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    A study of out-of-home care : what about the caregivers? : a thesis presented in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Psychology at Massey University
    (Massey University, 1999) Murphy, Christine M
    The primary aim of the present study was twofold. The first was to examine caregivers' perceptions of their caregiving experiences: that is, how well their professional needs were met, their job satisfaction, and how well the children in their care were functioning. The second was to determine if these factors were related to caregivers' psychological wellbeing. The study also investigated relationships between caregivers' parenting practices, the behaviour, needs, and progress of children in their care, and psychological wellbeing. The final aim of the study was to examine caregivers' motives in having sought caregiving work, to determine if more altruistic or more egoistic motives played a role in caregivers' work-related experiences and psychological wellbeing. One hundred and fourteen caregivers completed a battery of measures which assessed demographic information, perceptions of caregiving experiences, motives for caregiving, levels of psychological wellbeing, and preferred parenting practices. Results indicated that higher levels of total support (i.e. formal and informal support), social work support, job satisfaction, improved functioning of children in care, and positive parenting practices were positively related to higher levels of psychological wellbeing. Positive parenting practices were also related to the improved functioning of children in care. Multiple regression analyses showed that positive parenting practices were the most important predictor of psychological wellbeing, and also that higher levels of total support best predicted caregiver satisfaction. Psychological wellbeing was not related to perceptions of professional status, effects of caregiving on caregivers' own families, or to caregivers' relationships with the natural families of foster children. It was found that almost all respondents endorsed altruistic motives but it was not determined whether more altruistic motives enhance caregiver functioning and wellbeing. The overall implication drawn from the findings is that support and training which assists caregivers with parenting skills may be particularly useful for fostering their wellbeing and satisfaction, and also for the improved functioning of children in their care. Further research and methods for studying factors related to caregiver wellbeing, and the improved functioning of children in out-of-home care are discussed.
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    Introspectiveness during adolescence : an investigation of a personality trait and its relationship with psychological well-being : a thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Clinical Psychology, Massey University, Wellington, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2013) Reynolds, Anna Claire
    Historically, introspectiveness as a personality trait has been treated as a uni-dimensional and simplistic process that operates the same way for everyone. Consequently, the relationship between introspectiveness and psychological well-being has been treated as equally simplistic and universally uniform. This is in spite of research examining other self-focus processes suggesting that this relationship is likely to be considerably more complex. Therefore, the aim of this thesis was to explore introspectiveness more thoroughly and broadly than prior research has, in order to more adequately understand this complex phenomenon and its relationship with psychological well-being. An adolescent sample group was selected given the propensity for introspectiveness during this developmental period. The first study investigated a 12-item introspection instrument (Hansell, Mechanic and Brondolo, 1986, Introspection Scale) to ascertain whether there are distinct types of introspection embedded within it, and whether they would be associated with different types and amounts of self-reported symptoms. A factor analysis revealed three reasonably distinct factors or ‘types’ of introspection, which were identified as Self Analysis, Egocentrism, and Psychological Awareness. These broad types of introspection, as well as individual items on the Introspection scale, were associated with differing types and amounts of self-reported problems, providing support for the hypothesis that introspectiveness is a multi-faceted process with varying implications. In particular, some aspects of Psychological Awareness were generally associated with adaptive attributes, and Self Analysis (or reflecting on the ‘whys’ of life) was associated with problematic attributes. Investigating how these types of introspection relate to emotional symptoms in the context of three important psychological resources (mindfulness, cognitive flexibility and emotional clarity), was investigated in a second study. Path analysis techniques were used to examine these relationships. Support was found for an indirect relationship between introspection and emotional symptoms, through the three psychological resources. This suggested that the relationship between introspection and psychological well-being depends on other intrapersonal or contextual factors, and that therefore, adaptive levels of psychological resources may influence the relationship between introspection and psychological well-being. The implications of this research for both empirical understanding of cognitive processes potentially specific to adolescence, as well as broader clinical and therapy contexts, are discussed.
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    The impact of traumatic and organizational stressors on New Zealand police recruits : a longitudinal investigation of psychological health and posttraumatic growth outcomes : a thesis presented in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology at Massey University Turitea Campus Aotearoa/New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2002) Huddleston, Lynne Mary
    Police officers face exposure to traumatic events due to the inherent nature of their profession. As well, as with the employees of any large organization, they are subjected to daily organizational events within their workplace (resource concerns, interactions with co-workers, administrative hassles). Very little is known as to the extent to which these organizational events moderate the development of traumatic stress outcomes. Investigations of police well-being have almost inevitably focused on negative work events and their pathogenic consequences. However, this study seeks to widen this pathogenic orientation by also considering the impact of positive daily work events (uplifts), and by evaluating a possible salutogenic outcome; the development of posttraumatic growth. A longitudinal methodology was utilized to establish baseline measures of traumatic event exposure (the TSS) and psychological well-being (the IES and the HSCL-21). All the 673 recruits who entered police college over one year were invited to participate in the study, and the 512 who completed the first questionnaire were reassessed one year later. The second questionnaire contained measures to assess the impact of the organizational environment (Uplifts and Hassles Scales), police traumatic events (a modified TSS), and posttraumatic growth outcomes (the PTGI). Parametric analyses and hierarchical multiple regression were used to evaluate the study hypotheses and post-hoc analyses investigated moderating effects. The recruits entered the police with high levels of prior traumatic event exposure, which, during the following year substantially increased. Psychological health remained in a robust condition, and psychological distress did not increase, although officers who experienced on-duty and multiple traumatic events had significantly higher traumatic stress than those who did not. Other important findings were that the organizational environment contributed to psychological distress outcomes, and post-hoc analyses indicated that this had an important interrelationship with traumatic stress outcomes as well. Organizational uplifts had a salutogenic effect upon physical health, and aided the development of posttraumatic growth following traumatic exposure. This study has supported the development of a synthesized research orientation that combines salutogenic as well as pathogenic research methodologies.