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    "Ngaa tau miiharo: the incredible years (IY)" : an exploration of six Maaori parents['] experiences attending an IY program : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Masters of Arts in Psychology at Massey University, Albany, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2014) Herewini, Traceyanne Rose
    The American Incredible Years (IY) Parent Training Series offers a suite of programs that has robust research of more than thirty years. IY studies have proven that IY can be beneficial especially for children with challenging behaviours and particular diagnoses. The IY series utilises two facilitators to guide group discussion, video tape modelling, role play and rehearsal for program effectiveness and integrity. Some international and national research about IY and other cultures exist. However, there is limited research available about indigenous cultural tailoring and the appropriateness of IY and Maaori parents. Therefore, this thesis presents an exploration of six self-identified and self-referred Maaori parent’s experiences of the Incredible Years (IY) Pre-school Basic program for parents of children aged 3-8 years at two organisations known as Family Start Manukau, Auckland and Folau Alofa Trust, Wellington. None of the children represented had identified challenging behaviours or particular diagnoses. A mixed method approach with thematic analysis informed by Maaori Centred research was used. It is anticipated that the findings will capture statistics and narratives of parenting, whaanau, and identity. Measurements used were Social Competence Scale (SCS), Eyeberg Child Behaviour Inventory (ECBI), Weekly and End of Program evaluations. Pre and post interviews utilised a framework of Te Whare Tapa Whaa. Results showed that some variance of measurements was dependent upon parent’s perception, environment and participation throughout the program. Parents were satisfied, social, communicative and hopeful for the future. Emerging themes of strong whaanau, individual identity, goals and aspirations were important. The concurrent range of agencies and additional supports used while attending IY was unexpected. The final themes of whaanau ora, personal ora, personal goals and aspirations ignited hope. Thus, this study’s findings support the use of IY, fidelity and cultural tailoring can be appropriate for Maaori.
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    Family factors associated with anxiety in children : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Psychology at Massey University
    (Massey University, 1999) Watson, Sarah
    The present study investigated the impact of the family environment to emotional and behavioural problems in children's lives. Various hypotheses were related to how the family environment differs for internalising and externalising problems in children, and in turn how the family environment related to the specific emotional disturbances of anxiety, depression and obsessive-compulsive disorder in children. Also, the role of the family environment as a moderator in the relationship between anxiety and depression. A number of hypotheses related to obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) were not able to be investigated in the present study due to small sample size. Included in these hypotheses were Rapoport's (1989) theorised developmental pathway of ritualisation in children and Kashani et al.'s (1992) theorised three subgroups of obsessive compulsive disorder. In addition, DSM-IV's theorised distinction between children that have, or do not have, insight into their obsessive-compulsive symptomatology. However, the hypothesis regarding the relationship obsessive-compulsive problems had with internalising and externalising problems were assessed in the present study. Other hypotheses included the relationship children experiencing anxiety, depression and obsessive-compulsive problems had to children's coping strategies. Coping strategies then, were also investigated in regard to their relationship with the family environment. Finally, significant life events were evaluated in terms of their relationship with anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorder, while another hypotheses were related to coping strategies as a moderater in the relationship between anxiety and depression. The sample consisted of seventy-two children and forty-nine parents, using a multitrait, multimethod battery of measures. Correlational analyses, including the use of multiple regression, indicated that the family environment was indeed related to internalising and externalising problems, as well as anxiety, depression and OCD in children. The family environment also moderated the relationship between anxiety and depression. In addition, findings indicated that OCD predicted externalising problems while anxiety predicted both internalising and externalising problems. The family environment was also found to relate to children's coping strategies, as was anxiety and OCD. Finally, anxiety and OCD were indicated to relate to significant life events. These results are discussed in terms of other research literature, their implications for treatment and future research.
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    The well-being of Russian and Romanian intercountry adoptees in New Zealand : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Masters in Social Work at Massey University
    (Massey University, 2001) De Jong, Deborah Kay
    The study investigated the well-being of 54 Romanian and 62 Russian children in New Zealand who were adopted between 1990 and 1995. The samples represented 50 per cent of the Russian children and 44.6 per cent of the Romanian children adopted during these years and resident in New Zealand. Well-being was defined in terms of competence, happiness, health and problem behaviours. The primary source of information for the assessment of well-being was Achenbach's parent reported Child Behaviour Checklist upon which the survey questionnaire was based. The Child Behaviour Checklist was also used by Rosenwald (1994) in a study of intercountry adoptees (ICAs) in Western Australia and the Western Australian Child Health Survey (WACHS) (Silburn, Zubrick, Garton, Burton, and Dalby, 1994) which studied children in the general population of Western Australia. These two surveys provided a comparison for the well-being of Russian and Romanian children in New Zealand. Intercountry Adoption New Zealand (a non-government organisation aiding and supporting intercountry adoption) facilitated access to the participants in the survey which was carried out anonymously. Adoptive parents completed a four part Intercountry Adopted Child Questionnaire for each adopted Russian and/or Romanian child. Attachment theory provided the theoretical framework for the prediction that adoption after the age of six months, experience of adversity prior to adoption and institutionalisation affected attachment and later well-being. Adversity was based on parental reports of knowledge about the Russian and Romanian children's pre-adoption experiences of neglect, abuse and changes of care. Length of institutionalisation prior to adoption was also based upon parental knowledge. The survey results indicated that the majority of Russian and Romanian children were considered to be happy (87.6 per cent), and healthy (94 per cent). On the basis of information provided by adoptive parents, about two-thirds were found to be competent in activities, social and school functioning (65.5 per cent) and 68 per cent had Problem Behaviour Scores within the normal range. However, it was found that the Russian, but particularly the Romanian children, had experienced very high levels of adversity prior to adoption. This seemed to have negatively impacted upon their later competence socially and at school and their level of problematic behaviour when compared with ICAs in Western Australia and children in the general population of Western Australia. The length of institutionalisation prior to adoption also appeared to negatively impact upon levels of problematic behaviour for the Romanian but not the Russian children. Health on arrival in New Zealand was negatively affected by length of institutionalisation for both Russian and Romanian children. Adoption after the age of 6 months was found to negatively impact upon the later well-being of Romanian but not Russian children and was related to levels of problem behaviour, length of institutionalisation and experience of adversity prior to adoption. For Romanian children, the duration of their institutionalisation appeared to be related to the degree of satisfaction experienced by all parties to the adoption. It was also found that adverse pre-adoption experiences did have long-term effects on the extent to which the children were able to recover once adopted.
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    The child behaviour checklist : a New Zealand pilot study : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Psychology at Massey University
    (Massey University, 2000) Le Roux, Jeanne
    In this study, Child Behaviour Checklist (CBCL/4-18) and Youth Self Report (YSR) data was collected for 11 to 15 year old New Zealand adolescents, and compared with U.S. normative data to determine the appropriateness of using U.S. norms in the New Zealand context. Forty-two parents and 51 students completed the CBCL/4-18 and YSR questionnaires respectively. Comparison of CBCL/4-18 mean scale scores showed that New Zealand girls scored significantly lower than U.S. girls on the Withdrawn scale (less withdrawn), and New Zealand boys scored significantly higher on the School Competence scale (more competent). New Zealand - U.S. comparison of YSR mean scale scores showed that New Zealand boys scores significantly lower than U.S. boys on the Withdrawn, Anxious/Depressed, Attention, Internalising and Total Problem scales. New Zealand girls scores lower on the Anxious/Depressed and Internalising scales. The study also compared the responses of students who have not experienced traumatic brain injury (TBI) with those obtained form students who have previously experienced TBI, to determine whether the CBCL/4-18 is biased by the symptoms of neuropathology, masking as psychopathology. Boys who have experienced TBI scores higher on the Somatic, Thought, Attention, Delinquent, Aggressive, Externalising and Total Problem scales, and lower on all the competence scales, compared with boys who have not experienced TBI. Girls who have experienced TBI scored higher on the Withdrawn, Social, Attention, Aggressive and Total Problem scales, and lower on the Activities, School and Total Competence scales compared to uninjured girls. When comparing YSR mean scale scores for New Zealand boys and girls, boys scored significantly lower than girls on the Withdrawn, Somatic, Internalising and Total Problem scales. Considering the small sample sizes, these results should be viewed with caution, and future research, involving more participants of a wider age range, could contribute valuable information.