Bachelor with Honours Dissertations - open access

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https://hdl.handle.net/10292/14987
The "Bachelor with Honours Dissertations - open access" collection contains digital copies of AUT University B(Hons) dissertations approved for open access. B(Hons) dissertations are required to be open access from April 2022. Past students may contact the Tuwhera team (tuwhera.opentheses@aut.ac.nz) if they wish to make their B(Hons) open access.

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Browsing Bachelor with Honours Dissertations - open access by Supervisor "Csako, Rita"

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    Survey Study of Challenging and Mystical Experiences After Consuming Psilocybin Mushrooms in New Zealand
    (Auckland University of Technology, 2023) Zong, Zixuan (Jonathan)
    Background: Psilocybin is a psychedelic substance which is contained within certain species of mushrooms. Research has identified that in addition to the acute psychedelic effects of psilocybin, there are longer-lasting consequences of psilocybin consumption, including change in personality, and reduction in depressive symptoms and substance use disorder. However, little research has investigated the acute and lasting effects of psilocybin consumption in the New Zealand population. Aim: The present study aims to explore the extent of mystical experiences, meaningfulness, spiritual significance, and enduring changes in wellbeing resulting from recreational psilocybin experiences, and how these factors are affected by difficult or challenging experiences. Method: A quantitative anonymous survey was distributed online by convenience sampling and was open between August 31, 2022 to November 5, 2022. 511 New Zealanders completed the survey. Participants completed the Mystical Experience Questionnaire 30 (MEQ30) and survey questions about the difficulty, meaningfulness, spiritual significance, and enduring changes to wellbeing as a result of the psilocybin experience. Participants could also provide open-ended written comments about their experience. Results: Participants reported high levels of mystical experiences (MEQ30 Total Average = 99.3), with 36.2% achieving Complete Mystical Experiences. High levels of meaningfulness, spiritual significance, enduring positive changes in wellbeing due to the psilocybin experience were also found, with a moderate number of participants having a challenging psilocybin experience. A Spearman’s rho correlation analysis showed significant positive correlations between all previously mentioned factors with a p < .001, except for the relationship between the estimated psilocybin dosage and enduring changes in wellbeing (p < .01), difficulty and enduring changes in wellbeing (p < .01), and between difficulty and positive mood (not significant). A slight difference was found between participants who achieved a Complete Mystical Experience, and those who did not. Conclusion: This study provided an initial insight into the recreational psilocybin experiences of people in New Zealand, looking at the relationship between psilocybin experiences, challenging or otherwise, and their impact on personal meaning, spiritual significance, and enduring changes in wellbeing. The findings are consistent with prior research, indicating that both mystical and challenging experiences of higher intensity are associated with greater increases in personal meaning, spiritual significance, and lasting improvements in wellbeing.
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    The Satisfaction of Women’s Orgasms: Women’s Orgasmic Pleasure and Relationship Satisfaction in Aotearoa/New Zealand
    (Auckland University of Technology, 2023) Janssen, Alexandra Kate
    Orgasms have become the symbol of successful sex in modern society. It is common knowledge that women’s orgasms can be elusive in heterosexual partnered sex. To ascertain the impact of this disparity and better understand women’s sexuality for clinical application, this study will explore the relationship between women’s orgasms and their relationship satisfaction. Prior literature suggests that women’s orgasms are important for both their sexual and relationship satisfaction. However, research is still in its infancy and no research to date has been conducted in Aotearoa/New Zealand. This is a cross-sectional study using pre-collected data from an online questionnaire. A stepwise logistic regression model building exercise was run on select orgasm variables (consistency, pleasure, and difficulty) and covariates (age, frequency of sex, and self-rated importance of sex) to determine which variables best predicted sexual relationship satisfaction and relationship satisfaction beyond sexual issues. Notably, more consistent orgasms and more frequent sex were the strongest predictors of sexual relationship satisfaction, whereas greater orgasmic pleasure and more regular difficulty reaching orgasm best explained relationship satisfaction beyond sexual issues. The relationship of orgasmic variables with relationship satisfaction was found to be curvilinear, and satisfaction only increased up to a point. These findings show that women’s orgasms are associated with their relationship satisfaction but highlight that they are not the only important element of sex for women’s satisfaction and that achieving orgasm every time is not necessarily better for women’s relationship satisfaction. This is in line with the new concept in sex therapy promoting “Good Enough Sex.”
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    The Therapeutic Application of MDMA: Knowledge and Attitudes of Psychologists in Aotearoa
    (Auckland University of Technology, 2022) Cullen, David Lloyd
    This exploratory cross-sectional, survey-based pilot study investigated the knowledge and attitudes of psychologists in Aotearoa towards the therapeutic application of MDMA (‘3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine’, colloquially known as ‘Ecstasy’). MDMA-assisted psychotherapy (‘MDMA-PT’, which involves the adjunctive use of MDMA with psychotherapy) has been designated as a ‘breakthrough therapy’ by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder (‘PTSD’), and is on track to become an approved prescription therapy in the U.S. by 2023. Psychologists play a pivotal role in MDMA-PT and PTSD treatment, and as a core pillar of the mental health workforce in Aotearoa, their knowledge and attitudes will significantly impact the support and potential implementation of this treatment locally. Sixty-five psychologists completed an anonymous, online survey which explored their self-reported knowledge and attitudes of MDMA-PT, as well as their personal attitudes towards recreational MDMA and substance use. The results demonstrated that participants had varying levels of knowledge about MDMA-PT research, but were unlikely to be well informed about the treatment. Psychologists had generally favourable attitudes towards MDMA-PT, which was underpinned by a sense of caution and an awareness of the limits of their knowledge of the treatment. The study provides additional evidence to suggest that personal attitudes and stigma are likely to play a role in shaping healthcare workers’ attitudes towards MDMA-PT and its acceptance as a legitimate treatment. Increased levels of psychoeducation are needed to ensure psychologists are properly informed of MDMA-PT’s evidence base and to reduce stigma. Future research is needed to better understand the attitudes and knowledge of other relevant healthcare professionals towards MDMA-PT, the phenomenon of self-medication, and the implications of these results specifically for psychological practice in Aotearoa.
Dissertations are protected by the Copyright Act 1994 (New Zealand). The dissertation may be consulted by you, provided you comply with the provisions of the Act and the following conditions of use:
  • Any use you make of these documents or images must be for research or private study purposes only, and you may not make them available to any other person.
  • Authors control the copyright of their dissertation. You will recognise the author’s right to be identified as the author of the dissertation, and due acknowledgement will be made to the author where appropriate.
  • You will obtain the author’s permission before publishing any material from the dissertation.