Massey Documents by Type

Permanent URI for this communityhttps://mro.massey.ac.nz/handle/10179/294

Browse

Subject: search.filters.subject.Alternative treatment

Search Results

Now showing 1 - 8 of 8
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    An exploration of factors that have facilitated and constrained access, adoption and availability of mind-body therapies as adjunctive interventions to treat trauma-related conditions in Aotearoa, New Zealand : a thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Clinical Psychology at Massey University - Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa, Albany, Aotearoa New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2025-06-29) Standing, Meredith
    This qualitative study explores factors that facilitate and constrain the use of mind-body interventions to treat trauma-related conditions in Aotearoa New Zealand (NZ). The phenomenon explored references mind-body therapies as an adjunctive treatment option with a focus on trauma-sensitive yoga. This study is intended to examine mind-body interventions as a complementary treatment approach and augmentation of interventions such as cognitive behavioural therapies and other validated, evidence-based approaches to treating trauma-related conditions. There is a significant body of literature that supports the use of talk therapies, such as cognitive behavioural therapy, to treat symptoms associated with trauma-related mental health conditions. Recent research has revealed that in many cases, trauma cannot be resolved through interventions that utilise talk therapies alone, as trauma, according to some theorists, is located not only in the core of the brain but also within the body. A practical treatment approach to mitigate individual experiences of trauma is to integrate Western psychological talk therapy approaches with those that focus on calming the nervous system, such as trauma-sensitive yoga, romiromi, mindfulness, and somatic experiencing. The current study highlights factors across the social system that have facilitated and constrained the access, adoption, and availability of mind-body therapies as complementary approaches for treating trauma-related conditions in the NZ context. Findings in the current study highlight that in the NZ context, few factors have facilitated access, adoption and availability of mind-body therapies as adjunctive interventions to treat trauma-related mental health conditions. A more significant number of factors, it appears, have constrained access, adoption and availability of mind-body therapies. Findings illuminate an overall positive attitude toward the utility of mind-body therapies as adjunctive treatments for trauma-related conditions, which highlights the potential for greater use of such interventions in the NZ setting.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    The co-design of a chat telepsychotherapy manual for Indonesians with minor depression : a thesis presented in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology at Massey University, Auckland, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2024-04-08) Endro, Wisnu Tri Widodo
    The primary aim of this study was to address a gap found in the discipline of Psychology and mental health treatment in the Indonesian setting. Advances in technology and the changing lifestyle of Indonesians made distance mental health treatment a common practice. This study focuses on one of the few options for distance mental health treatment, Chat Telepsychotherapy, which has gained popularity among Indonesians, especially the Millennials and Gen Z in Indonesia. The main issue with the phenomenon was the unavailability of comprehensive, evidence-based guidelines on how to best execute such a therapy. Thus, this study aimed to create a manual that could help the community of Indonesian Clinical Psychologists to deliver Chat Telepsychotherapy to Indonesians. The study limits the scope to Indonesian Millennials and Gen Z who suffer from Minor Depression. This is because these generations are the primary users of such a service, and depression itself is found to be one of the most common mental health issues in Indonesia. To achieve the goal of this study, I used a qualitative method that used Collaborative Design with the help of online-focused group discussion. I collaborated with Indonesian clinical psychologists, Indonesian millennials, and Gen Z with minor depression to design the manual. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the participants' answers. The result of the study is a comprehensive manual that consists of nine chapters: 1) Introduction; 2) The Concept of Chat Telepsychotherapy; 3) Starting CT Practice; 4) General Guidelines for Conducting CT; 5) Specific Guidelines for Conducting CT; 6) Characteristics of Indonesian Millennials and Gen Z; 7) Minor Depressive Disorder; 8) Self-Harm; 9) CT Stages for Indonesian Millennial and Gen Z with Minor Depression. The main suggestion for future studies is to test the manual to assess its usability and effectiveness.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Effect of New Zealand Greenshell™ mussel on osteoarthritis biomarkers and inflammation in healthy postmenopausal women : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Nutritional Science, School of Health Sciences, Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2023) Abshirini, Maryam
    New Zealand GreenshellTM Mussel (GSM) showed chondroprotective effects in a pre-clinical study using a rat model of metabolic osteoarthritis, warranting further assessment in a human study. This PhD project aimed to assess the effect of GSM supplementation on cartilage degradation biomarkers in humans, and to develop novel biomarkers through a metabolomic approach. A double-blind, placebo-controlled, longitudinal clinical trial was carried out in overweight postmenopausal women who were given 3 g/day whole meat GSM powder or placebo (sunflower seed protein) for 12 weeks. Plasma samples from the pre-clinical rat trial were assessed through an untargeted metabolomic approach, followed by metabolomic analysis of plasma samples from the clinical trial. In participants with active knee pain, the cartilage turnover biomarker C-terminal telopeptide of type II collagen was significantly lower in GSM participants compared to placebo at weeks 6 and 12. GSM significantly reduced joint pain and improved knee-related symptoms. GSM but not placebo altered the faecal microbiota population and reduced the rate at which body fat accumulation increased. However, no changes in inflammatory cytokines were found. The metabolomic analysis of rat plasma samples revealed that GSM supplementation regulated the alteration in plasma triglyceride and other lipids caused by a high-fat diet. In the plasma of human participants, GSM supplementation increased long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), ceramide, and some other lipids. In both rats and humans, GSM suppressed the sphingomyelin synthesis pathway. Polar metabolites including threonine, histidine and pipecolic acid were significantly impacted in both rat and human and are potential metabolic biomarkers for the impact of GSM powder supplementation in metabolic osteoarthritis. In conclusion, consumption of GMS powder may provide cartilage protection and reduce joint pain, particularly in women with symptomatic knees. However, no significant impact was observed on circulating inflammatory cytokines, suggesting that GSM may exert anti-inflammatory effects at the microenvironmental rather than systemic level. The bioactive compounds present in GSM powder such as omega-3 PUFA and chondroprotective glycosaminoglycans may be responsible for the beneficial effect through inhibiting the breakdown of type II collagen in cartilage, regulating gut microbe abundance, improving body composition, and the metabolite profile which needs to be investigated in future research.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Comparative benefits of orange heirloom tomatoes over red tomatoes for bone health : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Nutritional Science at Massey University, Manawatū, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2022) Walallawita Kankanamge, Umani Shanika Walallawita
    Bone loss, common in women after menopause, is characterized by reduced bone mineral density with disruption of bone microarchitecture, leading to higher fracture risk and osteoporosis. There are few treatments, and most have adverse side effects. Intervention studies have shown protective effects of lycopene against bone loss in animal models. Lycopene is a lipid-soluble carotenoid found mainly in tomatoes. The molecule exists in all-trans- and a variety of cis- configurations; and cis- lycopene isomers have been reported to be more bioavailable than all-trans-. ‘Moonglow’, an orange heirloom tomato, contains >90% of its lycopene in cis- isomeric form and thus may be a better source of naturally bioavailable lycopene than red tomato, which contains all-trans- lycopene. We hypothesised that consumption of moderate daily doses of whole ‘Moonglow’ tomato would reduce bone loss more effectively than red tomato in rat and cell models of osteoporosis. In vivo, ‘Moonglow’ tomato supplementation delivered physiologically relevant plasma lycopene concentrations within four days of feeding. The post-ovariectomy rat model was successful in accelerating bone loss. ‘Moonglow’ tomatoes delivered a higher plasma lycopene concentration than red tomatoes and were beneficial in reducing a bone turnover marker compared to red tomatoes, even when fed after initiation of bone loss, but did not improve bone mineral density. Ovariectomy reduced gut bacteria abundance; compared to red, ‘Moonglow’ tomato feeding restored the numbers of Lactobacillus, Enterococcus, Bacteroides and E. coli. In vitro cell culture studies showed that both red and ‘Moonglow’ tomato hexane extracts induced a significant decrease in the number of bone-resorbing TRAP-positive osteoclasts at 10 µmol/L lycopene concentration. In conclusion, there were slight differences in bone measurements between red or 'Moonglow' tomato feeding, except for the significant reduction of one bone turnover marker. This suggests that a higher dose and longer intervention period may be needed to provide clinically important improvement against bone loss. However, significantly higher plasma lycopene followed ‘Moonglow’ feeding compared to red tomatoes, indicating its better bioavailability and demonstrating value for future research on health benefits from ‘Moonglow’ tomatoes. In addition, findings from this study provide support for the importance of exploring the potential prebiotic-like effect of tomatoes and the mechanisms associated with changes in gut bacteria.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    The preventive effect of greenshell mussel meat against osteoarthritis in vivo : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Health Science At Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2021) Siriarchavatana, Parkpoom
    Osteoarthritis (OA) is identified by progressive cartilage erosion of synovial joints. One of the most prevalent OA phenotypes, metabolic OA (MetOA), is linked to metabolic syndrome (MetS). MetS is a combination of obesity, type II diabetes, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia; the effects of these disorders can lead to the development of MetOA. Osteoporosis is characterised by loss of bone mineral density and is causally linked with a decrease in systemic estrogen levels. As MetS, OA and osteoporosis are all prevalent in postmenopausal women, it is possible they may be causally linked. For example, systemic low-grade inflammation in MetS may trigger inflammation in both joints and bone, which could be further aggravated by high fat/high sugar diet (HFHS)-induced obesity and gut dysbiosis. We hypothesized that chronic inflammation would be correlated with MetOA development and therefore decreasing inflammation would be protective. New Zealand greenshell mussel (GSM) contains anti-inflammatory properties shown to reduce OA symptoms and omega-3 fatty acids shown to reduce the development of post-menopausal osteoporosis. We hypothesized GSM could protect against both MetOA and osteoporosis reducing bone resorption, inhibiting inflammation and/or modulating beneficial gut microbes. In vitro, non-polar GSM lipids demonstrated bone-protective properties and significantly reduced osteoclast differentiation, tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase activity, actin ring formation and gene expression of matrix metalloproteinase, cathepsin K, carbonic anhydrase and nuclear factor of activating T cells 1. In vivo, aging, HFHS and OVX produced a rat model mimicking human MetS. Dietary whole GSM powder provided protection by significantly reducing a biomarker of collagen degradation and subsequent joint damage, as well as improving short-term bone mineral density and lean mass accrual. GSM-induced changes in gut microbiota were not correlated with dysbiosis. No changes in inflammatory markers were found, disproving our initial hypothesis and suggesting that chronic inflammation may not be a critical factor in MetOA. In conclusion, GSM as a dietary intervention may reduce the incidence or progression of MetOA but not via altering systemic inflammation or gut dysbiosis.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Ageing, cognition and omega-3 fatty acids : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology at Massey University, Wellington, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2018) Mengelberg, Alexia
    The evidence for omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFA) in fish oil supplements being a safe therapeutic agent is steadily growing. However, there is still a lack of evidence around the cognitive effects of n-3 PUFAs in older adults with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI), the moderating effect of the Apolipoprotein E (APOE) ɛ4 allele on cognition and well-being, and the popularity of fish oil supplements in New Zealand (NZ). The primary aim of this thesis was to conduct a clinical trial to investigate the cognitive effects of a high dose docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) fish oil supplement in older adults with MCI, and to examine how the presence of the APOE ɛ4 allele affects the efficacy of fish oil. The trial involved a 12-month randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled design with testing sessions at baseline, 6-months, 9-months and at the end of the trial. Seventy-two adults with MCI between the ages of 60 and 90 were recruited from Wellington, NZ. Participants were either given a DHA fish oil supplement containing 1491 mg of DHA and 351 mg of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) per day or a placebo supplement containing sunflower oil. Outcome measures included the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS), the National Adult Reading Test (NART), the Coin Rotation Task (CRT), the California Older Adult Stroop Test (COAST), the Trail Making Test A and B (TMT), Digit Span Backwards Test (DSBT), the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS), the Geriatric Anxiety Inventory (GAI), the 36-Item Short Form Health Survey Questionnaire (SF-36), height, weight and blood pressure as well as red blood cell (RBC) fatty acid profiles. ANCOVAs, t-tests and chi-square tests were used to test for differences between the DHA and placebo groups. The secondary aim of this thesis was to conduct an online cross-sectional survey to investigate how popular fish oil supplements are within a sample population of New Zealanders, to determine why fish oil supplements are used, what dose fish oil users take, and where fish oil users store their supplements. The aim of the survey was to test the hypothesis that fish oil users are more likely to display healthier dietary and lifestyle habits. The final analysis (n = 60) of the trial found no evidence of a treatment effect using the cognitive measures, although it did find a treatment effect on systolic blood pressure (p = .03, ƞ2 = .08), and a treatment interaction for APOE ɛ4 carriers on depression (p = .04, ƞ2= .07) and anxiety (p = .02, ƞ2 = .09) scores in favour of the DHA group. The survey found that in a sample of 334 New Zealanders, 66.8% reported using supplements and 21.9% reported using fish oil supplements. The survey found that respondents who regularly eat oily fish are most likely to take fish oil supplements (p < .01), and that only 26% of fish oil users reported taking a dose that would meet dietary recommendations. Over half of fish oil users reported taking fish oils to ‘improve brain functioning’ and only 6.8% of fish oil users reported storing fish oil supplements in the refrigerator. The evidence from epidemiological studies suggests that fish consumption is protective against cognitive decline and dementia, and yet the evidence from clinical trials investigating the cognitive effects of n-3 PUFAs in older adults has been inconsistent and at times conflicting. It appears that the protective effect of fish may be more than the n-3 PUFA content, and that fish consumption may be part of an overall healthier diet and lifestyle, along with regular physical activity, strong social connections and an emphasis on educational attainment and engagement in cognitive activities.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Complementary and alternative medicines for cancer treatment : a patient perspective : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Health Psychology with endorsement at Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2017) Darling, Karen
    Current research shows people diagnosed with cancer have a strong interest for complementary alternative medicine (CAM) to be an option for either sole treatment or used alongside conventional methods. This qualitative study aimed to investigate the attitudes of a sample of cancer patients to establish why they use CAM and explore their beliefs on the benefits (if any) they have from receiving this treatment. It is hoped that the current study will add to the limited CAM literature from Aotearoa. The findings presented in this study arise from the thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews with five participants. They included adults diagnosed with any type of cancer who were currently undergoing, or had undergone either CAM treatment or a combination of CAM and mainstream treatment. The interviewees openly discussed their cancer journey and from these deliberations the five main themes found were: decision; empowerment; holistic; wellbeing; and social harm. While there were similarities found with other studies regarding why patients chose CAM, the thesis also discovered the participants were now wanting to share their information and experience with others considering CAM for cancer treatment, but did not know how.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Men, prostate cancer and complementary and alternative medicine : a narrative inquiry : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Psychology at Massey University
    (Massey University, 2014) Tapper, Karen Anne
    Cancer is the most feared illness in Western societies. Yet remarkable medical advances are being made that extend life-spans that once would have been cut short by cancer. Prostate cancer is now a chronic disease in most cases. However in many cases medical treatment of a slowly progressing disease has left men with undesirable sequelae of treatment, such as impotence and urinary incontinence. Psychosocial research into prostate cancer has tended to concentrate on questions related to these side-effects of treatment. This research investigates a different aspect of prostate cancer; the use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) by men with prostate cancer. It is a qualitative narrative inquiry that investigates the stories of six men, all diagnosed with this condition and all using CAM, either in a complementary sense or as an alternative to biomedical treatment. They ranged in time since diagnosis from two months to 17 years. The narrative account is divided into three sections; the first explores causal narratives, the second explores narratives of diagnosis with prostate cancer, and the third section examines narratives of treatment, both CAM and biomedical. It contributes to the understanding of how men with prostate cancer negotiate the phases of their illness and actively integrate CAM and biomedical narratives, treatments and practices. The production of positions consistent with culturally dominant masculine values is shown to be a part of this negotiation. The finding of 'sensitising events' that predisposed men to using CAM is discussed. Men with prostate cancer negotiate complex dialectics between their quantity of life and their quality of life and between active agency in their own healing and being a patient. The clinical relationship with both physicians and CAM persons is very important in ensuring that men make treatment decisions with full information and support. Implications of the findings and future research possibilities are discussed.