Masters Research Projects

Permanent link for this collectionhttps://hdl.handle.net/10292/9823

The Masters Research Projects collection contains digital copies of AUT masters research projects deposited with the Library since 2016 and made available on open access.

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Client Experiences of Videocall Therapy During Covid-19 Restrictions in Aotearoa New Zealand
(Auckland University of Technology, 2022) Jones, Amelia
Intermittent restrictions on personal movement were introduced in Aotearoa New Zealand from March 2020, in response to the COVID-19 global pandemic. Phone or online delivery of psychotherapy, psychology and counselling services (telepsychology) became the norm, often facilitated by videocall technology. Whilst there is literature exploring therapists' experiences of videocall therapy, there are relatively few international studies on clients’ experiences. This research aims to describe six clients’ experience of videocall therapy during COVID-19 restrictions in Aotearoa New Zealand. Recruited via social media advertisements, participants shared their experiences in semi-structured interviews. Reflexive thematic analysis of the interviews identified that videocall therapy is commonly thought of as a conceptual ‘space’ defined by safety and containment. It is created by manipulating a client’s external environment, as well as practices from therapists and clients that acknowledge that videocall therapy is a fundamentally different experience to in-person therapy. Findings from the analysis contribute to the knowledge base in this area, suggesting that perceptions of therapeutic efficacy in videocall therapy may be influenced by practices before, during, and after therapy sessions. Though limited by a small sample size, these findings are the first in Aotearoa New Zealand to describe client experiences of videocalltherapy during the period in which COVID-19 restricted therapy in-person.
Psychologists’ Experience and Management of Zoom Fatigue
(Auckland University of Technology, 2022) Cornthwaite, Kelsey
The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in drastic changes to daily routines for psychologists. Driven by the need for remote and flexible ways of providing clinical services while keeping in line with stay-at-home orders, the pandemic has resulted in a rise in the use of videoconferencing tools for online therapy. The increasing use of videoconferencing has raised concerns around reports of feeling tired and exhausted following virtual meetings, termed "Zoom fatigue”. The use of videoconferences in therapy is likely to continue beyond the pandemic, yet limited literature has examined the experiences of Zoom fatigue from psychologists’ perspectives. Understanding how Zoom fatigue may be experienced and managed can provide strategies for more appropriate use of videoconferences and allow for more effective and productive working environments. The current study utilises a qualitative descriptive approach to explore psychologists’ experiences and management of Zoom fatigue. Reflexive thematic analysis of six semi-structured interviews with New Zealand registered psychologists revealed themes that the experience of Zoom fatigue is related to mental, emotional and physical fatigue. Zoom fatigue may also be understood in relation to experiences of technical challenges, stressors of working from home, and difficulties cultivating a therapeutic relationship with clients. The findings of this study suggest that despite the reported challenges of Zoom fatigue, there are effective methods to mitigate the experiences of Zoom fatigue where future uses of videoconferences in therapy can be successfully implemented if it is applied appropriately.
Recipes for Remaking: Exploring Transience and Permanence in the Everyday Practices of Eating, Sharing and Cooking Food
(Auckland University of Technology, 2023) Torr, Matthew
Recipes for re-making is a practice-led research project that explores ways of re-making spaces that are associated with food, through the assemblage of abstract ceramic objects. Eating is an act both banal and extraordinary – we eat out of necessity, but also to mark social occasions, celebrate moments of company or as forms of pleasure. It is an act of the everyday and it is my own observations around the everyday acts of eating, sharing and preparing food that form the basis of this research. I am interested in the connection between eating and the spatial environments in which this action occurs. Through a reflective, deconstructive approach, I identify and isolate elements from memory-fragments and preserve them as ceramic objects. Using recipe making as a key method for exploration, I use the culinary terms Ingredients and Methods to document the making of ceramic objects. These ceramic objects then themselves become the ingredients in the recreation of spatio-temporal foodscapes through assemblages of sensory and tactile engagements with texture, repetition and material. Through using recipe making as both a method for documentation and for re-making remembered spaces and experiences, the project asks if there is an opportunity to re-engage with these temporal spaces of past food memories through object making and novel assemblages of non-representational ceramic objects.
The Relationship Review: A New Approach to Relationship Therapy
(Auckland University of Technology, 2022) Guy, Lisa Janelle
Introduction: Intimate relationships play an important role in people’s lives but they can also be a source of conflict. There is a lack of relationship tools available for couples that promote open communication, self-reflection, and the maintenance of healthy relationships. The Relationship Review is an interactive, discussion-based tool that helps couples to reflect on their strengths, challenges, and areas for growth. Objective: The study aimed to investigate how participants envision using the tool and what benefits and barriers they anticipated. Furthermore, as this is a new intervention, the research sought to identify any opportunities for the tool to be adapted and enhanced. Method: A qualitative research approach was employed using thematic analysis to analyse the data. One pilot group and three focus groups were held, with a total of fourteen female participants and one male participant, with a mean age of 33, to understand their ideas, attitudes, and opinions as they relate to the tool. Results: Five primary themes were developed from the data: Being willing to engage, Creating emotional safety, Helpful prompts leading to meaningful conversations, Developing a shared understanding, and Practical considerations. Additionally, new features and resources were suggested to improve the usability of the tool. Conclusion: The findings suggest The Relationship Review has the potential to help couples maintain healthy relationships by facilitating open and courageous conversations and by helping couples reflect on their strengths.
Cultural Revitalisation of Art Practices in Zhejiang Province, China, Lensed Through the Concept of Xiang Chou (Nostalgia/Memories)
(Auckland University of Technology, 2022) Xiang, (Echo) Shan
In recent years, the art and creative industries have been a major driving force in the post-industrial economy of the People’s Republic of China. A potential negative consequence of the large-scale construction of the cultural and creative industry is the imbalance of hard and soft infrastructures. The hard infrastructure is China’s construction of cultural facilities (e.g., galleries, museums, art clusters, cultural production business clusters). And creative practitioners, arts management professionals, and curators who understand interdisciplinary knowledge in arts, and have business and international experience, generate soft power. Recent cultural studies provide evidence and snapshots of the ongoing “first-class venue and third-class management” problem across the creative industry in China. This project reviewed relevant knowledge and case studies and conducted interviews with critical stakeholders for the early data collection of the research, then incorporated service design principles through the lens of Xiang Chou (Chinese nostalgia mode) to create potential opportunities for attracting funding from local (regional) government, private investors, and sponsors to support cultural revitalisation projects. The expert interviews show that the art community is in need of curatorial support and arts management support. Additionally, the art dealers and artists call for more effective communication and a rewiring of their heritage and culture by making connections with each other and with other similar communities both in and outside of China. This research developed a service-design-based proposal for the regional artists and art dealers in Lishui. The concept proposal communicates a framework for arts managers and creative industry sectors to work on analogous projects in the region and transfer knowledge across various potential cultural enhancement projects. It is hoped this study will inform practitioners and curators about cultural revitalisation projects with strategic service design methods to acquire funding and make effective connections, and to engage with wider audiences, domestically and internationally.
Delivering Online Therapy During COVID-19: Counselling Psychologists’ Experience
(Auckland University of Technology, 2022) Kura, Cherry
The utilisation of online therapy has flourished in recent years, with the need for flexible and remote delivery of therapy substantially increasing due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This present study aimed to explore counselling psychologists’ experiences of delivering online therapy during COVID-19 in Aotearoa New Zealand. A thematic analysis of eight interviews with registered counselling psychologists in Aotearoa New Zealand revealed themes around the challenges and benefits of online therapy, and the impacts of online therapy on the therapeutic relationship - a hallmark component within the clinical practice of counselling psychology. Counselling psychologist participants identified several general benefits of delivering online therapy, both in relation to meeting the needs of certain client demographics and in attending to participants’ own self-care during the pandemic. However, participants also identified ethical, cultural and relational challenges and complexities unique to delivering online therapy within a pandemic and lockdown environment. The benefits and challenges reported by participants in this study were consistent with those reported in the international literature. The findings of this study suggest that despite the reported challenges, counselling psychologist participants viewed the aims and values of the counselling psychology discipline to fit with the ongoing integration of online therapy into clinical practice. Whilst the findings of this study are limited by its small sample size, it is the first study that specifically assessed counselling psychologists experience of delivering online therapy during COVID-19 in New Zealand from a practice-based lens.
An Evaluation of a Mindfulness Meditation-Based Program for Tāmaki Health Patients
(Auckland University of Technology, 2022) Kerslake, April
Background: One in five New Zealanders are affected by mental health issues every year and suicide rates in New Zealand are consistently high. Mindfulness-meditation-based programs (MMBPs) have research evidence for use with a variety of mental and physical health disorders in a range of settings such as outpatient care, primary healthcare, and private care. However, much of this research is not contextualized to New Zealand healthcare. The Aotearoa Mindfulness and Awareness (AMA) Wellness course is an MMBP based on Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) and was developed by an MBSR trained clinician. Tāmaki Health, New Zealand’s largest primary healthcare group offers approximately 63 AMA courses per year. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of Tāmaki Health’s AMA Wellness course on wellbeing for participants aged sixteen and older. Participants/Method: For this mixed-methods research, quantitative data were collected via questionnaires at baseline from 70 participants and post-intervention from 31 who completed the course. Due to the nationwide COVID-19 lockdown starting in August 2021, AMA courses continued online, therefore, data from participant samples were analysed according to whether they received in-person course delivery or online delivery. Qualitative data were collected from telephone interviews with ten participants and the data analysed using thematic analysis. Results: Spearman’s rho correlation analyses found that, in both samples, higher mindfulness levels were correlated with lower levels of anxiety and depressive symptoms. Additionally, higher depressive symptom levels were correlated with higher somatization and anxiety symptom levels in both samples. Descriptive statistical analysis and Wilcoxon Signed Rank tests found that after completing the AMA in-person courses, scores of mindfulness increased, and levels of somatization, anxiety and depressive symptoms decreased. The same analysis revealed that for the online courses, levels of mindfulness increased and levels of anxiety symptoms decreased from pre- to post-intervention. Attrition rates were over 50%. However, an independent samples T-test and chi-square analyses indicated no statistically significant differences in demographics and course completion. Interviews revealed two major themes: Slowing down and Letting things go. Conclusions: The quantitative data suggest that after attending the AMA course, most participants demonstrate an increase in mindfulness levels and a decrease in anxiety when delivered in-person or online. When the AMA course is completed in-person, scores of somatization and depressive symptoms also decrease. Most participants who were interviewed commented that the AMA course impacted them positively and provided tools to cope with everyday challenges. Strengths and limitations, clinical implications, and directions for future research are discussed.
Eco-Anxiety: A Scoping Review Towards a Clinical Conceptualisation and Therapeutic Approach
(Auckland University of Technology, 2021) Dailianis, Anastasia
As the ecological and climate crisis has intensified, impact on mental health has become more evident. ‘Eco-anxiety’ is a term commonly used to describe these effects. Despite the increased recognition of eco-anxiety as a valid mental state, there is little empirical evidence detailing it as a clinical presentation, or describing the interventions considered most effective in addressing it. Utilising a scoping review methodology, this study collated recent knowledge of eco-anxiety and the therapeutic approaches suggested to mitigate its negative impact. Literature published between 2017-2020 addressing the conceptualisation of eco-anxiety, its symptoms and interventions were reviewed. 25 academic articles and 5 book chapters met inclusion criteria for the review. Descriptive content analysis was used to map current understanding of this emerging presentation. The findings from the scoping review suggest that maladaptive eco-anxiety presents even in people with no direct experiences of ecological crisis, it causes a crisis of hope regarding the future, a reduction in quality of life, and can lead to an inability to take positive action. It can be described as an existential crisis and could also be conceptualised within a trauma, stress or grief framework. Symptoms present as both cognitive-emotional and functional impairment and could be associated with diagnostic categories of anxiety, depression, trauma and stress. Therapeutic interventions consist of individual level skills training primarily for resilience and coping; group approaches; therapeutic approaches derived from the main schools of psychotherapy; diagnostic-specific approaches; and changes required at the mental health system level.
Barriers and Facilitators of Utilising Cervical Cancer Screening in the Papua New Guinea: A Narrative Review
(Auckland University of Technology, 2021) Pake, Freda
Background: Melanesian countries in the Pacific have the highest incidence of cervical cancer worldwide. In Papua New Guinea (PNG), 1,500 cervical cancer deaths of women are reported each year, and the country has the highest estimated cervical cancer burden in the Pacific. Although primary and secondary cervical cancer screening (CCS) methods are available, women’s participation remains low. Aim: This narrative review aims to identify barriers and facilitators of women’s utilisation of CCS in PNG and the wider Pacific. Method: A narrative review of the literature from the Pacific was conducted, and data was synthesised from qualitative, quantitative, and mixed method studies. Five data bases were electronically searched for articles published between 1990 and 2020. Given the paucity of literature in PNG and the Pacific pertaining the topic, the review included bibliographies of grey materials and key journal articles. Twenty-three journal articles and government reports that focused on barriers and facilitators of CCS uptake were included in the review. Results: The literature identified multifaceted barriers and facilitators of CCS uptake by women in PNG and the wider Pacific. Factors that were barriers to CCS uptake included: (i) lack of awareness and understanding; (ii) cultural-religious taboos and practices; (iii) Concerns about indirect costs of CCS uptake and poor socio-economic status; (iv) suboptimal healthcare delivery; and (v) geographical impediments limiting access to CCS services. Facilitators of CCS were multifaceted and interrelated, including: (i) culturally centred interventions for CCS; (ii) affordability of and accessibility to CCS services; and (iii) health insurance protection. Culturally centred approaches coupled with affordable and accessible cervical screening methods were found to have the potential to enhance cervical screening uptake. Conclusion: While cervical screening is the initial step in detecting human papillomavirus (HPV) in women, the findings in this review highlight the urgent need to address factors beyond individual knowledge and attitude influencing Pacific women’s CCS behaviour. Future studies should assess the actual availability, accessibility, affordability, and acceptability of CCS methods through a wider understanding of contextual factors. This study is relevant to policy makers, international development partners and non-government organisations in guiding them in working collaboratively to address the barriers while also understanding the contextual influences on CCS uptake by Pacific women.
Experiences of Prison Detention Whilst Seeking Asylum in Aotearoa New Zealand: An Exploratory Study
(Auckland University of Technology, 2021) Hiew, Eunice
The world is currently witnessing the highest levels of forcibly displaced people on record, as escalating regional wars and human rights violations force people to seek sanctuary in other lands. Asylum seekers have been described as one of the most “at risk” populations in the world. Yet, Eurocentric nations have been using various measures to deter people from seeking asylum in their countries. The most controversial of these involves the placement of asylum seekers in detention centres. Given that asylum seekers have frequently been subject to (often multiple) traumatic experiences, it is concerning that they are being placed into contexts where there is the risk of further harm; detention has been robustly demonstrated in the international literature to have a negative association with asylum seeker health; particularly mental health. However, there is a paucity of research on individuals’ experiences of detention in Aotearoa. This study aimed to add knowledge to that gap, by exploring the experiences of individuals formerly detained whilst seeking asylum in Aotearoa. Furthermore, in Aotearoa, there is the potential for detention in prison; over the last five years, 80 individuals seeking asylum in Aotearoa have been detained in prison for long periods of time; an average of 166 days. To this author’s knowledge, details on specifically prison (and, by extension, with persons incarcerated for crime-related reasons [PICRs]) versus other types of detainment are minimal. The little knowledge that exists of detained asylum seekers in Aotearoa suggests potential risk of harm that gives further cause for concern. This study aimed to further the knowledge around prison detention. Interviews were conducted with six individuals who had been formerly detained whilst seeking asylum in Aotearoa. Reflexive thematic analysis was used to analyse transcripts. An overarching theme was identified: detention caused suffering. Furthermore, this study identified particular aspects of the detention experience – during detention and after release - that were related to psychological and/or physical distress. Three themes were conceptualised to understand these aspects: powerlessness (theme one), the interaction of detention experiences with the asylum seeker identity and story (theme two), and distress related to processes (theme three). Distress related to theme one was conceptualised through four sub-themes: experiences being locked up with PICRs; lack of access to the ability to support oneself (notably through a lack of work visa) after release; how the care, responsivity and competence of people in power had meaningful consequences on asylum seekers’ lives; and experiences of coping and resilience amidst circumstances with restricted access to power. Distress related to theme two was conceptualised through two sub-themes: unfairness of treating asylum seekers like PICRs, and the compounding effect of detention on pre-migration suffering making matters worse. Distress related to theme three was conceptualised through two sub-themes: the inability to contact family, and lack of knowing. There was variation in the overall levels of suffering during, and after, detention, suggesting that there were a variety of factors that might – negatively or positively - influence asylum seekers’ health. Importantly, despite variation in experiences, suffering appeared to be a defining characteristic of portions, and/or the overall, experience of detention for participants. The findings suggest that there is a higher likelihood of experiences that cause suffering to be present in prison, with a consequent greater risk of harm, for asylum seekers during, and after, detention.
Service Design to Assist Caregivers of Adults With Learning Disabilities
(Auckland University of Technology, 2021) Khongpaiboon, Onwara
This project investigated a design solution to assist the caregivers of adults with learning disabilities (McRae et al.) in Thailand. The problems associated with LDs are increasing annually. The bulk of primary caregivers are individual family members who provide caregiving services without sufficient support from healthcare organisations. The challenge to Thai caregivers is to maintain their career while concurrently providing care to people with LDs. In some instances, they are pressured into quitting their jobs to care for family members with LDs. This research project employed a design thinking methodology, which is a qualitative approach. Based on trial-and-error attempts and proactive practical experience using the design thinking process, this research established that design outcomes must rapidly meet user needs through the product development cycle of prototype and testing. The results of this research offer a service design solution that can be used to provide support groups for caregivers. The design applies a token system (time-based currency) as a medium for group members with which to either provide or acquire caregiving advice and support they support others in the same position by providing caregiving services on rotational basic. These services also provide a venue for caregivers through which they can stay connected while also serving as a learning environment.
Time Gone, We Stay - Connecting to the Balinghou Collective Memory Through Narrative and Zine
(Auckland University of Technology, 2020) Zhou, Xiaoying (Zoey)
The Chinese post-80s generation are known in China as ‘Balinghou’. The loneliness brought by the ‘one-child policy’ led to a selfish and independent Balinghou. Their exam-oriented education focussed on theoretical learning, resulting in a lack of practical abilities. The Balinghou struggle under fierce competition for employment, which exacerbates the financial pressure and the huge of the duty of bringing up both children and supporting parents in a 421-family structure. The recent resurgence of interest in childhood comics, toys and snacks reflects this generation attempts to reconnect with the carefree days of their youth. Behind this wave of nostalgia is a desire to retreat from the pressures of their current, adult lives. My research project uses visual storytelling to unpack my opinions and interpret key issues for Balinghou. I have explored the concept of ‘reflective nostalgia’ as a new perspective that offers a critical way of thinking about generational identity and culture, as influenced by societal development. I have used the Zine format as a way to combine personal stories and social history. Zines were an effective way for me to advocate self-voice and create emotional resonance with my Balinghou readers. This project hopes to encourage Balinghou readers to gain strength through reflecting on their past so that they might face the pressure of their current reality more calmly. The study of narratology prompted me to examine how to construct a narrative and build multiple ways to communicate with my readers. I established six narrative strategies to support me in a bold exploration of visual storytelling by applying different narrative strategies to content. Auto-ethnographic research encouraged me to delve into my personal experiences that related to my six selected Balinghou themes. Reflecting on the past through writing and drawing helped me to unpack my feelings, which in turn helped my design work more convincingly connect to the Balinghou collective memory. Action research drove me to improve my design practice and visual storytelling constantly. It guided me to employ new knowledge in my practice through an iterative design process. The design outcome of my research consists of six Zines, with each Zine unpacking one of six themes, based on key aspects of the Balinghou life experience. My zines weave together text, illustrations and graphics into the narrative to form a coherent design. There is also a mix of Chinese and English language content to connect to both Balinghou and non-Chinese readers. The collective narratives and visual storytelling in my Zines aim to create an emotional resonance with my Balinghou readers.
The Emotional Kitchen Space Aging With Dignity Around the Kitchen Table
(Auckland University of Technology, 2020) Wang, Guangjin
How can a kitchen be designed as an elderly-friendly emotional space that encourages people to share positive social experiences of cooking and dining? How can designers support people to age with dignity? This practice-based design research is based on the strong emotional bond between me and my grandfather, and my observations of how he struggled to use his home. I have developed design principles for emotional spaces that support independence, social connection, and cultural belonging. I have focused on the kitchen as a space that poses particular challenges, and ultimately propose an Emotional Kitchen Table, a piece of furniture that could be fitted into existing apartments or houses to provide a more fulfilling spatial experience for the elderly. My methodology centers on developing empathy, and I use ideas from design ethnography (particularly personas and scenarios) and digital technologies for simulating use. My aim is to demonstrate how a concern for emotional space and empathy can help designers like myself give older people the opportunity to age with dignity.
Resistance Training Intensity Following an Anterior Cruciate Ligament Repair: A Systematic Review
(Auckland University of Technology, 2020) Nichols, Zackary William
Introduction. Anterior cruciate ligament repair (ACLR) is becoming increasingly common in Australia. Strength and functional deficits commonly persist beyond a person’s return to sport following an ACLR, and reinjury rates are high. Resistance training (RT) is considered a key component to an ACLR rehabilitation protocol. Furthermore, RT intensity is a crucial variable determining the physiological response of the neuromuscular system. Currently the optimal prescription of RT intensity following ACLR is unknown, and there is no universally accepted best-practice approach to prescribing an RT program following ACLR. Objective. This systematic review aimed to identify, critique and synthesise the findings of research that has evaluated the effectiveness of RT programs on physical return to sport outcome measures. This review will present the quality of the identified literature, the alignment of current ACLR RT protocols with recommended RT guidelines and the sufficiency of current RT protocols to achieve return to sport criteria and address post-ACLR deficits. Methods. A comprehensive search of electronic databases (EBSCO health databases [CINAHL, MEDLINE, SPORTDiscus], Scopus and Pedro) was performed and identified studies relevant to the objective. A quality critique of the selected studies was undertaken using a modified Downs and Black appraisal tool. Data central to the study objective were extracted and presented. Results. In total 10 articles were retained for final review, five of which were categorised as excellent or good quality. Study quality ranged from excellent to poor. RT intensity varied greatly among studies (between 5% and >80% of 1RM). Only one identified study specifically investigated the effect of a low versus high intensity RT protocol. One study investigated the effects of a rehabilitation protocol from time of surgery to beyond six months post-surgery. The majority of studies reported objective data relating to strength and function that would not pass recommended return to sport thresholds. Conclusion: RT intensity reported in ACLR rehabilitation literature varies considerably. Furthermore, there appears to be no consensus regarding optimal RT intensity following ACLR. Most RT protocols promoted muscle endurance and hypertrophy. Best-practice guidelines informed by high quality evidence are needed to optimise function and minimise risk of reinjury following ACLR.
The Therapist’s Experience of the (Non-) Establishment of Therapeutic Alliance in Couple Therapy
(Auckland University of Technology, 2020) Creagh, Helen
This dissertation concerns the therapist’s experience of the establishment, or non-establishment, of therapeutic alliance in couple therapy. There is strong evidence that the therapeutic alliance has a significant impact on the outcomes of couple therapy. Although there is a considerable literature on therapeutic alliance in individual therapies, far fewer endeavours have been made in the realm of couple research. Even though the workings of the alliance within a therapeutic triad attract attention in published research, results have been contradictory and confusing. There is very little research which involves the therapist as subject or makes use of qualitative methodologies to answer key questions. There remains a lack of clarity about the definition of therapeutic alliance in couple therapy and about the importance of imbalance in the therapeutic triad. This research investigates experiences of registered psychodynamic therapists in the (non-) establishment of therapeutic alliance with couples. The methodology used is Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). Five personal interviews conducted with experienced couple psychotherapists provide the data. Key research findings include that therapists actively seek the establishment of an alliance with couples and that the formation of an alliance is not a given. Imbalance in therapeutic alliance is common to the endeavour of couple therapy, particularly at the outset. Using a combination of therapeutic process and stance, therapists aim to deliver containment, equity, and both emotional and experiential safety to their couple clients. Challenges to alliance formation with couples include client factors, therapist factors and process errors.
A Post-Structural Analysis of Female Egg Donation in New Zealand
(Auckland University of Technology, 2020) Thurlow, Rebecca
Since the introduction of Assisted Reproductive Technologies (ARTs) in the 1980s, such practices have become increasingly commonplace internationally. In New Zealand alone, egg donation (ED) accounts for approximately ten per cent of all treatment cycles at fertility centres. New Zealand differs to many other jurisdictions in that anonymous donation is prohibited. This is enforced by the Human Assisted Reproductive Technology (HART) Act 2004, which recognizes the rights of offspring to have access to their genetic information. Donor-conceived individuals can access this information at age of majority, or earlier by application. Research suggests that ED involves potential complexities around donors’ motivations, experiences of ED, disclosure arrangements, and contact between the donor and recipient family. Psychological support is generally provided for egg donors to aid them in decision-making, navigating implications and dealing with adversities that may arise, however this support is often deemed inadequate by women and families in New Zealand and internationally. Research exploring the complexities of ED and women and families’ support needs in the New Zealand context is relatively limited. Therefore, the current inquiry aimed to explore egg donors’ motivations and experiences to better understand how preparation and support around this process could be provided for them, and to inform policy and practice. Ten women donors who had donated their eggs to someone known or previously unknown in New Zealand were interviewed about their motivations and experiences of ED. A post-structural feminist discourse analysis approach was adopted to identify the discourses surrounding ED in New Zealand, how these ‘frame’ ED and make available subject positions for women, how women take up or critique these positions, and how power operated to enable and constrain possibilities for women in these positions. The implications of these discourses for women’s experiences, wellbeing and support needs were also explored. Converging and competing discourses were identified in the findings. A dominant genetic discourse was identified, which enabled woman egg donors’ to assume a more involved position in the ED process as an extended relative, but could jeopardise the recipients’ position. A contesting altruism discourse was also identified, which minimized donors’ position following ED, and made available uninvolved/unattached positions, such as the ‘bystander’. From these positions, competing constructions of donors as ‘mothers’ or ‘not mothers’ arose. Women positioned themselves in various ways that exhibited a constant drawing near and distancing process in relation to the donor-conceived child (DCC) and the DCC’s family, which indicated discomfort with the positions available to them. The findings demonstrate how women grapple with a genetic discourse to negotiate a role in the ED process. In this study, women are trying to find ways to care for/relate to children and families, in the context of some restrictive constraints that need not be such barriers. A genetic discourse was assumed and resisted in womens’ construction of eggs, the DCC, and the ED process. In this construction of eggs, this assume/resist action suggests there are tensions in the attachment women hold for their eggs, which evoked conflicting emotions for donors. In the construction of the DCC, donors drew on the genetic discourse to draw near and resisted the discourse to distance themselves from the DCC. This can be seen as a form of self-protection, suggesting that although women desire a level of involvement, too much involvement may be difficult for women. In the construction of ED, women drew on a genetic discourse to highlight that donating genetic material carried significant weight, in terms of ongoing consequences. Donors, therefore, resisted the discourse to enable their decision to donate and to protect themselves. Donors demonstrate a significant difficulty in negotiating the genetic, social and gestational discourses of motherhood available to them. These discourses can be seen as reinforcing traditional norms of kinship and enabled too much or not enough involvement for donors. These restrictive discourses required donors to position themselves as not mothers or mothers. Neither of these were comfortable for donors, therefore, a genetic discourse was drawn on in a different, less powerful way by donors to challenge traditional constructions of kinship and position themselves as only ‘partly mothers’. This enabled women to have some involvement within particular boundaries and circumscribed responsibilities (e.g. concern for the child’s welfare and responsibility to disclose genealogy). These implications suggest more support is needed for women to enhance their health and wellbeing. A suggestion for ongoing counselling to consider the ongoing consequences of ED and the effect on donors’ lifetime trajectories, setting donors up for a relationship that is organic, can shift and change and may require further support or may not. Ongoing counselling should also focus on promoting a critical awareness of the multiple meanings of ED in womens’ lives, by encouraging women to engage productively with discourses of motherhood and promote creativity to construct new terms of engagement that work for them. Implications for policy and practice are also suggested, including: a more thorough assessment of recipients in to facilitate selection, considering birth certificate annotations to enhance policy around disclosure, and relationships-focussed training approach for medical staff. Directions for future research are also outlined.
Stress Through a Digital User-Centric Lens
(Auckland University of Technology, 2020) Takeda, Julian
Digital health as an industry while exponentially growing in breadth, has not lived up to potential thus far in actually being able to produce meaningful positive health outcomes. This research project explored the applicability of user-centered design as a methodological approach toward the decline of digital health. Stress amongst university students was the context used for the design process in order to carry the research out through a full design cycle. The user-centric nature of the project meant the involvement of university students who were currently attending Auckland University of Technology within the design process. A set of methods and phases within the cycle were employed at the start of the research but were ultimately changed and adapted to accomodate the complexities of stress amongst university students. In particular, the psychological and non-physical nature of stress had significant limiting implications on certain user-centered methods, lowering the effectiveness of those methods. To account for these implications literature surrounding stress and stress coping were constantly reffered to and used to inform methods. As a result of the full cycle user-centered design process used within this research, a stress related digital intervention prototype was the final output. The prototype is a mobile voice user-interface that aims to provide university students an informed perspective on their stressful situation.
Concussion Awareness in Youth and Young Adults Engaged in Equestrian Sports in New Zealand
(Auckland University of Technology, 2020) Lough, Jules
Engagement of people in physical activity has benefits for both physical and mental health. However, there is also an increased risk of injury, including traumatic brain injuries (TBI) and concussion. Whilst considerable attention has been given to addressing concussion in contact sports such as rugby, high rates of TBI's have also been found in people engaging in equestrian activities. There is limited research on concussion awareness in equestrian sports to inform prevention initiatives. This present research has looked at concussion awareness and helmet use within youth and young adults engaged in equestrian sports in New Zealand, through use of an anonymous, online, cross sectional questionnaire. A sample of 258 youth and young adults involved in equestrian sports completed the online survey. Participants displayed good overall knowledge of concussion symptoms, however some gaps were found to exist. Discrepancies between attitude and behavior about concussion management were also found, particularly in relation to helmet use and returning to riding and school. Current concussion education programmes would benefit from using a multi layered approach that address some of the social elements that have been shown to impact attitude, and are particularly salient for the youth and young adult cohort. Additionally a unified set of concussion guidelines that extends across all sports would help to minimize the confusion surrounding concussion management and return to sport rules.
Longitudinal Investigation of the Stable and Dynamic Components of the World Health Organisation Quality of Life Measure Using Generalisability Theory
(Auckland University of Technology, 2020) Norden, Phoenix April Mary
The abbreviated version of the World Health Organisation Quality of Life questionnaire (WHOQOL-BREF) is a widely used 26-item self-report measure of an individual’s subjective Quality of Life (QOL). However, this scale has not been examined using appropriate methods to distinguish between dynamic (state) and stable (trait) aspects of QOL. Generalisability Theory is the most suitable method to differentiate between state or trait aspects and to evaluate the overall reliability and generalisability of psychometric measurement tools. For the current study we will apply Generalisability theory to the WHOQOL-BREF and its four individual domains as well as the two shorter versions, the WHOQOL-5 and WHOQOL-8. A longitudinal design was used with 130 medical students who completed the 26-item WHOQOL-BREF at three time points. Generalisability theory was applied to estimate state and trait components and to examine potential sources of measurement error within the WHOQOL-BREF. The results from this study provide evaluation of the temporal reliability and generalisability of the WHOQOL-BREF and distinguish between stable and dynamic aspects at the scale, subscales and individual item levels. The results from the study indicate that the WHOQOL-BREF single summary score is the most reliable across time as demonstrated with a generalisability coefficient of 0.90. All four domain subscales and both short versions were found to have less acceptable temporal stability, which was reflected by generalisability coefficients ranging from 0.48 to 0.77 for the domain subscales; and 0.47 and 0.52 for the WHOQOL-5 and WHOQOL-8, respectively. The ability to distinguish to what extent items of each subscale of QOL are measuring state or trait will advance knowledge about which QOL aspects are likely to change in one’s subjective QOL. The results of this study have distinguished between state and trait components of the WHOQOL-BREF at item level. For example, item 18 (How satisfied are you with your capacity for work?) resulted in a state component index (SCI) value of 0.85 indicating that this item is acting in a state-like manner and could potentially be easily influenced by intervention. In contrast, item 15 (How well are you able to get around?) resulted in a SCI value of 0.23, which means that this item is acting in a trait like manner and therefore would be more resistant to change over time. The potential implications of this study include information about areas where target interventions are likely to have the most impact, and which aspects of QOL are likely to undergo relatively minimal change.
Values, Pro-Environmental Behaviour and Stress Appraisals of Anthropogenic Environmental Degradation
(Auckland University of Technology, 2020) Ashwell, Dana
Anthropogenic environmental degradation is a major global threat to both natural and human systems. There is an emerging literature that suggests related psychological distress may lead to significant mental health outcomes. Using the cognitive theory of stress, pro-environmental behaviour can be proposed as a coping response to stress appraisals around anthropogenic environmental degradation. Pro-environmental behaviour may be motivated by many personal and social factors. In particular, value orientations (egoistic, altruistic and biospheric) may be a key factor in influencing pro-environmental behaviour. To date, there is a lack of knowledge regarding the relationships between these variables. This current study aimed to determine how values orientations, pro-environmental behaviour and stress appraisals of anthropogenic environmental degradation are related, in a sample of adults in New Zealand. Using a quantitative, survey study design, data was gathered from 205 participants. Analyses found that demographic factors such as age and gender influenced pro-environmental behaviour and certain components of stress appraisal. Biospheric value orientation, egoistic value orientation and centrality appraisals of anthropogenic environmental degradation emerged as significant predictors of pro-environmental behaviour, highlighting the importance of value orientation and aspects of primary appraisal in influencing pro-environmental behaviour. It was also found that values in general, have little influence over stress appraisal processes around anthropogenic environmental degradation, though they still may have a small influence on certain aspects of primary appraisal. The findings suggest that though values may have an important influence on pro-environmental behaviours, they may not necessarily have an important impact on the perceptions of stress around anthropogenic environmental degradation. Limitations and suggested future directions for research are discussed.

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