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    Simulating dynamic systems in health psychology : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Psychology at Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2001) Street, Susan Elizabeth
    Despite their advocacy of the biopsychosocial model, health psychologists use a relatively narrow repertoire of techniques for developing and testing theory. These techniques have limited application to research questions concerning phenomena that are multidimensional, multilevel and change over time. This thesis demonstrates an alternative, dynamic systems approach to such questions in health psychology. It introduces some ideas in systems and dynamics and how we might model these. It uses an example to demonstrate the use of these ideas to develop a dynamic systems model in a health psychology context. The example is drawn from the epidemiological finding of a positive correlation between income inequality and mortality, and the proposal that this relationship may be mediated by processes that result in social disruption. The thesis explores the construction of a dynamic systems model to examine how a change in income inequality might affect the network of social relationships in a population. Social relationship processes in the model are based on some findings from social psychology, and these are incorporated into a network model, which is realised as a computer simulation. Simulation runs suggested that an increase in income inequality can produce a ripple of relationship breakdowns. Contrary to intuition, the number of relationships lost was limited if the change was introduced suddenly, and if there was a high rate of making and breaking relationships. Further, reversing the change did not reverse the loss of relationships. The development process and the results obtained are discussed, and it is argued that dynamic systems simulation may be useful for developing and testing theory that applies to multilevel, multidimensional processes in health psychology.
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    The effects of raupatu on the health and wellbeing of Pirirakau = nga aria o te raupatu e pa ana ki te hauoratanga a Pirirakau : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Social Policy at Massey University
    (Massey University, 2000) Kuka, Janice
    This thesis is about my hapu Pirirakau. It is a study of the effects of raupatu on our health and wellbeing and it focuses on the perception of health and wellbeing that is held by members of the hapu. I focus on the factors which enabled us to live and be well when our hapu was under attack. The people who have been interviewed were chosen by the hapu because of their commitment to the hauora of Pirirakau. The idea that the effects of the raupatu have been more widespread than is generally recognised is one that has been held for generations in Pirirakau, but it was not until recently that several events coincided to make this study possible. These were; the visit of the Waitangi Tribunal to Tauranga Moana, our research into our history and the requirements of my thesis. The information given by participants is presented with careful consideration to the meanings intended. It is my hope that the results of this research will become another useful planning tool to assist my hapu in improving our health status. As well, a feature of the study is to promote the use of a methodology that is Maori centred. Pirirakau is a traditional hapu who draw on the knowledge and wisdom of the past in order to achieve a modern approach to progress. As a researcher of Pirirakau descent I was privileged to be given unlimited access to information. Nevertheless the research had to satisfy the conditions of two worlds, Matauranga Maori and the Massey University requirements. The need to balance these has led to the use of a Maori centred research model. The participants constantly used their history and traditions as a reference point and focussed clearly on the importance of independence and mana motuhake. The recommendations are therefore about the right of my hapu to define and construct our own methodology and research. As well, to ascertain whether the claims settlements will have altered our perceptions of health.
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    Performance and effectiveness of strategy use on the Rey auditory verbal learning test after traumatic brain injury and in a control population : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in psychology at Massey University
    (Massey University, 1994) Grimmer, Bradley T
    Clinical assessment of memory is important for the diagnostic understanding, management and rehabilitation of individuals with significant brain dysfunction. The present study investigated ways in which disorganised thinking or impaired information processing contribute to memory problems in survivors of traumatic brain injury (TBI). Memory performance on the Rey Auditory-Verbal Learning Test was assessed for 141 TBI patients and 59 controls and the relative effectiveness of different strategies was evaluated. Results showed a significant main effect between group scores with controls demonstrating progressively superior performance across trials. The range of learning strategies observed across both groups were condensed into three sub-categories. Subjects who employed no strategies at all performed less well than those who used passive strategies, who in turn performed less well than subjects who adopted active strategies. This latter group obtained the highest memory scores in their respective TBI or control groups. However, a temporal effect was evident in that unlike controls who maintained their best performance from initial trials to delayed recall, TBI subjects showed a marked decline in long term memory recall. Taken together, these findings suggest that the ability to initiate, maintain and transfer learning strategies depends on intact meta-cognitive processes such as executive functioning and metamemory, whereby the individual actively employs effective learning strategies. This is an effortful and elaborative process that demands vigilance and planning. When such functions are compromised, as commonly occurs in TBI patients, subsequent learning abilities may be progressively constrained. Where some residual learning ability is indicated, retraining programmes should focus on the development of self-monitoring and other metacognitive skills before instruction in mnemonic techniques.