Massey Documents by Type
Permanent URI for this communityhttps://mro.massey.ac.nz/handle/10179/294
Browse
34 results
Search Results
Item Loto Malie (Contented Heart) : understanding Pacific youth mental wellbeing : a thesis by publication presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology at Massey University, Albany, New Zealand(Massey University, 2024) Auva'a-Alatimu, Taulaga MonicaThe voices and perspectives of Pacific young people can often be overlooked, yet they are instrumental in shaping the future of today’s society; their voices need to be amplified. Pacific youth, a diverse and vibrant group in Aotearoa New Zealand, are facing growing mental health concerns and are less likely than youth of other ethnicities to seek psychological help due to stigma and a lack of mental health awareness. The paucity of culturally appropriate psychological interventions may contribute to Pacific youth’s reluctance to seek help. The Ministry of Health has encouraged the implementation of Pacific worldviews when promoting the wellbeing of Pacific youth. This study aimed to contribute to the development of new knowledge in Pacific Mental health research and psychological interventions for Pacific youth. To date, there has been limited published research on psychological approaches which integrate spirituality, culture and a digital intervention for promoting mental wellbeing in Pacific youth. This research explores Pacific youth’s experiences of engaging with mental health tools, specifically a Pacific mental health intervention developed for the very purpose of meeting the needs of Pacific youth, Loto Malie (contented heart). In exploring youth experiences and perspectives on mental health, prioritising Pacific-Indigenous knowledge in the research methodology was fundamental. Consequently, the Fa’afaletui and Talanoa frameworks, which draw on Pacific-Indigenous methodologies, provided culturally sound processes for engagement with Pacific youth which allowed them to share their stories and experiences authentically. The findings highlight the key themes that formulate and conceptualise the Loto Malie therapeutic framework, revealing the importance of interweaving culture and spirituality within the therapeutic environment, especially as this strengthened Pacific youth engagement with this approach. At the outset, the aim of this PhD was to explore digital mental health tools with youth, given the low uptake of such tools specifically among Pacific youth. The primary researcher developed an innovative cultural digital mental health intervention, Loto Malie 2.0 Mukbang + mental health, as an interim measure during the pandemic. This innovative approach was shared privately (upon invitation) via YouTube and Facebook. Loto Malie 2.0 aimed to provide accessible cultural and clinical examples that promoted mental health awareness and meaningful connections with the viewers, who were predominantly young adults. Overall, developing the Loto Malie programme and Loto Malie 2.0 allowed young people to attain mental health knowledge and equipped them with relevant tools for wellbeing improvement. Therefore, this newfound knowledge and wisdom provided initial evidence that Pacific youth engage effectively with mental health tools when they are grounded in a Pacific therapeutic approach embedded within their worldviews. The Loto Malie therapeutic framework aims to serve as a guide for Pacific therapeutic approaches to enhance the overall wellbeing of Pacific youth.Item Evaluating Te Reo Tuakiri : acceptance and commitment therapy in a schools-based resilience programme in Aotearoa : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Clinical Psychology at Massey University, Auckland, New Zealand(Massey University, 2024-08-08) Burt, ReganThe mental health of Aotearoa’s (New Zealand) rangatahi (young people) has received considerable attention in recent years due to increasing rates of psychological distress and suicidality. Evidence shows these difficulties are greater for Māori and Pacific rangatahi and those living in low socioeconomic areas. The New Zealand government’s 2018 inquiry into mental health recommended implementing early intervention programmes in schools to help rangatahi learn about mental health and develop skills to build their resilience. One such intervention is Te Reo Tuakiri, a new resilience programme offered to rangatahi in secondary schools across Aotearoa. Run by the bi-lingual social impact organisation M3, the content of Te Reo Tuakiri is informed by Te Ao Māori (Māori worldview) models of wellbeing and acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT). The programme utilises a tuakana-teina (relationship between an older person and a younger person) approach, whereby the rangatahi learn resilience skills and pūrākau (Māori legends) which they then go on to teach to tamariki (children) at a nearby kindergarten. This thesis evaluated the Te Reo Tuakiri programme’s inaugural offerings in two secondary schools in Tamaki Makaurau (Auckland). The aims of this evaluation were to investigate the effect the Te Reo Tuakiri programme was having on participant resilience and psychological flexibility and to investigate participants’ experiences, understandings, and practices of ACT processes as taught in the programme, alongside their cultural applicability. To achieve these aims this research took a mixed-methods approach to evaluation and involved the quantitative analysis of measures of resilience and psychological flexibility at three time points, alongside thematic analysis of focus groups with students and facilitators following completion of the programmes. The main findings of this study showed improvement in participants resilience from pre- to post-programme with a medium effect size. However, the participants did not see a significant difference in their psychological flexibility across the programme (pre to post), though there was a medium effect size from pre- to mid-programme. Further, no significant correlation was found between measures of resilience and psychological flexibility at any of the three time points. The qualitative portion of this study helped to provide some context to these findings. The themes generated highlighted instances where students provided evidence of several ACT-congruent perspectives that were beneficial in helping rangatahi better manage their private experiences and act on these newly developed skills. However, there were also instances where students expressed ACT-incongruent perspectives. The qualitative analysis also provided support for the programmes cultural applicability and demonstrated the successful adaptation of ACT processes for a Māori cultural context. Taken together, these findings demonstrate support for the Te Reo Tuakiri programme as an effective resilience intervention and adds to a small pool of research indicating ACT may be an appropriate intervention for addressing the mental health needs of rangatahi in Aotearoa. Limitations of the present study as well as recommendations for Te Reo Tuakiri and areas of future research are also presented.Item What do we mean by good outcomes for youth? : an exploration of how young people and those who work with them in positive youth development contexts perceive outcomes : a thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, School of Social Work at Massey University, Manawatū, New Zealand(Massey University, 2022) Mercier, JayneThis qualitative exploratory study sought to understand how outcomes, defined as gains made by young people, were perceived by youth and staff in a range of local positive youth development (PYD) settings, and whether or not the Five Cs model aligned and could function as an outcomes framework. The Five Cs include: Confidence, Competence, Connection, Caring, and Character, and are seen to lead to a sixth C of Contribution. Exploration included understanding how outcomes were defined, understood, experienced, operationalised, and prioritised in PYD settings; the similarities and differences in outcome perception; whether or not there was enough similarity to form an outcomes framework; and, if so, whether the resulting framework could align with the Five Cs model. Interviews and focus groups with 110 youth and 17 staff participants in 14 PYD programmes across Tāmaki Makaurau (Auckland) informed the study aims. Data were analysed using framework analysis, and critical realism and PYD provided the theoretical frameworks. Analysis indicated nine key outcomes. These were grouped under three themes: 1) Behavioural Outcomes, which included skills, achievement, giving back and agency; 2) Internal Outcomes, which included confidence, future focus and positive affect; and 3) Relational Outcomes which included connection and positive identity. Skills, agency, confidence, connection, and positive identity were seen as key outcomes, and the value of programmes for youth identity development was highlighted. Three key programme processes which supported outcomes to occur were a Youth-Centric Space, an Accepting Atmosphere, and Leader/Adult Behaviours. All of the identified outcomes were discussed in most programme settings, indicating sufficient similarity to form a broad outcomes framework using these outcomes. Suggestions for application of the framework to programme measurement were made. Current definitions of the Five Cs did not appear to capture the nuances of local outcome perception; and local definitions offering greater alignment were proposed. Analysis through a critical realist lens identified recognition and agency as causal mechanisms, which combined to form ‘the magic of programmes’ and helped youth to meet their needs and goals. Critical realism is argued as a valuable tool for PYD research because of its ability to provide structural explanations for outcomes.Item ‘Porn literacy’ as pedagogy? : key stakeholder perspectives on understanding and responding to young people's engagement with internet pornography : a dissertation presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology at Massey University, Manawatū, New Zealand(Massey University, 2021) Healy-Cullen, SiobhánYouth encounters with Internet pornography (IP) have led to global concern regarding the healthy sexual socialisation of youth. A growing body of critical research recognises young people as agentic political actors in their sexual socialisation with legitimate knowledge of their own experiences, and seeks to understand their perspectives alongside those of influential adults in their lives. Grounded in social constructionist thinking, my research extends this emerging body of knowledge. I investigate how key stakeholders (16-18-year-olds, caregivers, and educators) account for and discursively construct youth engagement with IP, and explore their perspectives on porn literacy education. The central premise of this scholarship is to determine how such knowledge might translate positively for young people through sexuality education that recognises their lived realities. Key stakeholders were recruited from nine schools across the North Island of Aotearoa, New Zealand. A mixed-methods design was employed over sequential phases, comprising an online survey (N = 484), a Q-sort (N = 30), and semi-structured interviews (N = 24). Descriptive statistical analyses of the survey data provided a preliminary understanding of youth engagement with IP; a specialised software programme assisted with factor analysis for the Q-methodological study investigating perspectives towards porn literacy education; and interview data were analysed by means of a critical thematic analysis, drawing on a feminist discursive approach to sexual scripting theory. Key research findings are presented across four research articles and indicate that; (i) (gendered) youth engagement with IP is commonplace, and there are varied understandings between stakeholder groups and across genders as to why and how these encounters occur, (ii) youth take up agentic positions that suggest they are active, legitimate sexual citizens, and adults generally harbour concerns about recognising youth in this way, and (iii) the construction of childhood innocence dubiously positions youth as uncritical, ‘at risk’ viewers of IP. Accordingly, protectionist adult intervention is justified and conceptualised in accordance with this construction of youth. My research highlights dominant and alternative constructions about youth sexuality, and describes the synergies and discrepancies across key stakeholder perspectives about youth engagement with IP. Importantly, my findings suggest some youth engage with IP in a more nuanced manner than typically assumed. Through gaining a comprehensive understanding of stakeholders' perspectives, the findings of my research expand scholarly knowledge by providing practical inquiry into the potential of porn literacy as pedagogy.Item The role of the private sector in providing access to educational and employment opportunities in PNG : a case study of the Work Readiness Institute, Lihir Island, PNG : a research project presented in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of International Development, Institute of Development Studies, Massey University, Manawatu, New Zealand(Massey University, 2020-06) Tyro, Sophie LynneDespite Papua New Guinea being resource rich, the country has struggled to turn these revenues into positive development results with PNG still lagging behind in all development indicators. Mining companies within the country have made effort to contribute positively to development, and are increasingly held to account through critical evaluation and measuring effects by way of social impact assessments. This paper seeks to look specifically at the role of the Work Ready Institute, situated within the special mining lease of Newcrest Mining Ltd., Lihir Island, New Ireland Province. The WRI has been developed by the mining company as a training and development program that provides trainees with the skills necessary to access employment opportunities available within Newcrest and is specifically aimed at young Lihirians. The aims of this research project are, firstly, to investigate the obstacles to educational success that exist for students at the Work Ready Institute, an educational training facility administered by Lihir Gold Limited (LGL). In understanding these challenges, the second aim is to explore how the mine, the WRI, and the trainees can work together for better educational outcomes. The overall context of this research project is to critically examine the education system in PNG by looking at the history of education in PNG and how this history relates to recent curriculum reforms. The research considers the available literature surrounding education in PNG as well as the extractive industries and the way in which the latter can partner with the government to improve educational outcomes in the country. This research considers these through the framework of Corporate Social Responsibility, particularly looking at the motivations of CSR within the mining industry and its influence on outcomes and sustainability of social performance initiatives. Broadly speaking, the conclusion of this research project speaks to the need for social performance initiatives to be well considered in partnership with the very people the project is aimed at through effective social assessment and monitoring. There needs to be a clear objective for the program, and all stakeholders need to understand the objective in order to find success. Most importantly, the outcome of the initiative needs to satisfy business objectives in order to ensure continuity and sustainability during the mine life, as social performance requires long-term investment in order to deliver effective social change. And herein lies the difficulty: placing priority on business outcomes, like social performance, while also prioritising the needs of the community. True partnerships in sustainable development are when interests of all stakeholders are met.Item Synergising youth empowerment and co-design to transform Pasifika youth into agents of social change : a novel approach to advance healthy lifestyles in Pasifika communities : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements of Doctor of Philosophy in Public Health at Massey University, Wellington campus, New Zealand(Massey University, 2020) Prapavessis, DaniCurrent population health statistics demonstrate the need for innovative approaches to improve health outcomes and prevent non-communicable disease (NCD) for Pasifika peoples. This research builds off pilot studies on the effects of youth empowerment programmes to address obesity-related issues amongst Pasifika communities. It developed and tested an original model of co-design embedded within the youth empowerment framework of the Pasifika Prediabetes Youth Empowerment Programme. The programme was co-delivered with two community health service providers (one rural and one urban), employing Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR) methodology. N=29 youth (aged 15-24 years) participated in eleven educational and capacity-building modules that comprised the empowerment and co-design components during weekly sessions from MayOctober 2018. At the end of the programme, the model of co-design generated two individualised community intervention action plans to reduce prediabetes in their communities. This research employed a qualitative research design with four data collection techniques and thematic analysis to evaluate the effects of the tested programme. It used an original framework of social change to determine the impacts on the youth’s values, knowledge, and behaviours as well as the community organisations, and the socio-cultural norms of each community. It also explicated the contextual considerations of programme uptake in each location. Overall, this research illustrated that co-design is an effective addition to empowerment frameworks. It demonstrated how to operationalise co-design in a community-based setting with youth, and the tested model provided a practical framework to translate empowerment ii outcomes into the community. The programme analyses also led to a more nuanced understanding of social change. This research developed a concept of the process of social change that can be used to inform future programme development and evaluation. This research suggests future translations of the programme to maximise uptake and postulates different community contexts and settings for delivery, beyond Pasifika prediabetes prevention.Item The sexual stories of adults who have lived in out-of-home care as young people : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Social Work at Massey University, Albany, New Zealand(Massey University, 2019) Vague, Tiffany MelindaYoung people who are in out-of-home care occupy a space in which what is public and what is intimate intersect. Families, sexuality and reproduction are interconnected and subjected to implicit and explicit government regulation. In contemporary liberal societies, the emphasis on parents caring for their children leads to discourses that call into question the worth of children who are not looked after by their parents. In 17th century Europe, these beliefs were associated with moralism; in contemporary New Zealand, these beliefs are associated with neoliberalism. Sexual stories are “simply the narratives of the intimate life, focussed especially around the erotic, the gendered and the relational” Plummer (1995, p. 6). Utilising a narrative methodology, this research involved a series of interviews with ten adults who had spent time in out-of-home care as young people to explore the sexual stories of those who have been in out-of-home care to consider three research questions: firstly, how the public and the intimate converge at the intersection between sexuality and the provision of out-of-home care, secondly, the intersection between experiences of out-of-home care, sexual and romantic relationships, and lastly the meaning that adults who have been in out-of-home care have made of their lives. The responses to these questions were underpinned by the theory of meaning making, which describes “a sophisticated understanding of the relationship between the psychological and the social, between the past and the present, and between emotion and thought” (Kegan, 1982, p. 15). Participants were aware of being positioned as existing outside of dominant social discourses and being perceived as less worthy because they had been in out-of-home care. The stigma associated with being in out-of-home care intersected with sexual stigma that they experienced. Participants actively sought power, agency and inclusion and imagined that if they were to have socially acceptable relationships with socially acceptable partners, they would experience a sense of social inclusion that they had not experienced before. Relationships were made more challenging by the fact that participants had to discover how to have a healthy relationship when they had seen few examples of these in their own lives. Making meaning was more challenging for adult participants who have been in out-of-home care as young people, as not only did they have very complex lives and relationships of which to make meaning, they often lacked relationships with key family members to help them make this meaning. Participants who had made meaning of their experiences in out-of-home care before entering a relationship expressed more satisfaction within their relationships than those who had not made meaning. This research calls into question the neoliberal foundations on which the New Zealand child protection system is predicated but acknowledges that in the immediate future young people will come into out-of-home care. Thus, based on the findings of this research this thesis makes several recommendations to improve that system. The first is a system that promotes better connection between young people in out-of-home care and their caregivers and social workers. The second recommendation is the prioritisation of life-story work with young people in out-of-home care. Both deeper connections and more opportunities for young people in out-of-home care to make meaning of the lives will provide a foundation in which social workers and caregivers are able to engage in meaningful sex and relationship education with the young people that they care for. These changes, as with any development of policy and practice should be informed by the voices of those who are in, or who have been in, out-of-home care.Item Piloting a dialectical behavioural therapy-based skills with New Zealand youth in care using three case studies : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Psychology at Massey University, Albany, New Zealand(Massey University, 2019) Morton, Lara AnneChildren in care are a complicated and vulnerable population. Youth who live in the care of the State often present with behaviours that are challenging to manage and which leave those around them struggling, whether they are caregivers or peers. Behaviour such as shown by these youth, is commonly thought to be an expression of emotional dysregulation or an attempt to regulate emotions. Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT) is a therapy designed to support clients with extreme emotional dysregulation whose behaviour can be similar to what is observed in youth in care. DBT skills groups as a standalone intervention have been shown to support youth with emotional dysregulation and the resulting behavioural difficulties. The aim of the current research is to understand the experiences of New Zealand youth in care participating in a DBT based skills group. The research uses three case studies to explore each participant’s engagement with the activities and skills individually throughout the eight sessions. This will be done using in-group observations, what they thought and felt about the group and whether staff working with the young people identified any behavioural changes. Preliminary results demonstrated positive engagement with the skills, noted positive change from those working with the young people, as well as positive reports of behavioural change and increased understanding from the participants themselves.Item The psychosocial interactions of adolescent and young adult (AYA) cancer survivors and the possible relationship with their development : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Clinical Psychology at Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand(Massey University, 2019) Cameron, NicoleAdolescents and Young Adults (AYAs) with cancer may be particularly affected by social interactions, as they can be grappling with both a serious illness and normal developmental challenges. The present research aims to increase the understanding of the psychosocial interactions of AYAs with cancer and how these interactions can be grouped and organised in relation to each other. Furthermore, this research hopes to examine the relationship that cancer has with the developmental trajectory of this population, and how social interactions influence this relationship. As development is an important aspect of this age group, it is appropriate to consider both psychosocial interactions and the development of AYA survivors. Qualitative interviews asked ten participants (aged 16-25 years) to describe their psychosocial interactions and examined how these might affect their development. Thematic analysis identified a range of themes including: the importance of personal privacy and controlled sharing of information, independence, identity formation, positivity, acknowledgement of cancer vs. being treated normally, and receiving support instead of supporting others. In the one year follow-up interviews with five participants, half of these themes remained constant; however the personal privacy, independence and supporting others themes changed. Development appeared to be impacted by cancer for both adolescents and young adults, but this impact lessened over a one-year period. A quantitative study followed, which involved asking thirty AYAs to sort psychosocial interactions using a GOPA card-sort process, resulting in a multidimensional model of interactions. Interactions were derived from a combination of the aforementioned interviews, and a similar model completed for an Honours thesis. This model showed that AYAs conceptualise interactions in two main ways: through their perception of emotional response (avoidance/discomfort interactions opposed support interactions) and empathy (empathic actions/encouragement interactions opposed thoughtlessness interactions). Unfortunately the sample size was too small to complete two separate models comparing age differences, and therefore an understanding of developmental disparities in conceptualising interactions was unable to occur. Overall, social interactions and developmental stage appear to influence AYAs’ experience of cancer. Together, these two studies provide an understanding of how AYAs in New Zealand experience and perceive psychosocial interactions. Furthermore, there is an enhanced understanding of the developmental impact that cancer has on AYAs’ interactions. This research proudly contributes to the body of knowledge on AYAs in New Zealand, their psychosocial needs and the way cancer impacts on their development.Item Age-related determinants of the walk-to-run transition in youth : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Sport and Exercise Science, Massey University, Wellington, New Zealand(Massey University, 2020) Kung, Stacey MikaylaThere is a lack of consensus regarding when mature or adult-like gait is achieved in youth. The ability to adjust gait during the walk-to-run transition (WRT) may be a good indicator of whether gait has matured. Specifically, age-related differences in the preferred transition speed (PTS) and determinants of WRT can provide insight into self-organising behaviours and how effectively gait patterns are regulated in youth. This thesis therefore assessed WRT in 49 youth (10-17-year-olds) and 13 young adults (19-29-year-olds) to: 1) investigate how effectively youth can adjust to increasing gait speed; and 2) explore age-related differences in determinants of PTS. Participants completed a WRT treadmill protocol that started at a self-selected walking speed and increased by 0.06 m∙s⁻¹ every 30 s to determine PTS. Participants also walked and ran on a treadmill at speeds near PTS (PTS, PTS±0.14 m·s⁻¹, PTS±0.28 m·s⁻¹). During these tests, muscle activity (rectus femoris, biceps femoris, tibialis anterior, medial gastrocnemius), oxygen consumption, heart rate and perceived exertion were assessed for their role in determining PTS. There were no age-related differences in PTS despite there being anthropometric differences. However, 10-12-year-olds exhibited more exploratory behaviour when determining PTS, while adults and 15-17-year-olds generally used a single transition to determine PTS. Age-related differences in PTS determinants were observed. Specifically, the biceps femoris and medial gastrocnemius were additional weak links among 10-12-year-olds and 10-17-year-olds, respectively, suggesting these muscles continue developing through childhood and adolescence. Because youth transition to minimise the demands of more muscles than adults, they may have more conflicting sources of feedback arising from the musculature when adjusting their gait. The 10-14-year-olds also exhibited greater difficulties distinguishing differences in perceived exertion between walking and running at speeds near PTS. The inability to anticipate increases in effort as gait speed increased could explain the indecisiveness in determining PTS among 10-12-year-olds. Overall, this thesis improves our understanding about rate-limiting factors of gait maturation. It seems that 10-12-year-olds have more conflicting sensory cues involved in regulating gait, which can cause difficulties determining how to optimise their gait. As the musculoskeletal system matures through adolescence, so does the ability to adapt gait effectively.