Masters Dissertations

Permanent link for this collection

https://hdl.handle.net/10292/476
The Masters Dissertations collection contains digital copies of AUT University masters dissertations deposited with the Library since 2007 and made available open access. From 2007 onwards, all dissertations for masters degrees awarded are required to be deposited in Tuwhera Open Theses & Dissertations unless subject to an embargo.

Dissertations submitted prior to 2007 are usually recorded in the AUT Library catalogue where the full text, if available, may be accessed with an AUT password. Other people should request an Interlibrary Loan through their library.

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Now showing 1 - 5 of 1050
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    What Are the Identified Barriers to Acceptance and Adoption of Digital Health Education for Health Professionals?
    (Auckland University of Technology, 2023) Drennan, Sasha
    Digital learning, online or blended learning is not a new phenomenon, the origins of such lay within historical correspondence courses or distance education by the open university in the 1960’s or education broadcasting offered to remote communities in the Australian outback by television broadcasts (Sherbersky et al., 2021). This learning environment was traditional in its approach, having little focus upon socialisation, interaction with resources offered, or individual need (Satyam & Aithal, 2022).The advent of internet and the exponential growth of the World Wide Web for education within schools and universities has changed the attitudes once held towards distance education (Kentnor, 2015; Maurer, 2018; Sherbersky et al., 2021). Technological developments and student engagement are intricately linked when considering the perceived value of learning in the digital arena. With the suggestion by some that the immaturity of digital learning and the inequality of the learning experienced creates challenges to achieving the desired learning outcomes (Dahleez et al., 2021). Such inequality can be attributed to a lack of regulation within the field, with educators not applying the same rigor within the digital arena that they apply to textbooks, research or other areas of teaching (Matthan & Finn, 2020).
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    A Comparative Study of Cosmetic Brands’ Discursive Appeals to Their Consumers on Weibo and Twitter
    (Auckland University of Technology, 2023) Gao, Qianwen
    In today's interconnected global landscape, international cosmetic brands have adopted increasingly sophisticated discursive strategies to appeal to their audiences across various online platforms. Notably, their focus lies on Twitter and Weibo, two important social media platforms that cater to distinct market segments, each with its own language and cultural influences. This study explores how these international cosmetic brands tailor their advertisements to appeal to Chinese audiences on Weibo and Western audiences on Twitter. It involves a mixed- method thematic discourse analysis of 160 posts of online cosmetic advertisements, collected from the official accounts of eight international cosmetic brands across both Twitter and Weibo. The analysis identified the recurring key appeals in the posts and the discursive strategies used to structure these appeals, ultimately facilitating the observation of the similarities and differences in how international cosmetic brands engage with their audiences on Weibo and Twitter. The findings show that while there are many similarities, for certain appeals the brands optimise their social media content to align more specifically with the cultural preferences and language nuances of each platform, tailoring their linguistic content accordingly. This approach allows them to effectively resonate with their target audiences, expand their brand reach, and foster a stronger online presence in the global beauty market.
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    The Push or Pull of Romantic Relationships for Women with an Insecure Attachment Style: A Hermeneutic Literature Review
    (Auckland University of Technology, 2023) Prouse, Julia
    The increasing public awareness of attachment theory and the impact of insecure attachment on romantic relationships highlights the importance of gaining insight into the implications of one’s attachment style. This insight can aid insecurely attached adults in comprehending their behaviour, interpersonal connections, and the influence of their attachment styles on their romantic relationships. The current dissertation has a particular interest and focuses on insecure attachment in adult women and its impact on romantic relationships. Using a hermeneutic methodology, a hermeneutic literature review was conducted to investigate the research question, “What are the implications of insecure attachment in adult women in romantic relationships?”. The literature review findings revealed that romantic love is theorised as an attachment process. The adult attachment behavioural model posits that insecurely attached adults avoid pain, abandonment, intimacy, and vulnerability by deactivating or hyperactivating their attachment behavioural system. Due to their increased susceptibility to narcissism and lower self-esteem, people insecurely attached employ particular defense mechanisms to mitigate their behaviour. In women, insecure attachment is linked to negatively affecting sexual behaviour, functioning, and dynamics. This research can help mental health professionals understand insecure women, increase clients’ awareness of how attachment styles affect interpersonal and intrapersonal dynamics, and reassure insecurely attached women in romantic relationships that they are not alone in their experiences.
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    What Are the Risk Factors and Preventative Strategies for Cardiovascular Disease Among People From South Asia (SA) Living in the Western World? An Integrative Review.
    (Auckland University of Technology, 2023) Ayiliath Valhothil, Veena
    BACKGROUND: Cardiovascular disease is a leading cause of death worldwide; however, some population groups are more at risk. In New Zealand, this includes those who identify as Māori, Pacifica and South Asian. Little is understood about why the South Asian population is at risk; this lack of understanding, combined with a rapidly growing population, makes South Asians a critical group to understand and to plan interventions for that will mediate risk. METHOD: An integrative review enabled a blending of qualitative and quantitative literature to answer the research question. Data were collected between September 2021 and December 2021 using CINAHL, EBSCO and MEDLINE databases. After screening using PRISMA, ten articles met the inclusion criteria and were scanned for quality. Braun and Clarke's thematic analysis was used to identify codes and themes. RESULTS: Four themes were identified: Theme one found that the two major risk factors that place South Asians at risk for CVD are elevated BMI and diabetes. This theme also explores reasons for this phenomenon. The second theme highlights the need for a detailed algorithm explicitly highlighting the risks for SA. Theme three identified that the most preventative strategies were physical activity and cardiovascular protective medication. Increasing health literacy was the fourth theme needed to decrease cardiovascular risk. CONCLUSION: Targeted education is needed to increase health literacy for the South Asian population, particularly around the inter-relationships between obesity and diabetes and their significant contribution to cardiovascular disease. Application of risk assessment tools and targeted education are needed to help health professionals identify cardiovascular risk profiles early for South Asians so they can commence preventative strategies, including increasing physical exercise and early initiation of medications.
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    The Menstrual Cycle in Therapeutic Space A Hermeneutic Literature Review
    (Auckland University of Technology, 2023) Delaney, Anna
    In patriarchal society the menstrual cycle is often sited as a nuisance and associated with shame, resulting in the disavowal of women’s cyclic experience (Severn, 2021). The menstrual cycle is also largely absent from psychotherapy literature and has had little clinical focus (Kolod, 2010). This hermeneutic literature review draws on menstrual cycle awareness (MCA) (Pope & Wurlitzer, 2017) to see how psychotherapy could better support female clients, by asking: What is the relevance of MCA for psychotherapy? The findings identify parallels between conscious menstruality, a branch of MCA, and psychotherapy. Both focus on personal development and meaning making through deep enquiry, and both aim to increase personal agency, empowerment and psychic integration. This research finds that from menarche onwards we form a “menstrual narrative” we carry into our menstrual cycle years (Donmall, 2013, p.207). Understanding the inner seasons of the cycle as experienced by menstruating clients in the context of this narrative provides a rich resource for psychotherapy. Working with the cycle can deepen experiences of sexuality and intimacy. Trauma may also be embodied in the cycle and impact how women experience the inner seasons (Northrup, 2020). Female therapists with cycles can use their own cycle to model self-care, for psychoeducation, or to track changing countertransference. Therapists who have practiced menstruality are well placed to facilitate menstruality work with clients (Severn, 2021). Male therapists are positioned as allies and have a supportive role. Conscious menstruality is also identified as an eco-paradigm that supports clients to feel connected to Earth’s rhythms. This may increase conservation efforts in the face of the climate emergency. As interpretative, this research has limited transferability. However, it addresses a significant gap in clinical knowledge and identifies a new subject area for psychotherapy. This provides a foundation for empirical research.
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.