider purpose was the projected intention of identifying practical insights for coaches into high performance athletes’ basic psychological needs, based on (1) athletes’ interpretations of how coaches impact on their need satisfaction through need-supportive and need-neglecting behaviours, and (2) how athletes experience each of the needs within the bounds of a team setting. Given such objectives, the investigation utilised a qualitative case study approach that involved participant interviews and extended researcher observations of team activities encompassing meetings, practices and games throughout a seven-month (playing season) period. The observations undertaken sought to provide a fuller understanding of the context of the case being studied, as well as providing the researcher with a rich exposure to relevant coaching attitudes and behaviours and athlete responses to these, with such elements underpinning the perceptions adopted and their expression by the athletes. Utilising interpretative phenomenological analysis as the analytic method (Smith, 1996), the data revealed the athletes’ perceived importance of experiencing satisfaction of their basic psychological needs within their team environment. Furthermore, the data identified coaching attitudes and behaviours that the athletes perceived as supporting and those that that they perceived as neglecting of such needs. The behaviours observed were consolidated into themes that coaches might utilise or avoid when working with athletes in a high-performance context. The findings obtained extend the extant literature in a number of ways. Firstly, they deepen an understanding of the significance of basic psychological needs to athletes within a high-performance sport environment. Additionally, they pull together a number of distinctive coaching behaviours that were identified by participants as being need-supporting or need-neglecting in their effects. Furthermore, various attitudinal elements, such as trust in the coach, were identified as influencing the ways through which the athletes interpreted their coaches’ contributions to supporting or neglecting their personal psychological needs. The study design capturing unique elements of a specific case restricts any extended generalisation of the findings. However, it is important to note that the focal point of athletes’ perceptions of coaches’ attitudes and behaviours in relation to basic psychological needs universally held and experienced (Deci & Ryan, 2000) enables the potential for degrees of relevance across settings. Given the specifics of the participants and the setting, this relevance is particularly likely in regard to female high-performance athletes operating within a team context. The conclusions can enhance an understanding of the importance of basic psychological needs for athletes in high-performance settings and even more widely, and the various ways through which coaches attitudinally and behaviourally can support or neglect the satisfaction of such needs.
Athletes' experiences of being coached by their partner : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the degree of Master of Science in Health Psychology at Massey University, Auckland, New Zealand
(Massey University, 2019) Burrows, Steffi J.
The professional relationship between an athlete and coach is a unique relationship due to the large quantity and intensity of time spent together. When athletes engage in consensual relationships with their coach, the professional and personal spheres within this relationship interact together. Previous high-profile sporting examples within the media, highlight the unknown area of athletes being involved in both personal and professional relationships with their coach. Within the professional relationship, the coach is viewed to hold power compared to the athlete; therefore, previous literature links consensual sexual relationships between an athlete and coach with abuse literature. The aim of this recent study was to separate the coach-athlete personal and professional relationships from abusive literature within sporting literature. To help gain an enriched understanding of athletes’ experiences of being coached by their partner. Five female athletes, who were married to their coach, participated in an individual open-ended semi-structured interview. Their responses were analysed to explore their experiences of being coached by their partner, creating an enriched understanding of the interaction between the home and sporting domain. Thematic analysis indicated four themes within the data analysis: emotional connection, power dynamics within the interaction of the personal and professional domain, pragmatic issues within the interaction of the personal and professional relationship and having your coach with you at all times. Findings suggest that through the interaction of the personal and professional relationship, athletes’ experience an additional component of being emotionally connected to their coach. The power which coaches hold within the professional relationship is viewed by the athletes to be at a diluted level. Within the interaction of the personal and professional relationships blurred boundaries arise which creates pragmatic issues for the athlete. Lastly, athletes suggest positives that occur from having their coach with them at all times. The results of this study point to the positive aspects of the interaction of the personal and professional relationship, for athletes who are coached by their partner. Future research could include the perspective of coaches to understand their experiences. Additionally, future research could explore gender differences between athletes and coaches’ perspectives.
Babies and Babble : parents’ experiences of the neonatal unit and the role of the Babble app : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree Doctor of Clinical Psychology at Massey University, Auckland, New Zealand
(Massey University, 2020) Gibson, Charlotte
Neonatal unit admission is commonly a highly distressing and difficult time for new parents, impacting their confidence in their parenting abilities and predisposing them to significant mental health difficulties (Ballantyne et al., 2017; Holditch-Davis & Miles, 2000). In response to admission, parents commonly report a need for clear, concise information and inclusion in neonatal care (Cleveland, 2008). Alongside the rise of technology and the prevalence of smartphones across the world, mobile health applications have been theorised as an effective method of delivering rapid, consistent and accessible information to health consumer populations. Within the neonatal sphere, such approaches have been growing in popularity, however, little research has focused on the development and efficacy of mobile health applications dedicated to needs of parents with an infant admitted to a neonatal unit. In response, MidCentral District Health Board has developed an informational mobile health application, Babble, for use in conjunction with traditional care formats and with the hopes of providing greater support to parents in neonatal units (Spargo & de Vries, 2018). Although utilised by parents, the Babble app is yet to be empirically evaluated and the impacts of its use are not well understood. In this thesis, an exploration as to parents’ experiences of the neonatal unit and the role of the Babble app is conducted in two parts. Study One explores the experiences of 449 parents with an infant admitted to a neonatal unit in New Zealand, across measures of distress, self-efficacy, how informed they felt during their infant’s admission, and their Babble app use. Study Two involved in-depth qualitative interviews with eight mothers from the Palmerston North neonatal unit, (where the Babble app originated), exploring their perspectives of their infant’s hospitalisation, and the Babble app itself. Study One showed that parents experienced moderate distress, felt reasonably informed and considered themselves to be somewhat confident in their parental role during their infant’s neonatal admission. The Babble app did not demonstrate any significant effect on any of the variables of interest. However, results indicated that the more informed parents felt, the less distress they experienced. This relationship was partially mediated by enhanced self-efficacy, suggesting the importance of information in supporting parental self-efficacy and reducing distress. Study Two expanded on these findings, identifying several key themes present in the experiences of mothers with infants admitted to a Level II+ neonatal unit. Firstly, findings indicated there were various ways in which mothers struggled with their parental role within a neonatal context, experiencing challenges related to managing their own expectations of the experience and asserting their role within the unit. Consistent and supportive relationships with staff, family, friends, and their partners, were seen as influential in the maternal experience. Most significantly, good communication and strong relationships with staff were seen to improve maternal confidence. Information was highly valued by mothers, with some variation in their interactions with information, depending on individual needs and styles. The Babble app was considered a useful adjunct to traditional care formats by mothers who identified that they were able to adapt and integrate its use in alignment with their individual preferences and needs. Taken together, these findings suggest that for families, neonatal admission is a challenging and diverse experience. Staff are essential, not only as sources of information, but as part of a supportive relationship with families. The importance of informational support cannot be understated and its value in building parental self-efficacy and reducing parental distress was evidenced across both studies. Ultimately, the findings presented here suggest that informational resources, such as Babble, can act supportively for parents and therefore, are worthy of further development and exploration.
Balancing risk in sexual violence restorative justice : professional views on risk assessment for restorative justice processes addressing sexual violence : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctorate in Clinical Psychology at Massey University, Wellington, New Zealand
(Massey University, 2024) Bremer, Charlotte (Charlie) Grace
Sexual violence is an ongoing international human rights issue, often resulting in significant negative impacts, and not always well addressed within conventional criminal justice systems. Restorative justice following sexual violence (SVRJ) is a victim-centred justice process showing significant benefits for victim-survivors (including meeting justice needs and supporting recovery), perpetrators of harm (including insight, community reintegration, and reduced reoffending), and wider communities (encouraging accountability and addressing harmful beliefs). However, there is a risk of causing further harm through SVRJ, meaning professionals in this space have an obligation to manage risk as best as possible. Risk of further harm is one reason why SVRJ is not particularly common around the world, and why opinions are often divided regarding the appropriateness of its use. Currently, there are no standardised guidelines for assessing risk within SVRJ. Instead, professionals may rely on their judgement alone, which is the least reliable and valid method of risk assessment. The current research seeks to address this by investigating professional perspectives about the factors important within SVRJ risk assessment, and subsequently developing SVRJ risk assessment guideline recommendations, which could enable a structured and more reliable approach to SVRJ risk assessment. Professionals (n=16) experienced in the areas of SVRJ and RJ risk assessment were interviewed about their experiences of SVRJ risk assessment, particularly what they considered within their assessments and risk-related decisions. Interview data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis, with four themes identified: perceived participant preparedness, safe support systems, culturally competent assessment, and participant alignment. These findings formed the basis for developed SVRJ risk assessment guideline recommendations. Wider implications of the findings for SVRJ risk assessment, policy and practice are discussed. It is hoped that this research provides important insight into SVRJ professional practice and risk assessment and contributes to the safe use of SVRJ both in Aotearoa New Zealand and internationally, allowing more people to access the benefits of SVRJ in safe and considered ways.
Bariatric surgery : a literature review and results from the BaSE study : a grounded theory of constructing success for bariatric patients : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment for the requirements of the degree of Master of Science in Human Nutrition at Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand
(Massey University, 2019) Lake, Sara
Background: In New Zealand, around one-third of adults are categorised as medically ‘obese’ and at risk of related comorbidities such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, sleep apnoea and certain cancers. Obesity is complex, with an elaborate aetiology that encompasses physical, psychological and socio-economic domains. It has proved a tough challenge for health agencies to address, with lifestyle and pharmaceutical interventions consistently showing underwhelming to nil results, particularly for those classified as having class III obesity. Bariatric surgery is now widely accepted as the only effective treatment for severe obesity and related comorbidities with numbers of surgeries worldwide increasing exponentially each year. Objective: The aim of this review was to document an overview of the current knowledge base around bariatric surgery including its effectiveness, the accepted or proposed mechanisms of action and known issues, while also identifying areas of special interest, findings that could be incorporated into best practice and deficits in the research. Method: A focused non-systematic literature review was conducted through the Web of Science and PubMed databases using keywords relevant to each section of the review. Preference was given to apers that were recent, had large sample numbers, long follow-up times and that had been published in respected journals. Less prestigious papers were also included where they added to the depth and interest of the review. Results: A number of topics were identified which may be of interest to clinicians and provide direction for future research. These included the emerging area of the influence of gut hormones and the microbiome on surgery outcomes, the ongoing problem of pre- and post-surgical nutrient deficiencies and the crucial impact of psychological states and conditions on bariatric outcomes. Recommendations include more intensive physical and psychological screening and preparation, longer and more thorough follow-up protocols, managing patient expectations and expanding the definition of bariatric ‘success’ so that, as well as weight loss and improvement of physical comorbidities, it includes measurable psychological and psychosocial variables as well as subjective eating behaviours.
Barriers and enablers for school leaders implementing PB4L Tier 2 with fidelity in New Zealand secondary schools : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Education, Educational Administration and Leadership Subject at Massey University, Manawatū, New Zealand
(Massey University, 2019) Andrews, Stephanie Tania
This thesis explores the barriers and enablers to implementing Positive Behaviour for Learning (PB4L) Tier 2 with fidelity in New Zealand secondary schools. PB4L was introduced to New Zealand schools in 2010. It provides a framework that schools use to guide the implementation of evidence-based practice with the goal of reducing problem behaviour and providing a positive school culture. With a focus on evidence-based practice, fidelity of implementation is a core principle of PB4L. PB4L consists of three tiers that provide a continuum of behaviour supports for students. Tier 2 of the continuum targets approximately 15% of students within a school and offers small group response before students develop habitual patterns of behaviour. This mixed method, sequential explanatory design was conducted in two phases. In Phase I a quantitative survey was administered to principals and Tier 2 team leaders in New Zealand secondary schools. This was used to identify the extent to which schools were implementing Tier 2 interventions within their school, and to the identify barriers and enablers schools were experiencing in implementing PB4L Tier 2. In Phase II qualitative data was collected through semi-structured interviews with PB4L Tier 2 team leaders who had a wide range of experiences in the implementation of PB4L Tier 2, adding depth of explanation to the quantitative data. A number of barriers and enablers were identified, often the barrier or enabler was a different side of the same coin. Key enablers that emerged from this mixed methods research included the facilitation of shared learning between secondary schools, schools establishing strong external relationships with outside agencies, and proactive school leadership. Significant barriers included the time investment required to achieve ‘fidelity’ in interventions, efficient access to data, the complexity of the secondary environment and the limited range of easily resourced evidence-based interventions for use in a secondary school context.
Be(com)ing men in another place : the migrant men of Gandhi Nivas and their violent stories : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology at Massey University, Manawatū, Aotearoa New Zealand
(Massey University, 2021) Mattson, Anthony
The social issue of family violence in Aotearoa New Zealand is pervasive, profoundly gendered, and complexified through intersectionalities including poverty, unemployment, and ethnic and racial marginalisation. Speaking truth to power is important for victims of violence. However, men who use violence are often isolated and ignored because of their violence, and their stories are seldom heard. This research brings men who use violence back into our responses by exploring the complexities of their accounts using the conceptual apparatus of Deleuze and Guattari to rupture dominant representations and interpretations. This study is based at Gandhi Nivas, a community-led early intervention initiative in South Auckland. It follows a year of interactions with migrant men from India, South East Asia, and the Pacific Islands. All of the men have used violence against women. Unlike essentialising societal discourses that reductively characterise men who use violence as perpetrators, offenders, or deviant Others, the men’s stories are complicated and messy, with descriptions of authoritarian and patriarchal childhood experiences, obstructed agency and exploitation, anti-productive connections, and conflicting desires. The men’s gendered understandings move and their storying is often ambivalent and contradictory. Differences that emerge are not only differences between the men, but also for each man, and reflect movements that they make in their locatedness during their storying. To write these multiplicities and subjectivities into the thesis, I introduce a novel approach––Rhizography, or ‘writing the rhizome’––to disrupt the normalities of representation, interpretation and subjectivity. I am guided in this research by an ethic of care that is gendered, performative, and immanent, through which I plug into the research as a special kind of Deleuzo-Guattarian desiring-machine: a nurturing-machine that becomes a site of production to connect with men who use violence and hear their stories. A semi-autobiographical narrative also emerges in which I examine the tensions of simultaneously becoming ethical activist and researcher. The study contributes to new understandings about violence against women, by enabling movement beyond dominant perspectives of violence against women as pathologised behaviours to refocus analysis on the encounters between men who use violence and the broader social structures in which violence occurs.
Becoming (non)violent : accountability, subjectivity and ethical non-violence in response to intimate partner violence : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology at Massey University, Manawatū, Aotearoa New Zealand
(Massey University, 2019) Denne, Stephanie
This thesis joins a movement of critical resistance and ethical activism problematising the increased institutionalisation of domestic violence interventions. A Eurocentric, capitalist, and neoliberal knowledge economy appears incapable of accounting for or accommodating the multiple, intersecting gendered social power relations and conditions of possibility that enable violence against women and children. Through a process of reflexive reading, I draw on the work of philosopher and feminist theorist Judith Butler, engaging with theories of accounting for oneself, subjectivation and ethical non-violence to analyse men and women’s narratives of (non)violence in the context of a men’s stopping violence programme. I interrogate the sociocultural regimes of intelligibility, subjectivity and morality that produce the accountability of gendered subjects of violence at sites of ethical exchange, and the consequences of such a production for those affected by, and responding to, domestic violence. Throughout the thesis, I question how systems of response and intervention reproduce power relations of domination and oppression through the production of fixed and inflexible identity categories of difference and dis-ease for targeted surveillance, regulation and discipline. Accounts of oneself are read critically as sites of embodied and embedded violence, where demands for narrative consistency and coherence enable the denial, minimisation and justification of men’s violence as a response to the risk of condemnation and subjective threat. I examine how patriarchal and colonising narratives tolerate, justify and encourage violence as a reiterative practice of hegemonic masculinity, where the embedded masculine subject self-regulates and disciplines their embodied subjectivity for authority and control within hierarchical gender binaries. I consider how feminine subjects are positioned as inferior to, or a ‘lack of’ the masculine ideal, enabling the dehumanisation, exclusion and silencing of women as objects and technologies for masculine privilege and domination. I conclude by advocating for ethical non-violence in domestic violence research and response, acknowledging our shared subordination and vulnerability to sociocultural regulatory regimes. I imagine how suspending the satisfaction of judgement and practices of patience can facilitate processes of articulation to exceed the constraints of violent subjectivities and engage in processes of ‘becoming’ within collaborative partnerships of resistance, transformation and non- violence.
Becoming a ‘good’ Muslim woman : comparing habitus and everyday lived religiosity : an ethnographic study of Aotearoa New Zealand Muslim women : a dissertation presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Social Anthropology at Massey University, Palmerston North, Manawatu, New Zealand
(Massey University, 2023-11-10) Cheema, Hina Tabassum
For women like us Every day isn’t about a sunrise Every night isn’t about a sunset Between our sunrise and sunset There are puzzles to solve Of the pictures never seen before Missing and broken pieces And bits mixed up from other puzzles But surprisingly Sometimes we make them And other times, they break us And occasionally They are left unsolved Lingering in on our minds Becoming part of us This thesis is an ethnographic study of everyday lived experiences of Muslim women immigrants in Aotearoa New Zealand. Through a focus on everyday lived religiosity, I explore the lives of Muslim women, who are extremely diverse and in the state of becoming as depicted in the poem. I extend Bourdieu’s theory of Habitus by introducing Comparing Habitus as an analytical tool which allows us to comprehend and analyse the diversity, multiplicity, complexity, intersubjectivity, heterogeneity, fluidity and unfinishedness of Muslim women’s lived experiences in Aotearoa NZ. I also use Deleuze and Guattari’s notion of becoming and Das’s theory of everyday to understand the complex and intersubjective ways of becoming ‘good’ Muslim women and their negotiations of everyday challenges in a non-Muslim context. I use the framework of lived religion to capture my participants' experiences to understand these experiences as ordinary Muslims; e.g., what Muslims do rather than what Islam says. The use of poetry and autoethnographic commentaries throughout the thesis adds another layer to the analysis to confer insights and to help understand my participants’ experiences in more depth. The study concludes that being a Muslim woman immigrant in Aotearoa NZ is an ongoing agentive and complex process that is continuously defined and redefined, not always in a linear direction. Muslim women make sense of their lives through engagement with other Muslim women and use comparison as one of the key strategies to make everyday decisions. My research participants are on journeys to understand Islam more logically, using their agency to actively negotiate situations, and are constantly engaged in finding meaning in their lives. The study suggests the need to understand Muslim women as cultural and social beings who actively negotiate their everyday challenges.
Becoming a baker : factors contributing to the successful completion of the National Certificate in Food Production - Baking (Level 4) by apprentices in the New Zealand baking industry : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master in Education (Adult Education) at Massey University
(Massey University, 2002) Chan, Selena Y-Ling
Following the changeover from a Trade Certificate qualification to the unit standards based New Zealand National Certificate in Food Production - Baking (level 4), the number of apprentices completing a qualification in baking declined dramatically. Using sociocultural theories of learning as the context, case studies of apprentices who had completed the National Certificate at level 4 were studied to find out if there were significant factors that may be used by the baking industry to increase the number of apprentices who will complete successfully. The findings show that personal motivating factors play a large role in encouraging an apprentice to complete. One of the main motivating factors is the need for the apprentice to "become a baker". Support factors provided to apprentices were also studied and the roles of the employer, workplace assessor and the ITO regional manager were all found to be important factors contributing to the eventual success of the apprentice. This study concludes that in order for apprentices to succeed, not only must apprentices be self-motivated, but also the baking industry as a whole must take on the responsibility of ensuring that the members of the community of practice (that is the NZ baking industry) become conversant with the requirements for nurturing and guiding their apprentices towards the completion of the training, learning and assessments for obtaining National Certificate qualifications.