"Becoming the spoke in the wheel" : Wraparound and the Theory of Change : an investigation into what promotes changes within Wraparound : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Clinical Psychology at Massey University, Wellington, New Zealand

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to explore the changes that young people with high and complex needs and their families’ experience through involvement with a Wraparound process. Also, to investigate if these changes aligned with those proposed by the Wraparound Theory of Change (WTOC; Walker, 2008). While there has been qualitative work done within the area of Wraparound, few studies have adopted Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. Further, little Wraparound work has been done within the context of Aotearoa New Zealand. Finally, the WTOC is yet to be assessed and thus remains a theory. A fidelity measure was administered, and semi-structured interviews took place with five young people and six caregivers at the New Zealand Wraparound Program (NZWP) in the ‘plan implementation and refinement’ (third) phase of Wraparound. Analysis indicated NZWP families reported experiencing changes in the areas of family connectedness, psychological acceptance, self-efficacy, and supports. These findings were related to the pathways to change proposed by the WTOC which include (1) enhanced effectiveness of services and supports, individually and as a “package” leading to increased commitment to engage with services and (2) increased resources and capacity for coping, planning and problem-solving. Findings suggest the WTOC is accurate in its predictions for how changes come about for families involved in a Wraparound process. Such research supports future Wraparound refinement and evaluation. Additional international qualitative longitudinal research exploring change is required with young people and caregivers involved in Wraparound.