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    The right tool for the job : an investigation into men's help-seeking behaviours and attitudes in a sample of New Zealand construction workers : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Clinical Psychology at Massey University, Wellington, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2021) Walmsley, Andy
    There are major difficulties with mental health and suicide within the New Zealand construction industry; a salient feature of this industry is that it is male-dominated, and men face particular challenges when seeking help for mental health issues. Yet little is known about men’s help-seeking attitudes and behaviours within the New Zealand construction industry. The present study sought to identify factors which are associated with enhanced or decreased help-seeking behaviour among male construction workers. Male construction workers (N = 578) completed a survey that assessed intentions to seek help from different help-seeking sources, wellbeing, attitudes towards psychological help-seeking, barriers towards treatment and perceived stigma. The Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB; Ajzen, 1985) was used as a guiding framework to measure and understand individual and social factors which could facilitate or inhibit help-seeking intentions among men. Open-ended questions were used to collect information on perceptions of stress, barriers to accessing mental health support within the workplace, and different ways that men could help other men access support. Results indicated that masculine gender roles have a negative impact on help-seeking intentions among men within the construction industry. Stoic attitudes towards mental health, perceptions that help-seeking is a sign of weakness or failure, and self-reliance were identified as barriers towards seeking help. Greater adherence to masculine gender roles was also linked to lower levels of wellbeing. The implications of this finding are that men who strongly subscribe to masculine gender roles are more likely to reject talking-based therapies, and shoulder to shoulder interventions, such as workshops and mental health sports-based interventions. Within the TPB model, attitude towards help-seeking was the strongest predictor of help seeking intentions. Results indicated that perceived stigma and barriers to treatment were non-significant predictors of help-seeking intentions within the model. In regard to supplementary variables used within the TPB model, prior positive experiences of working with a counsellor and/or psychologist was a significant predictor of help-seeking intentions within the TPB model. Key barriers identified within the study included time, cost, and having a conversation with a site manager to leave the worksite to access mental health support. The present study identified several areas of opportunity to support men along the help-seeking journey. Areas for intervention included: challenging negative aspects of masculinity within the workplace, including mental health conversations within daily work practices, and creating visible and accessible help-seeking pathways.
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    Heart to heart - He ngākau māhaki : a thesis presented in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Public Health, Massey University, Wellington, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2019) Hoerara, Roy
    This research investigates the patient experiences of Indigenous men from Australia and New Zealand who have accessed specialist treatment for heart disease. Using mixed methods – qualitative interviews and a quantitative survey – this research aims to understand the relationship between their patient experience and their patient journey. Twenty men - 10 Indigenous Australian and 10 Māori (Indigenous people of Aotearoa New Zealand) were recruited through health services. A series of semi-structured interviews was used to generate a grounded theory which describes their patient engagement and on- going patient journey. Ethical review in two countries was a particular challenge. Each country required both mainstream and Indigenous reviews, as well as locality assessments in each of the health services. Through this research I extrapolated a theory that Indigenous men co- construct their patient journey. They rely on others (clinicians, partners, family/whānau) to recall events and comprehend health information for their journey going forward. Underpinning the theory of co-construction were themes which demonstrate both similarites and differences for the cohorts. Demographics, health status, socio-economic status and historically poor access to heart healthcare were factors in common. Healthcare systems within each country explained many of the differences. The Australian cohort was based within a large city, whereas the New Zealand cohort resided in a smaller province, dependant upon more distant services. There was strong evidence of positive behavioural change, growing trust and confidence with clinicans, effective support from community groups and improving health literacy. An innovative feature of this study is a comparative Indigenous analysis which seeks to explain the findings. The main limitations of this research is related to the setting. All respondents were male, and they were recruited by the health agencies they engaged with, which will have resulted in some biases. The sample size was relatively small, especially for the survey – however this aspect was intended to be more exploratory. Future research is needed to develop Indigenous-specific patient experience measurement tools.
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    Exploring the meaning of cardiovascular disease with Māori men : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Health Psychology at Massey University, Albany, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2019) Lisipeki, Samantha
    Ethnic disparities in health outcomes are an ongoing concern in Aotearoa/New Zealand. These disparities are particularly pronounced between Māori and non-Māori, and are especially apparent for cardiovascular disease (CVD). Despite these well-known disparities, research into how the social determinants of health manifest in the context of Māori people’s everyday lives and experiences of CVD is limited. Using a narrative approach, this research documents Māori male patients’ experiences of CVD within the context of everyday life. Four Māori males who have experienced cardiovascular care were recruited through the Waikato District Health Board secondary prevention service. The patients and their whānau (family) who wished to participate were engaged in three separate semi-structured interviews which explored topics involving their CVD diagnosis, experiences of CVD, their steps to accessing care and experiences of care. Overall, the cases revealed three key findings. First, various factors work in concert to influence participant access to cardiac care, which extend beyond individual decision making (such as structures of everyday life and resources). Second, there is considerable diversity in participant life circumstances, which are related to their experiences of care and its outcomes. Third, CVD impacted the lives of my participants differently and contributed to varying levels of illness disruption to their life narratives. This study contributes to a growing body of knowledge for addressing disparities in health outcomes between Māori and non-Māori.
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    Beyond women's empowerment : exploring the role of men in family planning among the Mangkong ethnic group in Lao PDR : a thesis presented in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of International Development, Massey University, Palmerston North, Manawatu, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2019) Lorkuangming, Vanly
    Since the 1994 International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) in Cairo, men’s involvement in family planning (FP) has been actively promoted as the pinnacle to women’s empowerment, and consequently, gender equality. Previous studies have found that when men are involved in FP, they can become more supportive when decisions about reproductive issues need to be made, which has positive implications elsewhere. Laos as an ethnically diverse country, means making FP universally accessible for its people has been challenging. It is especially problematic for ethnic minorities in rural areas where women are more vulnerable and marginalised, resulting in a high level of unmet need for FP among ethnic women. With ethnic minorities even less participation is evident, coupled with the fact there is a paucity of research on topic. This thesis therefore aims to explore the involvement of Mangkong men in FP. The fieldwork was conducted in seven villages in Nong District, Savannakhet province, Lao PDR. The research is qualitative in design and data was collected via semi-structured interviews with 13 couples, two women and five key informants. Other methods included informal observation, used as part of building rapport and learning about gender roles and lifestyle among the Mangkong, as well as document analysis. This study found that men’s involvement as FP service providers raised awareness of FP among men and women, while men’s involvement as targets of FP programmes improved and increased participation in counselling, integrated outreach, for example. However, this suggests that men’s involvement in FP alone cannot increase women’s empowerment unless broader strategic and practical gender needs are also addressed. Theoretically, the study calls for culturally specific models of empowerment, as the empowerment framework adopted in this study, which was based on Western feminist theories, cannot fully explain Mangkong women’s understandings of empowerment. Findings also suggest that if true empowerment in FP is to be achieved, it is necessary to focus on both men and women as individuals, couples and clients who have the rights to access FP information and services, thus meeting their individual needs. Both men and women are necessary agents of change for gender equality.
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    How to draw a self-portrait of Wallace Stevens : how Terrance Hayes uses the figure to confront anxiety and The Museum of Masculine Beauty : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements of the degree of Master of Creative Writing in Poetry at Massey University, Manawatu, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2018) Ingram, Callum Ronald
    This thesis consists of my research into the poetry of Terrance Hayes and poetic manuscript based on my research. In my research “How to Draw a Self-Portrait of Wallace Stevens: How Terrance Hayes Uses the Figure to Confront Anxiety” I argue that Hayes uses the figure in his work as a means of representing, confronting and overcoming his speaker’s anxiety of identity. By analysing the Hayes poems “SHAFRO”, “FOR ROBERT HAYDEN” and “SNOW FOR WALLACE STEVENS” I will show the role of speaker possessor of African, broader American and poetic identities in depicting and confronting anxiety, the role of racial issues in inciting anxiety, and how the figure – a presence in the poem based on an historic, cultural or pop-cultural figure – has been developed from a representation of a particular type of identity to a confrontation of identity anxiety. In my poetic manuscript At the Museum of Masculine Beauty I use the conclusions drawn from my research into Hayes’ use of figure and anxiety and attempt to apply them to my own poetry concerning masculine identity.
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    A comparative analysis of men's reluctance to seek health care : performing masculinity and deflecting blame : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Psychology at Massey University
    (Massey University, 2005) Fardell, Kate
    Men have higher rates of premature mortality than women and may arguably have higher of rates of morbidity. An explanation frequently offered to account for these gendered health differences is that men are reluctant to seek health care. This research, within a social constructionist framework, explores the discursive construction of men's reluctance to seek help by investigating through a comparative analysis the ways in which two small groups of men from different socio-economic locations make sense of the reluctance to seek help notion, as well as the implications of this discursive and social positioning for the enactment of their lives. Individual unstructured interviews with nine, mid-aged New Zealand men were analysed using Foucauldian Discourse Analysis. Two dominant discourses were identified in the men's accounts. A discourse of masculinity, which constructs reluctance to seek health care as a form of idealised masculinity, was draw upon by both working-class and professional men. In a contradictory account, working class men also drew on an impediment discourse, which constructs reluctance to seek help as a product of restrictive contextual factors that limit the health practices that men can undertake. Utilisation of the masculinity discourse enabled both groups of men to present themselves as masculine men and perform gender as socially prescribed. The impediment discourse also allowed working-class men to present themselves as victims of circumstance and deflect blame for their unwillingness to seek help from themselves to socio-structural restraints. Presenting themselves as masculine men and victims of circumstance was problematic for the men, as each of these positions was fraught with ambivalence. Their accounts reflect a series of unresolved tensions and dilemmas as they worked through the conflicts between the preservation of their social identity, acknowledging the need to seek help, and deflecting blame. They render overt the interplay between gender, power, and social class. These men's accounts are consistent with previous research that indicates that men are reluctant to seek help, but ascribe this to social expectations and socio-structural constraints. rather than individual choice. Reluctance to seek health care is thus reframed as a social issue.
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    Kātaki ē mamá moe hopohopokia : perceptions and experiences of Tongan male learners in higher education in Aotearoa New Zealand : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Education at Massey University, Albany Campus, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2015) Tānaki, 'Olikoni
    Tongans are known as one of the greatest seafaring people, constantly and fearlessly venturing beyond the sunrise in search of new lands and new grounds to conquer and seeking better opportunities away from home. However, settlement and the adjustment and transition into a new life in the new destinations invariably come with sets of unfamiliar challenges and obstacles that demand often rather painful and difficult socio-economic acculturation. Such is the story of the Tongan Aotearoa diaspora. Tongan migrants in Aotearoa New Zealand (A/NZ) have faced quite stringent challenges resulting in their having been largely distracted and diverted from their “New Zealand-the promised-land” dream. The Tongan experience in, and encounters with, the New Zealand education system is a standout example of the most serious of these challenges as evidenced predominantly by the lack of numeracy and literacy skills. As direct result of this gap Tongans along with, and similar to, their fellow Pasifika students are quite conspicuous amongst those seen as failures in the education system in A/NZ. Literature shows a widening gap between policies and practises and the need to address the issue urgently. Responding to concerns about these increasing barriers, this study specifically provides ethnic gender specificity by exploring the experiences of Tongan males at higher education in A/NZ. In my research, and as presented in this thesis, I use the Tongan methodologies of talanoa, tālanga, and tālave with the Kakala framework to provide comfortable space and time where the experiences, perceptions, and voices of Tongan male learners at higher education were unravelled. Makatūkia and makatuʻu were identified and discussed, and various overarching institutions such as kāinga, lotu, self and cosmos were identified to play dual roles in the failures and successes of Tongan male learners. This research also develops and presents a new conceptual framework; Kalia-Langimālie which is grounded on the theoretical orientations of tā-vā kāinga, fashioned by the understanding that vā is mutual, interpersonal, and reciprocal with tā to represent movements, beat, and rhythms. The result of this undertaking empirically concurs that when policies and practises are grounded within, and built on, meaningful values that understand Tongans’ tā-vā through their worlds of self, kāinga, lotu and cosmos, success is attainable.
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    Men, masculine identities, and healthcare utilisation : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Psychology at Massey University
    (Massey University, 2006) Noone, John Hamilton
    Seeking medical help early in a disease process is critical for recovery, yet empirical evidence indicates that men do not utilise general practitioner services as often as women. In explaining these findings, the focus has now shifted away from the biological differences between men and women to examine popular beliefs about masculine identities and their influence on help seeking behaviour. This paper incorporates a critical analysis of Connell's (1995) theory of hegemonic masculinity to examine how men's relative under-utilisation of medical services, as negative health behaviour, can be influenced by the social construction of masculine identities. Interviews discussing the help seeking attitudes and behaviours of seven older rural men used a short movie clip and hypothetical scenarios as stimulants to discussion. The transcribed data was analysed using discursive analysis techniques, which resulted in the identification of three interpretative repertoires labelled: 'The Medical', 'The Natural Body', and 'Health Behaviours'. Many men faced a dilemma between identifying as a regular health care user, a morally virtuous position for all individuals, and identifying as an infrequent user of health care services, a virtuous position for men. They solved this dilemma by using the health behaviours repertoire to position women as the frequent and trivial users of health care whilst using the medical repertoire to position themselves as the legitimate users of health care. Furthermore, a number of respondents used the medical and natural body repertoires to construct a powerful masculine identity in relation to men that do not seek help and in relation to doctors. By using the three repertoires in this way these men could maintain a masculine identity whilst identifying as a regular and virtuous user of healthcare services. These results highlight the existence and complexity of multiple masculine identities and, in doing so, challenge theories that consistently polarise masculinity and help seeking health behaviours. These results therefore support hegemonic masculinity as a theory for examining the construction and maintenance of gendered identities.
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    Male use of sentence-final particles in Japanese : a thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Japanese, Massey University
    (Massey University, 1996) Dunbar, Nathan James
    Sentence-final particles in Japanese are a class of particles that are used at the end of a surface form of a sentence, and indicate a speaker's attitude, emotions, feelings or strategy in presenting information to an addressee. The focus of this study has been to examine the male use of sentence-final particles, in particular those associated with the male gender (and hence 'masculinity'). Recent studies in Japanese sentence-final particles have focused on 'feminine' sounding particles. There is a need to examine the subtle nuances and implications of the use of 'masculine' particles and their combinations. This will address a poorly understood area of Japanese conversational techniques among foreign learners. The use of sentence-final particles in informal Japanese dialogue was assessed by collecting examples which occurred in contemporary Japanese novels, comics and television drama scripts. These provided data from a cross-section of the Japanese community in a wide range of contexts. The examples were analysed according to a number of criteria including the social relationship of the speaker and addressee, the emotional state of the speaker, the type of strategy adopted, and any response to the utterance. The particles examined in this study are divided into three categories depending on the type of force involved: 1. Coercive force (including zo, ze, yo and no when used as a command) 2. Emotive force (including i, na, wa) 3. Requestive force (including ka, ne and no used in questions) The particles in each of these categories were then sub-divided further based on the type of strategy adopted, the common speech acts referenced, and the gender of the speaker. The particle clusters are seen to be combinations of these strategies, and reflect the nature of the individual particles. This study establishes that Japanese males tend to use particles associated with coercive force, and more direct strategies, more frequently than females, although the precise choice of particle will vary considerably from individual to individual. The direct approach in Japanese is often associated with coarseness, and so the more direct particles are restricted to particularly intimate conversation amongst friends.
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    What do men say about their experience of stopping the use of violence towards their partner? : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Philosophy in Health at Massey University, Aotearoa/New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2015) Cooper, Kevin Thomas
    Intimate partner violence (IPV) perpetrated by men is a serious and widespread problem in Aoteoroa/New Zealand and worldwide. Various strategies have been developed to address men’s use of violence towards their partners. However understanding of the factors and processes that support men desisting from perpetrating IPV is underdeveloped and under researched. The present study breaks from the prevailing quantitative approach focused on recidivism and uses an interpretative phenomenological analysis to understand what helped and hindered men to desist from IPV perpetration, through hearing their experience of this process. Semi-structured interviews were undertaken with six previously violent men, with at least 6 months of desistance. Their stories highlighted five superordinate themes involving external factors and internal processing relevant to the desistance process. An event with personal relevance to each man provided the sanction initiating change. For the change process to precede it was important for the men to experience acceptance and support from a significant person, so as to increase their belief in themselves and their sense of agency. Engaging in the desistance process involved gaining awareness of emotions and cognitions, developing the ability to regulate emotions and critically reflecting on beliefs and behaviours to transform these from affirming IPV to affirming safe and respectful behaviours. Progress from resisting the familiarity of perpetrating IPV, to implementing an IPV free identity required proactively engaging in safe and respectful behaviours and considerable time for integration. Desistance needs to be viewed, not as a final destination, but as an ongoing process involving advances and setbacks, with all the men acknowledging they were still in the process of change. Whilst the men who perpetrate IPV need to take responsibility for their actions, the task of eliminating IPV rests with our society as a whole and requires a change in society’s attitude from blaming the individual to becoming involved as part of the solution. The implications of these results for individual and social intervention are discussed.