Tuwhera Research Repository

The Tuwhera Research Repository provides sustainable open access and archiving to a broad range of AUT produced research - theses, research outputs and datasets.

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Access status: Open Access ,
How the Formative Leadership Development Experiences of School Leaders Influence Middle Leadership Development in their Schools
(Auckland University of Technology, 2026) Rattray, Daniel; Drake, Melanie
This study investigates how the formative middle leadership development experiences of senior school leaders shape the design and enactment of middle leadership development in New Zealand secondary schools. Guided by the literature that positions middle leadership both as a distinct practice and as a mechanism for the improvement of student outcomes and school improvement, this study examines how senior leaders’ own middle leadership journeys shape the development opportunities, support, and constraints they afford for middle leaders. Using a qualitative and interpretive design, this study draws on semi-structured interviews with senior leaders responsible for middle leadership development, exploring their formative experiences of middle leadership, and the current practices they enact. Thematic analysis reveals three interrelated themes: (1) the meaning of leadership and its influence on development priorities; (2) the perceived impact of mentoring and relational leadership; and (3) the tension between support and formal development as distinct yet overlapping constructs. Key findings indicate that formative experiences shape what senior leaders value in middle leadership development, including their ontological positioning and implicit theories of leadership. These constructs then shape middle leadership development priorities in their schools, often favouring mentoring and relational approaches embedded in both intentional and reactionary development. A further finding reveals the way in which senior leaders tend to reproduce, formalise or compensate for their formative experiences while acknowledging the limitations of these actions. The implications suggest that school leaders could benefit from reflecting critically on their formative experiences, and that benefit could be found in clarifying the language of support and development, increasing the intentionality of middle leadership development, broadening pathways into leadership, and strengthening mentoring practices, without over-relying on them. This study highlights opportunities for future research to build on these findings and address limitations. A larger qualitative study would enhance transferability and future work could measure the effectiveness of middle leadership development against improvements in practice or other school outcomes. Finally, incorporating Te Ao Māori and its indigenous leadership knowledge offers an opportunity to strengthen the bicultural partnership in line with Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
Access status: Open Access ,
Investment in life after stroke in Aotearoa New Zealand
(Auckland University of Technology) McCambridge, Alana
Stroke research in Aotearoa New Zealand has received substantial investment; however, relatively little funding has been directed towards understanding and improving life after stroke. This investment summary examined publicly funded stroke research projects supported by the Health Research Council of New Zealand (HRC), with a specific focus on research addressing life after stroke (LAS), including psychosocial wellbeing, rehabilitation experiences, service navigation, social support, and return-to-work outcomes. A total of NZD $23.69 million was identified across stroke-related research projects where stroke was referenced in the title or abstract. Of this, only NZD $487,244.23 (2.06%) was allocated to life-after-stroke research across seven projects funded between 2019 and 2024. Despite the significant long-term impacts of stroke on individuals, whānau, and communities, the findings highlight a marked imbalance in research investment, with the overwhelming majority of stroke funding directed towards biomedical and acute care priorities. Greater investment in life-after-stroke research is needed to support recovery, participation, equity, and quality of life for stroke survivors in Aotearoa New Zealand.
Access status: Open Access ,
Delayed Submarine Caldera Subsidence Creates Extreme Tsunami Hazard
(American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), 2026-09-02) Cronin, SJ; Steinke, B; Borrero, JC; Okal, EA; Ribó, Marta; Wu, J; White, JDL; Brenna, M; Paredes-Mariño, J; Huebsch, M; Baxter, R; Speidel, U; Van Eaton, AR; Mastin, LG; Clare, MA; Yeo, IA; Hunt, JE; Nash, J; Garvin, JB; Vaiomounga, R; Kula, T; Park, SH
The 2022 Hunga volcano eruption generated one of the largest and most destructive volcanic tsunamis ever recorded. We interpret the timing, nature and relative hazard of volcanic-tsunamigenic processes by combining geophysical, oceanographic, atmospheric, and eye-witness observations of this event. Hydro-acoustic signal (T waves) detected on seismic stations up to 2600 km away provided a key to discerning tsunami triggers from explosions, volcanic mass flows, and caldera subsidence. The largest tsunami was generated by the first of at least two sudden caldera-subsidence events. This occurred 1 hour after globally detected explosions that produced smaller tsunami. Our results provide rare insights into the rates of caldera subsidence and highlight the complex multiple sources of tsunamis resulting from eruptions of oceanic volcanoes.
Access status: Open Access ,
Factors Associated With Variability in Recovery After Mild Traumatic Brain Injury Among Adults Referred to Outpatient Concussion Clinics
(CSIRO Publishing, 2026-09-14) Snell, Deborah; Williman, Jonathan; Faulkner, Josh; Silverberg, Noah D; Theadom, Alice; Surgenor, Lois; Siegert, Richard; Simpson, Grahame
BACKGROUND: To understand factors associated with symptom and disability recovery trajectories among adults referred to outpatient clinics after mild traumatic brain injury. METHODS: Adults (n = 110; mean age 39 years, 36% men), were assessed at clinic intake (baseline mean 6.5 weeks), and monthly thereafter for 6 months. Validated questionnaires assessed distress, fear avoidance and catastrophising at baseline, and mild traumatic brain injury symptoms and disability. Using correlations and linear mixed modelling, we explored associations between demographic characteristics (age, gender), baseline psychological factors and recovery as a function of time. RESULTS: The models predicted improvement in symptoms (R2 = 0.22) and disability (R2 = 0.37). After adjusting for baseline severity of symptoms and disability, higher distress was associated with slower recovery and greater variability for symptoms (P = 0.06) and disability (P < 0.01). Higher baseline catastrophising predicted less symptom improvement (P = 0.02). Those with higher fear avoidance behaviour at baseline showed greater variability in disability outcomes (P = 0.02), even when other psychological variables were accounted for. CONCLUSIONS: Participants showed improvements on average, in both symptoms and disability. Variability and rates of recovery were associated with distress, catastrophising and fear avoidance. Clinicians can target such psychological factors in treatment and anticipate recovery fluctuations, normalising these while maintaining cautiously optimistic messaging regarding expected good prognosis after mild traumatic brain injury.
Access status: Open Access ,
Electrophysiological Biomarkers for Foundational Signal Markers in Chronic Pancreatitis Using Machine Learning Models
(Frontiers Media SA, 2026-07-22) Nedergaard, RB; Niazi, IK; Rojas, F; Ghani, U; Dugic, A; Phillips, AE; Faghih, M; Unnisa, M; Hagn-Meincke, R; Hajnády, Z; Yadav, D; de-Madaria, E; Hegyi, P; Garg, P; Talukdar, R; Olesen, SS; Farheen, S; Jagannath, S; Singh, V; Drewes, AM
Background – Most patients with chronic pancreatitis (CP) experience abdominal pain, but the pathophysiology differs. We aimed to investigate whether using only electroencephalography (EEG) and electrocardiography (ECG) could be used to identify distinct differences between healthy controls and people with CP with and without pain. Methods – This study utilised cross-sectional data from a multicentre research project, including healthy controls (n = 35) and patients with CP (n = 124), with (n = 94) and without (n = 30) pain. EEG and ECG recordings were analysed while resting and in experimental pain states. Analysis was performed using the machine learning models: decision tree classifier, random forest classifier, logistic regression, and support vector machine. The features used in the machine learning models were statistical-, entropy-, and fractal-feature extraction. Results – Classifying differences between all CP patients and controls yielded 78% F1-score (both EEG and ECG) using a support vector machine. Classifying differences between CP patients with and without pain was less precise, with a maximum 63% F1-score (both EEG and ECG) using a support vector machine. Overall, EEG and ECG improved classifications by up to 10 percentage points. Adding the cold pressor (tonic pain) condition did not reliably change the separation between patients with and without pain, which remained near chance. Discussion – The classification helps to show the importance of potential EEG and ECG measures in characterization of chronic pancreatitis and pain. Future work should focus on incorporating other disease-specific features in the model.