Masters Dissertations

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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 1088
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    Psychotherapy for Children with Encopresis: A Hermeneutic Literature Review.
    (Auckland University of Technology, 2023) Sriram, Smrithi
    Encopresis or faecal incontinence is a common medical condition among many children and can be a result of medical and/or psychological causes. As a trainee child and adolescent psychotherapist, I want to gain a deeper understanding of the emotional needs of encopretic children and their psychological internal world. The goal of this study is to explore various therapeutic approaches that can help support their emotional needs and answer the following research question: How can psychotherapy benefit children with encopresis? Hermeneutics epistemology involves understanding the meaning of lived experiences for individuals and exploring how these experiences influence their engagement with the world through interpretation. In utilising hermeneutic phenomenology as my methodology and conducting a hermeneutic literature review, I hope to understand the subjective experiences of encopretic children and the reasoning behind the various psychotherapeutic approaches used to support them. The data for this study comes from existing literature on psychotherapy with encopretic children, including my reflections based on my understanding and interpretation of the literature. In reviewing the literature, three key themes emerged, denial, control and disruptions in attachment, as some of the common underlying distresses for encopretic children. The psychotherapist’s ability to build and work within the therapeutic relationship, remain attuned and move at the child’s pace, allow space for them to express themselves and work through underlying distresses, and work closely with parents to help them mentalise their child’s needs were some of the key findings across the themes. Analysing the literature offered insight on the reasoning and effectiveness of these therapeutic approaches. The findings can contribute to future research on effective psychotherapeutic interventions, as well as support and inform child psychotherapy students, child psychotherapists and other mental health professionals working with encopretic children.
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    Mission: Burrito. A Thematic Literature Review to Assess Universal Characteristics of ‘Authenticity’ in Gastronomy
    (Auckland University of Technology, 2023) Ma, Dianne Jennifer
    The term ‘authentic’ is widely used in describing and comparing cultural cuisine, and in an increasingly globalised world with increasingly knowledgeable customers, there is a desire to pursue food that is authentic. Yet, as populations cross borders and share food, grasping what makes food authentic is progressively more difficult Nevertheless ‘authenticity’ remains a commonly used term for evaluating food, with its exact definition open to interpretation by the individual. This research asks, “What characterises ‘authentic cuisine’ when the term is used within the hospitality industry in the United States?” It investigates the confusion surrounding authenticity, the modern diner’s preoccupation with authenticity, and ways in which authenticity is assessed. Authenticity is a social construct, with its evaluation dependent upon cultural context, thus creating further confusion. Regardless, there are modern individuals who quest for authenticity as an escape from their industrialised, everyday lives. Exploring first the modern anthropologist and then the modern tourist, the research finds parallels to the modern diner. Therefore, ambiguous and oftentimes conflicting notions of authenticity notwithstanding, there is still a desire for the modern diner to experience authentic food. A study of literature pertaining to authenticity reveals eight characteristics: storytelling, simplicity, terroir, historical tradition, ethnic connection, personal connection, nostalgia, and aficionado identity. The research identifies the integral roles of emergent authenticity, commoditisation, and staged authenticity in assessing these characteristics, as some explicitly connect to authenticity, others merely imply authenticity, and still others are reliant upon social context. Initially, the eight characteristics appear to separately but equally contribute to authenticity; however, further investigation reveals that they are interwoven, and can amplify or diminish one another. Whereas terroir, historical tradition, and ethnic connection focus on the product, personal connection focuses on the producer. A personal connection may be tied to any of these characteristics; however, it is not obligatory for such a connection to exist for authenticity to be present. The emphasis is on the creator's intention in incorporating their artistic heritage rather than the heritage itself. The personal connection can be strengthened with nostalgia for food memories of the past, however real or imagined. These can imbue food with an aficionado identity for the consumer, who can experience an authentic connection with an object, thus authenticating the object and themself. The Mission burrito is chosen as a case study subject because of its unique positioning in the American foodscape. The research finds early iterations of the Mission burrito congruent with characteristics of authentic Mexican cuisine. As the Mission burrito strays from its birthplace, the Mission District of San Francisco, California, USA, it evolves beyond the cycle of emergent authenticity. Commoditisation takes a strong hold on the Mission burrito, and it no longer exhibits characteristics of authenticity. The approach used in this study is a potential way to assess authenticity in other foods with immigrant origins within the American hospitality industry. There is also a possibility of broadening the application of this framework in other areas of gastronomy and anthropology as a whole.
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    Exploring Youth Road Cycling Racing in Auckland: Motivations, Challenges, and Support
    (Auckland University of Technology, 2023) Gee, Johnathon
    This study explores the motivational experiences of male youth road racing cyclists in Auckland, New Zealand. The study used a qualitative descriptive research design and investigated the motivations, challenges, and support systems in the youth road cycling racing environment. Focus group interviews and thematic analysis identified critical social and environmental factors influencing engagement in the sport. Four main themes emerged from this study: the search for recognition, intrinsic joy, the role of community support, and the balance of life demands. These themes align with established motivational theories. The study highlighted the crucial roles of coaches, mentors, and others in the community in fostering motivation and skill development. The study's implications extend to designing targeted interventions and evidence-based guidelines to create an optimal motivational climate for young male cyclists. The study amplifies youth voices and contributes to a more inclusive and supportive environment in youth sports, specifically road cycling racing. These insights are a foundation for further strategies to support youth engagement and performance in the sport.
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    Creative Process and Thinking in Developing a Year Nine Design Thinking Resource
    (Auckland University of Technology, 2023) Samaeli, Faamotu
    This dissertation is about my creative process and motivation in developing a teaching resource for a Year 9 Design Thinking course. It comprises three key components: • A Design Thinking Resource (as the creative work) • A Map (the exegesis) • A User Manual (to assist with how to read the exegesis) This approach to my exegesis is motivated by a desire to remain authentic to how I think and do things as an experienced teacher, design thinker, designer and artist. I express this personal approach in a way that is intentionally multifaceted and designed to be read in different ways. To help guide the reader through the exegesis, the user manual is meant to be read first, or at least referred to alongside. The exegesis ‘map’ is set up as an alternative to the traditional written exegesis, because it isn’t limited to expressing ideas in a linear way. The physical map is the preferred way of reading the exegesis to overcome the limitations of the computer screen. The format reflects the way I created the Design Thinking resource and what the resource is meant to do. Both the exegesis and the Design Thinking resource allow for multiple ways of reading and are meant to be visually rich, where images extend on what can be written beyond the parameters of the exegesis word count.
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    A Multiple Case Study Examining the Risk Factors Contributing to Amiodarone Infusion Related Phlebitis in a New Zealand Cardiac Care Centre
    (Auckland University of Technology, 2023) Song, Tiqing
    Aim: This study aimed to investigate amiodarone infusion related phlebitis in a local cardiac centre in a large metropolitan hospital within Te Whatu Ora- Health New Zealand, focusing on assessing its incidence, identifying contributing factors, evaluating treatment practices and uncovering policy gaps. Background: In hospitals, amiodarone, a widely used antiarrhythmic drug, is mostly administered intravenously via peripheral catheters. However, the incidence of amiodarone infusion related phlebitis, which may lead to severe complications, still needs to be studied more in the context of New Zealand healthcare. Methods: Yin’s case analysis methodology was used to analyse two cases: a seven- year clinical audit from March 2016 to June 2023 in the local cardiac centre and four local policies. Cross case analysis examined the two cases using triangulation to determine the gaps between practice reality and policy and to discover how and why amiodarone infusions occur. Results: The incidence of amiodarone infusion related phlebitis was 8.4%. Contributing factors revealed that intravenous catheter locations were predominantly in the antecubital fossa (63%), and participants had a size 20 or larger cannula in situ (90%). There was a lack of use of the visual infusion phlebitis scores for assessment. Other findings revealed that 45% of phlebitis cases occurred during the amiodarone infusion, and 55% occurred after infusion. Seventy percent of the patients were seen by a doctor and 54% were charted oral antibiotics as treatment. Conclusion: To improve patient outcomes and align with best evidenced guidelines, it is recommended that local policies are updated to address the identified gaps. There is a need to promote nurses’ awareness of amiodarone related phlebitis prevention, especially in relation to which site and gauge cannula should be used, increasing assessment frequency and scoring to assess phlebitis severity. There is a need for monitoring post infusion, alternating warm and cold compresses and arranging timely medical reviews. Other recommendations include using dedicated IV cannulas and inline filters for continuous amiodarone infusions.
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.