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    Workplace stress and reward : a case study of mental health workers' experiences : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Masters in Health Science endorsement in Psychology at Massey University, Manawatu, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2018) De Feijter, Femke
    A healthy workplace is now widely recognised as vital in the achievement of optimal wellbeing for employees and a thriving organisation. The purpose of this study was to gain insight into both the rewarding and stressful work experiences of Mental Health Workers (MHWs) in one community-based mental health care organisation. The focus was to shed light upon the strengths and weaknesses in this particular organisation for possible future remediation for staff and the organisation. The addition of reward and positive stress (eustress) ensured that there was also a focus upon positive qualities rather than solely pathology. Staff of Recovery Care (RC), an organisation situated in the North Island that supports individuals in the community who experience mental illness were invited to individually take part in a semi-structured interview. Twenty MHWs volunteered to participate ranging in ages 18 to 64 years old, with 15 participants identifying themselves as New Zealanders (10 NZ European, 5 NZ Maori and 5 other) and 16 as women. MHWs’ interview narratives were transcribed into a written format, thematically analysed and clear patterns and themes emerged. These were discussed in combination with relevant literature and theory, which thereafter supported the ability to provide recommendations for the organisation. The findings identified several areas that affect the health and wellbeing of MHWs and the functioning of the organisation. MHWs found working with clients, making a difference and having meaningful work to be most rewarding. Elements of eustress and strength were found in working with clients, competing demands, team/colleagues and certain aspects of the job (diversity, autonomy and flexibility). However the majority of MHWs found clients, management, change in management and competing demands to be distressing. Other weaknesses were around pay, resources and inadequate training. Upon further examination it became clear that a lack of reward, mismanagement and pay had a major impact on MHWs’ perception of their future with the organisation. This research highlights the importance of engaging with employees and gaining insight into their individual experiences of rewarding and stressful aspects in their work to be able to create healthier thriving workplaces with happy employees.
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    Personal projects, affect, and need satisfaction : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in psychology, at Massey University
    (Massey University, 1992) Ballantyne, Jonathan Thomas
    The present study investigated effects that patterns of purposeful human action, conceived as personal projects, have on positive and negative affect and need satisfaction. Replication was attempted of main effects reported in the literature for project attributes upon affective experience. More importantly, a more complex view of the effects of projects attributes was proposed whereby project attributes interact with each other and age and sex to influence affect. In addition, an investigation into the determinants of need satisfaction was conducted utilising both within- and between- subjects modes of analysis. Seventy respondents completed a questionnaire containing measures of positive and negative affect, a project elicitation list, and measures of the project attributes of need satisfaction, involvement, conflict, and time-frame. Regression analyses generally failed to replicate reported relationships between project attributes and positive or negative affect. In contrast, a number of significant interaction effects did emerge between project attributes and age and sex, although each of these related only to positive affect. These interactions were between involvement and age, conflict and sex, conflict and age. The determinants of need satisfaction were found to differ greatly in significance but not magnitude, according to the mode of analysis used. Need satisfaction was positively related to involvement, and engagement in long term projects, and negatively to interproject conflict. In addition to these main effects a hypothesized quadratic effect for project conflict was found and interaction between sex and conflict. The issues concerning which is the more appropriate level of analysis are discussed. It was concluded for the interaction analyses that, while project attributes may be considered as independent influences upon positive affect, they should not be considered independently of age and sex. It is concluded that projects did not adequately match expectations of relating to affect and need satisfaction and are limited in their seeming inability to account for negative affect.
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    What is motivation? : building conceptual clarity : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Psychology at Massey University
    (Massey University, 2009) Leith, Rebecca
    The following exploratory research was conducted to begin to build conceptual clarity for the currently ambiguous construct of motivation. Motivation is a term that is used extensively within psychology and psychotherapy. The construct of motivation has multiple theories explaining this complex phenomenon, each with their own definition. The vast array of definitions pertaining to motivation creates conceptual confusion between researchers and in turn unreliable motivational measures. Q Methodology was used to bring a subjective viewpoint towards the research. This subjective approach allowed the opinions of the target population to determine the type of information used in analysis. Results indicate that participants view motivation as an internal and emotional process. This research proposed a definition of motivation, as it is referred to in psychotherapy. The findings propose that motivation is an internal process fueled by emotions that energize the body towards action at a conscious level. The thought processes of an individual ignite a purpose which initiates a drive towards a change of state. Positive reinforcement of this action will perpetuate future action. Negative reinforcement of this action will decrease the likelihood of the action reoccurring. These findings are discussed and future recommendations are suggested. A replication of this research would provide further support for these findings.
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    Sticking it out : participation and discontinuation motives of young players in hockey : a New Zealand case study : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Business Studies in Sport Management at Massey University
    (Massey University, 2002) Bowie, Cushla
    The present study investigated the reasons why year 11, 12, 13 and recent school leavers in the Palmerston North/Manawatu area participated in, or discontinued playing hockey. A longitudinal case study was used as the research design involving three different time parts. Two hundred and eighty six subjects completed the participation or discontinuation motivation questionnaire, over the three stages, depending on whether they were participating in, or had discontinued from playing hockey. A mixed methodology approach was used to gather data, through questionnaires and interviews. A modified version of the Participation Motivation Questionnaire (PMQ) developed by Gill, Gross and Huddleston (1983) was used for the participation research, while discontinuation research was obtained based on the Sport Non-participation Scale (McNally & Orlick, 1977, cited in Ostrow, 1996) and Gaskin's Discontinuation Motivation Questionnaire (DMQ). The findings revealed multiple underlying motives for participation in hockey. A three-component factor solution in Stages One and Two demonstrated self, physical and team orientations, with Stage Three revealing a two factor solution, with self and physical/team orientations, as significant motives for participation in hockey. The findings indicate, that fun and enjoyment were salient factors in young peoples participation in hockey. Discontinuation results suggested a combination of motives as the most influential for participants' discontinuation in hockey including 'I wanted to do something else', 'I didn't have time to play hockey' and ' I wanted to play another sport'. The implications of these results for parents, coaches and administrators are that there needs to be a greater awareness as to individual's motives for playing or ceasing hockey participation. To maintain players, suggestion made are to make trainings stimulating and fun for players, help skill acquisition and improvement, provide time for players to be with friends in a learning environment. Parents, coaches and administrators need to work with practitioners to create programmes orientated toward satisfying motives of sport expressed by participants. Implications for practitioners are to be aware of changes facing youths as they enter the transitional phase, i.e. lifestyle changes, new friends, environment and teams. Areas for further research include carrying out more longitudinal studies looking at participants over a time period rather than just one moment in time. Also looking at the same sample over an extended time period to see how participant's orientation toward sport participation alters, this may also reveal whether participants who had discontinued had made a temporary or permanent decision. Qualitative in-depth interviews could be carried out with participants who have discontinued to provide the researcher with a more detailed understanding of why discontinuation took place.
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    Why do administrators volunteer for provincial and club rugby in New Zealand? : an application of Clary et al.'s (1998) Volunteer functions inventory (VFI) to understand the motivations and commitment of volunteer administrators : a ... thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master's of Business Studies in Management at Massey University
    (Massey University, 2004) Dunlop, Amy Marie
    The primary aim of this study was to investigate the validity and reliability of the Volunteer Functions Inventory (VFI) as a tool for measuring the motives of administration volunteers involved in provincial and club rugby in New Zealand. The secondary aim was to investigate the demographics, motives, benefits, satisfactions and intentions to continue to volunteer of participants. The study was conducted with a sample of 604 volunteer administrators from provincial and club rugby in New Zealand. Data was collected via a self-administered questionnaire that was posted to participants, and was then analysed using SPSS (version 12.0). Factor analysis indicated six functions that are served by volunteering for this sample and, these motives differ from those discovered by previous studies. In particular, a new motive, Cause, was revealed where an individual volunteers because of their passion for the particular cause they are involved with. This new function was the most important motive for volunteering for this sample. Volunteers were generally satisfied with their experience and intended to be volunteering in at least one years time. Multiple regression analysis indicated that individuals who volunteer for the Cause and Understanding motives, and, volunteers that felt the work they did was appreciated, were more likely to be satisfied with their experience. There were no substantial differences in the results between provincial level and club level volunteers. The paper concludes that further work is required to develop the VFI into a valid and reliable tool to measure the motives of volunteers for this population. In particular, investigation of the Cause motive, and development of the questions is required to enable the VFI to be more relevant to rugby in New Zealand.