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    Thriving in clinical veterinary practice : a strengths-based, qualitative investigation of thriving in clinical veterinarians in Aotearoa New Zealand : a thesis presented for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Veterinary Science at Massey University, Manawatū, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2025-11-21) Cantley, Charlotte Emily Louise
    Veterinarians play an important role in society, contributing to animal health, public health, and environmental sustainability. However, there is growing international concern about the well-being and workforce stability of veterinarians, particularly those working in clinical practice. Much of the existing research has focused on the negative impact of veterinary work on well-being, emphasising that veterinarians experience high levels of psychological distress and burnout. However, there is a lack of understanding of what enables veterinarians not only to cope in clinical practice but also to thrive and enjoy fulfilling careers. This research employed a qualitative approach, grounded in positive psychology, to explore the factors that help veterinarians thrive in clinical practice. Using in-depth, semi-structured interviews, this research investigated the lived experiences of clinical veterinarians in Aotearoa New Zealand, to identify the factors that contribute to a fulfilling and sustainable career. Participants across the three studies represented veterinarians from a wide range of clinical practice types, including companion animal, production animal, equine, and mixed practice. They included late-career veterinarians (n = 19), new and recent graduates (n = 22), and mid-late career veterinarians who were not practice owners or senior managers (n = 29). Reflexive thematic analysis was utilised to identify key themes from the data. Three final key concepts emerged as critical to thriving in veterinary clinical practice: positive leadership, a psychologically safe clinic culture, and a strong sense of purpose and meaning in work, referred to as the “3Ps” of thriving. For early-career veterinarians, positive mentorship in a psychologically safe environment was crucial for developing confidence, self-efficacy, and a professional identity suitable for general practice. Mid- and late-career veterinarians who experienced positive leadership and a healthy, safe workplace culture reported an evolving sense of purpose that included providing care to patients and expanded to encompass mentoring and supporting others in the profession, as well as philanthropic work and community commitment. These veterinarians expressed high levels of engagement and were often motivated by fostering thriving in others. The attitudes and behaviours of clinic managers were noted as particularly important. Thus, a thriving veterinary career can be considered an odyssey — a long, transformative journey shaped by challenges, growth, and continuous learning. It reflects an evolving sense of purpose, making the role of a clinical veterinarian far more than just a job. Based on these findings, a practical framework of evidence-based recommendations was designed to foster thriving throughout a veterinarian’s career. These recommendations target three levels of influence: the individual, the clinic, and the broader veterinary profession, and may help address the ongoing issues of recruitment and retention in veterinary practice. This research provides valuable insights into the benefits of pursuing a clinical career, contributing to the growing body of literature on positive well-being in the veterinary field. It highlights the importance of leadership and psychological safety — topics that have received relatively little attention in veterinary contexts — and shows how they enable veterinarians to find purpose and meaning in their work. Importantly, the research highlights that fostering thriving is a collective responsibility, shared between veterinary businesses, individual veterinarians, and the profession as a whole.
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    “We just keep pushing through”: a mixed-method study on musculoskeletal discomfort and mental well-being among nurses in resource-limited settings
    (BioMed Central Ltd, 2025-12-01) Patangia B; Srinivasan PM; Lee MCC
    Background: Nurses in under-resourced settings frequently report high levels of musculoskeletal (MSK) discomfort, which significantly affects their mental well-being. While workplace strain is well documented, the combined impact of physical burden and institutional neglect remains underexplored in these environments. Aim: The study aims to examine the prevalence of MSK discomfort and its association with psychological well-being among nurses in under-resourced healthcare environments in Northeast India, and to explore the experiential and structural factors contributing to these occupational health risks. Methods: A sequential mixed-methods study design was employed, following an explanatory approach. The study commenced with a survey to gather quantitative data. Quantitative data were collected from 216 nurses using the Extended Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire (Extended-NMQ) and the WHO-5 Well-Being Index, the results of which informed the development of subsequent interview questions. Semi-structured interviews were then conducted with 11 nurses to capture experiential and structural factors. This structure enabled deeper contextual understanding and facilitated triangulation across data types. Results: Among the participants, 47.2% reported experiencing lower back pain, followed by discomfort in the knees (27.3%) and upper back (25%). Higher levels of MSK discomfort were significantly associated with employment in the public sector and more than ten years of work experience. A strong negative correlation was observed between MSK discomfort and mental well-being. Thematic analysis revealed key stressors: physical depletion, emotional exhaustion, organizational apathy, and limited healthcare access. In response to these challenges, nurses often relied on self-management due to insufficient institutional support. Triangulated findings underscored how structural deficiencies intensified both physical and psychological strain among nurses. Conclusions: There is an urgent need for evidence-based occupational health interventions to address ergonomic, psychosocial, and institutional challenges, particularly in low-resource healthcare settings, to safeguard the well-being of frontline nursing staff. This study offers novel understanding from a high-need yet under-researched geographic context, namely the northeastern states of India, bridging empirical gaps in MSK health literature through the integration of experiential and structural factors. Clinical trial number: Not applicable.
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    Psychosocial Work Environment Risks Among Danish Fishers
    (Taylor and Francis Group, 2025-02-17) Grøn S; Junaid F; Froholdt LL
    OBJECTIVE: Our paper focuses on psychosocial risks that are under-researched within the fishing industry. The study was conducted in Denmark. Firstly, we investigated how Danish fishers perceive their psychosocial work environment. Secondly, we formed a group of industry partners and stakeholders with the purpose of designing ways to mitigate the reported stressors. METHODS: The study design is action research, employing qualitative co-creative methods for data collection in both the first and the second stages. The methods include chronicle workshops and design thinking workshops. Participants in the workshops came from different stakeholder groups, including fishers. We ensured that the focus remained on centering the voices of the fishers to understand the psychosocial risks within the industry context. RESULTS: In the first stage, we used thematic analysis, which led to the identification of ten themes: (1) discouragement, (2) stress, (3) poor economy, (4) negative atmosphere, (5) distrust, (6) injustice, (7) fear, (8) unpredictability, (9) powerlessness, and (10) lost pride. This study explored the key risks and highlighted that a lack of influence and meaning, reduced rewards, and increased unpredictability are likely to lead to increased stress in an environment that lacks social support. CONCLUSION: Existing research into the psychosocial working environment has established six dimensions where an imbalance leads to negative health effects. They are sometimes referred to as "the 6 gold nuggets" where an imbalance leads to negative health effects. We compared our themes to these gold nuggets and identified a clear overlap, which gave us confidence in the relevance of our data. Through the workshops, we co-created six recommendations to address the reported risks and provide policymakers with actionable recommendations.
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    What are the effects of Ngā Kōti Rangatahi on the health and wellbeing of rangatahi and their whānau who enter this system? : a thesis submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2024-07-28) Findlay, Eru
    In the last two decades, Aotearoa New Zealand has established a judicial system in Māori communities. These establishments are termed Ngā Kōti Rangatahi (NKR), also known as Marae Youth Courts. The primary role of the establishment is to arrest the increase in crime by creating an environment that leads to a decrease in Māori youth reoffending nationally (The Justice and Electoral Committee, 2017). Rangatahi, youth aged 14 to 16 years of Māori ethnicity, are currently appearing in the New Zealand justice system more than any other ethnic group – and this is increasing (Ministry of Justice, 2017). There are many reasons why this is occurring, and the reasons can be broad and range from the individual experience to social conditions, or universal trends. The objective of this research was to investigate the effectiveness of NKR on the health and well-being of rangatahi and their whānau (families that take care of the wellbeing of Māori youth). This research also explored the relationship between youth offending and contemporary Māori socialization processes to identify customary approaches in Te Ao Māori and their relevance to contemporary views on what counts as justice for Māori. It looked at the theoretical perspectives which underpin NKR and examined the involved processes and their effects on rangatahi and their whānau. In doing so, this research assessed the potential of NKR to impact wellbeing as an alternative to the mainstream youth court system via the implementation of Durie's (1984) Te Whare Tapa Whā model as a holistic approach to NKR. Drawing on a mixed methods qualitative approach this study was conducted with NKR professionals, NKR youth, and their whānau. The research found that rangatahi and their whānau experienced health outcomes that corresponded with the four dimensions of Te Whare Tapa Whā model; physical, psychological, spiritual, and familial.
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    A Framework for the Empirical Investigation of Mindfulness Meditative Development
    (Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, 2023-05) Galante J; Grabovac A; Wright M; Ingram DM; Van Dam NT; Sanguinetti JL; Sparby T; van Lutterveld R; Sacchet MD
    Millions of people globally have learned mindfulness meditation with the goal of improving health and well-being outcomes in both clinical and non-clinical contexts. An estimated half of these practitioners follow mindfulness teachers’ recommendations to continue regular meditation after completion of initial instruction, but it is unclear whether benefits are strengthened by regular practice and whether harm can occur. Increasing evidence shows a wide range of experiences that can arise with regular mindfulness meditation, from profoundly positive to challenging and potentially harmful. Initial research suggests that complex interactions and temporal sequences may explain these experiential phenomena and their relations to health and well-being. We believe further study of the effects of mindfulness meditation is urgently needed to better understand the benefits and challenges of continued practice after initial instructions. Effects may vary systematically over time due to factors such as initial dosage, accumulation of ongoing practice, developing skill of the meditator, and complex interactions with the subjects’ past experiences and present environment. We propose that framing mindfulness meditation experiences and any associated health and well-being benefits within integrated longitudinal models may be more illuminating than treating them as discrete, unrelated events. We call for ontologically agnostic, collaborative, and interdisciplinary research to study the effects of continued mindfulness meditation and their contexts, advancing the view that practical information found within religious and spiritual contemplative traditions can serve to develop initial theories and scientifically falsifiable hypotheses. Such investigation could inform safer and more effective applications of mindfulness meditation training for improving health and well-being.
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    Optimising function and well-being in older adults: protocol for an integrated research programme in Aotearoa/New Zealand.
    (BioMed Central Ltd, 2022-03-16) Lord S; Teh R; Gibson R; Smith M; Wrapson W; Thomson M; Rolleston A; Neville S; McBain L; Del Din S; Taylor L; Kayes N; Kingston A; Abey-Nesbit R; Kerse N; AWESSoM Project Team
    Background Maintaining independence is of key importance to older people. Ways to enable health strategies, strengthen and support whanāu (family) at the community level are needed. The Ageing Well through Eating, Sleeping, Socialising and Mobility (AWESSOM) programme in Aotearoa/New Zealand (NZ) delivers five integrated studies across different ethnicities and ages to optimise well-being and to reverse the trajectory of functional decline and dependence associated with ageing. Methods Well-being, independence and the trajectory of dependence are constructs viewed differently according to ethnicity, age, and socio-cultural circumstance. For each AWESSoM study these constructs are defined and guide study development through collaboration with a wide range of stakeholders, and with reference to current evidence. The Compression of Functional Decline model (CFD) underpins aspects of the programme. Interventions vary to optimise engagement and include a co-developed whānau (family) centred initiative (Ngā Pou o Rongo), the use of a novel LifeCurve™App to support behavioural change, development of health and social initiatives to support Pacific elders, and the use of a comprehensive oral health and cognitive stimulation programme for cohorts in aged residential care. Running parallel to these interventions is analysis of large data sets from primary care providers and national health databases to understand complex multi-morbidities and identify those at risk of adverse outcomes. Themes or target areas of sleep, physical activity, oral health, and social connectedness complement social capital and community integration in a balanced programme involving older people across the ability spectrum. Discussion AWESSoM delivers a programme of bespoke yet integrated studies. Outcomes and process analysis from this research will inform about novel approaches to implement relevant, socio-cultural interventions to optimise well-being and health, and to reverse the trajectory of decline experienced with age. Trial registration The At-risk cohort study was registered by the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials registry on 08/12/2021 (Registration number ACTRN 12621001679875).
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    Te whakaohooho, te whakarauora mauri : the re-awakening and re-vitalising indigenous 'spirit' of power, healing, goodness and wellbeing : a thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology at Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2023) Roestenburg, Michelle Waireti Maria
    A ‘spirit’ of Indigenous healing, wellbeing and re-vitalisation has been quietly, yet surely re-awakening our personal-global Indigenous hearts, homes and nations for the last few decades. To trace, track and understand the source, force and course of this movement and release much needed healing into our communities, the stories of six Indigenous people who were raised in ‘against-all-odds’ identity development conditions, yet are now proudly and perpetuatingly Indigenous have been received, held, analysed and synthesised. To ensure the Original teachings, stories and Indigenous-centric scholarship of this research remain grounded in the vital and re-vitalising relevancies of our everyday embodied experiences of Indigenous source, a ‘Mana Wairua’ (‘spirit’ is primary) Kaupapa Māori theoretical form was created. By tracing the growing, yet not well understood movement of Indigenous re-vitalisation into and through my own and other Indigenous people’s hearts, bodies, lives and literature, the power, presence and movement of an indelible Indigenous source force, and the knowings, knowledge and language related to it have been re-emerged. This unstoppable force derives from the source of creation. It inspires the healing, wellbeing and dignity associated with Indigenous identities and development. Even when separated from our people, lands and lifeways, we continue to embody pools of Indigenous knowing that enable us to feel and respond to this force and to our Ancestors. This research confirms, a ‘spirit’ of Indigenous re-vitalisation is indeed stirring in and moving our personal-global indigenous ‘hearts-bodies’ and lives, however, subsequent to the past-ongoing silencing, denigration and dismantling of the institutions that taught us how to understand, speak about and align with it - a yawning discrepancy now exists between our almost unconscious-embodied, ‘individualised’ experiences, and our collective capacities to tune into and deliberately release these life-giving vitalities into all levels of our lives. In accord with Indigenous source and Ancestors, this work calls us to wake up and illumine our personal-collective-global Indigenous minds with the ‘spirit’ of re-vitalisation that is already moving our hearts and bodies. It is time for us to turn towards and come home to the wholeness of our indomitable and sovereign Indigenous healing, wellbeing, dignities and potentials.
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    Performing pūrākau : liberating bodies, healing wairua, and reclaiming ancestral wisdom : 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, 2021) Pearse-Otene, Helen
    Studies by government agencies and advocacy groups report that Māori women and children are more vulnerable to experiencing family violence, sexual abuse, and incest than Pākehā. They acknowledge colonisation and historical trauma as contributing factors, and call for a systems-focused response to tackling sexual violence. This includes providing access to contextually responsive and culturally appropriate interventions. This study initially aimed to explore traditional Māori understandings of incest and healing from sexual trauma that are embedded in the pūrākau (ancestral story) of Hinetītama/Hinenui Te Pō, and her parents, Hineahuone and Tānemahuta. As it would apply a unique Māori theatre pedagogy called Theatre Marae, the project was then expanded to investigate the utility and potential of this innovative approach, which draws together Māori and non-Māori performance traditions, therapeutic models, Māori language, and customs in a process for creative inquiry. In pursuing these two activities, the resulting thesis comprises three publications. In the first article (chapter 2), I unpack the conceptual framework of Theatre Marae pedagogy as a suitable approach for kaupapa Māori (by Māori, for Māori) arts-based research against the backdrop of growing scholarship in Indigenous research and psychologies. In the second article (chapter 3), I deepen this exploration into Theatre Marae and its core methods within an historical account of the theatre company most associated with the practice, Te Rākau. The third article (chapter 4) builds on the preceding chapters by returning to the initial focus of this study and describing how Theatre Marae was applied in a performance-based analysis of this ancient pūrākau as a narrative of survival and healing. The analysis revealed new themes that highlight the collectivist customs of traditional Māori society as protective factors against the proliferation of sexual violence and incest. When drawn together in this thesis, these articles and contextualising discussion illustrate how Māori ancestral knowledge can inform the development of more culturally responsive therapies for recovery from historic sexual trauma. Furthermore, in presenting Theatre Marae to the realm of kaupapa Māori research, this thesis contributes to an international agenda to decolonise research in ways that are emancipatory, healing, and transformative for Indigenous communities.
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    Māopoopo : a socio-cultural and collective understanding to improve wellbeing amongst Pacific people in Aotearoa/New Zealand : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Public Health at Massey University, Wellington, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2021) Tuisano, Hana Salome
    The Aotearoa/New Zealand (NZ) healthcare system, has, like many other colonising ‘Western’ societies, placed a strong emphasis on biomedical models and the physical aspects of ‘disease’. Yet, it is the more encompassing and holistic worldviews of wellbeing that historically and currently resonate most strongly with Indigenous peoples. As a South Pacific country, there are many Pacific peoples who now live in Aotearoa/NZ with multiple generations having migrated from their island homelands over a period of some 80 years. However, there are significant health inequities among Pacific peoples compared with other ethnic groups in Aotearoa that have been ongoing for decades – notably those conditions related to non-communicable disease. This thesis explores the socio-cultural and historical perspectives of Pacific peoples in order to expand understanding about how they view health and wellbeing, an area about which relatively little is known. These understandings have the potential to lead to improved service delivery models and contribute to better health outcomes for Pacific peoples in Aotearoa/NZ. The overall objective of the study is to identify and articulate the values and principles that promote and enable Pacific peoples’ wellbeing and health in Aotearoa/NZ. The aims of the study are to: • draw on Tokelau knowledge of the cultural, historical, and social environment to better understand the influences on Pacific health and wellbeing • examine strategies of health empowerment and wellbeing among Pacific youth, and • examine service delivery models that can lead to improved Pacific health outcomes. The Tokelau worldview of māopoopo was used as an overall principle to inform all phases of this study. Conceptually, māopoopo serves as a cultural connector with people, a motivator of action, and informs principles that guide behaviour in practice. Māopoopo as a practice in action is to restore peace and wholeness and to inform future thinking (lumanaki), which includes an inseparable relationship with te fenua (land) e laga kita ko te fenua (to be determined to look after the land). Māopoopo as a metaphysical state is described in relation to levels of the individual (te tino), the family (Kāiga), the village (te Nuku). Semi-structured interviews and focus groups were carried out with a total of 37 participants including Tokelau elders, Tokelau community leaders, Tokelau adults, Pacific youth, and Pacific health and policy workers between July 2016 and January 2017. The data were analysed using thematic analysis and the emergent themes applied in relation to māopoopo. There were seven key themes identified from this research. The first theme, kāiga (family), was interrelated with the values of loto alofa (kindness), fai kāiga (family orientated), fakaaloalo (respect), loto maualalo (humility), and loto fehoahoani (helping others). The second theme, duty of care (tiute tautua), related to traditional knowledge and the intergenerational transfer of that knowledge, particularly in relation to culture, land, and language. Maintaining family relationships (loto fai kāiga) was the third identified theme and fundamentally underpins and is interrelated with all the first five themes identified. The fourth theme, interconnectedness (fehokotakiga), highlights the breadth of relationships between people and understandings of interdependence as opposed to independence. The fifth theme, spirituality (olaga faka-te-agaga), recognizes the centrality of the church in Pacific communities. Health advocacy was the sixth key theme with the final key theme being the impact of inequities on Pacific wellbeing. This thesis identifies Māopoopo as being an inclusive research approach that can have benefits for Pacific peoples while also having the potential to be developed within health policies to facilitate focus on collective action through effective cross-government and intersectoral approaches. In this way, it could be utilized to ensure effective approaches to collaboration between the health care system and the social, housing, employment, and education sectors. This work highlights the value and utility of applying Pacific understandings of wellbeing to support and empower communities through their active inclusion from the design through to the implementation of services. There is a great need for increased reciprocity in the relationships between government agencies and Pacific communities. There was recognition of the need for the application of cultural practices and concepts into service delivery for Pacific peoples, such as provision of on-site bilingual health workers, and it is therefore imperative that core health delivery services are brought closer into alignment with the realities of Pacific communities, for example, through active engagement with churches. There are significant gaps in health services for Pacific youth. This population group are an energetic group and, most importantly, the fastest growing population in Aotearoa. This current generation plays a significant role in terms of health advocacy, thus, to ensure relevant and effective impact within communities, they must be central players and key informers in the development of any interventions/strategies focussed on Pacific health and wellbeing. Further studies may well be useful to scope or investigate the healthcare services available for Pacific youth. Associated with the position and role of youth within Pacific communities, is the largely untapped potential to utilise the unique skills and knowledge available through intergenerational approaches where the grandparents are the educators in terms of the passing on of cultural knowledge and values. Health services can be made aware of this important pathway by which knowledge is transferred and of the critical role grandchildren could have to change their grandparents’ attitudes towards health.
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    Getting insight into the wellbeing needs of Māori youth : perspectives of students attending alternative education : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology at Massey University, Albany, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2020) Haerewa, Madeleine Amy
    This research seeks to explore the wellbeing needs of rangatahi Māori (Māori youth) who attend alternative education (AE) in New Zealand (NZ). Rangatahi Māori have a significant disadvantage compared to non-Māori due to disparities in educational attainment and mental health standing. Rangatahi Māori who attend AE are at an even greater disadvantage as they have been excluded from mainstream education, and in attending AE, are identified as a population of youth displaying the highest proportion of health-risk behaviours in NZ. This research produces evidence that holistic approaches to wellbeing are needed to improve outcomes for rangatahi Māori. The study develops a methodological framework for a Māori-centred research praxis, using pūrākau as a form of narrative inquiry and photo-elicitation as an ancillary tool in facilitating rangatahi Māori voices. Both rangatahi Māori and their AE tutor’s perspectives are collected through kanohi-ki-te-kanohi (face-to-face interviews) and focus groups. Key findings identify a range of wellbeing needs for rangatahi Māori, in their whānau (family), school and personal life, after they have navigated mainstream education and are placed within AE environments. Findings demonstrate the importance of rangatahi Māori feeling connected in their relationships and with their environment. This includes relationships with their whānau, tutors, romantic relationships, friendships and connection to their school environment. Rangatahi Māori need to have positive connections with the people in their life and their environment to best support their wellbeing. Findings indicate that whānau-like environments within AE promote school engagement. Furthermore, rangatahi Māori are advantaged when their connections and networks in the greater community are facilitated through their whānau-like relationships within AE. This thesis contributes new knowledge about the wellbeing needs of rangatahi Māori and concludes that a wider pūnaha hauropi (socio-ecological system) approach should be considered to optimise the wellbeing of rangatahi Māori who have or are at risk of experiencing school disenfranchisement.