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Exploring the Needs of Pacific Families Who Are Supporting a Loved One in Forensic Mental Health Inpatient Services

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Thesis(847.25 KB)

Date

2025

Authors

Supervisor

McKenna, Brian
Marsters, Caleb
Sutton, Daniel

Item type

Thesis

Degree name

Master of Philosophy

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Publisher

Auckland University of Technology

Abstract

Background: Pacific peoples are over-represented in forensic mental health services (FMHS), highlighting a lack of culturally responsive care. Supporting Pacific peoples starts with understanding that the family is the foundation to helping Pacific peoples in forensic mental health services. For Pacific families, identity and well-being are deeply interconnected, and acknowledging this interconnectedness provides the foundation for forensic mental health services to effectively collaborate with Pacific families supporting their loved ones in the system. By empowering Pacific families, stability, emotional support, and improved recovery outcomes for Pacific service users in forensic mental health services is fostered. Aim: The primary aim of this research is to explore the needs of Pacific families supporting their loved ones in forensic mental health inpatient services. Methodology: This research utilises Talanoa methodology to guide conversations with five Pacific families whose loved ones are under the care of inpatient forensic mental health services. Talanoa was used to guide the study design, method, and procedures used to conduct this research. Overall, the research was guided by Talanoa to foster open, respectful, and meaningful communication with Pacific families. Findings: Pacific families discussed three core themes as imperative to informing forensic mental health services. Firstly, faith and family are integral for spiritual guidance, providing a source of strength, collective decision-making, and a sense of belonging, which is foundational for well-being. Secondly, Pacific families spoke to the building of relationships and understanding so these values can flourish, by implementing solutions such as empowering families in advocacy and decision-making in clinical spaces, improving health literacy, using empowering language, and reducing medical jargon. Lastly, Pacific families indicated how the forensic mental health system can honour the values of family and faith by building a Pacific workforce, fostering genuine connections with families, involving families in diagnosis, and ensuring earlier access to services. Recommendations: The recommendations from this research provide the need for the development and implementation of culturally tailored approaches within forensic mental health system. This research aims to support forensic mental health services to build policies and practice reforms that recognise and address the needs of Pacific families' supporting their loved ones in forensic mental health.

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http://hdl.handle.net/10292/19193

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Masters Theses