title: The physical environment of the Te Aroha district

authors: Hart, Philip

abstract: Pakeha settlers and visitors delighted in the mountain and its vegetation, and to attract tourists some efforts were made to protect the portion behind Te Aroha township from disturbance by mining. Prospectors and those constructing mining tracks and the tramway struggled to cope with the rugged terrain, but the steep mountainside proved to be advantageous for mining. The topography worsened the impact of severe weather, in particular the gales and heavy rainfall which damaged buildings and caused regular problems for those maintaining tracks and tramways. Over summer months batteries often had to cease work through having insufficient water power. On the flat land, because swamps made transport difficult, the river provided the main access route until the railway line was constructed.  Drainage created productive farmland and, coincidentally, partly relieved the mosquito and sandfly scourge.

text: The physical environment of the Te Aroha district Pakeha settlers and visitors delighted in the mountain and its vegetation, and to attract tourists some efforts were made to protect the portion behind Te Aroha township from disturbance by mining. Prospectors and those constructing mining tracks and the tramway struggled to cope with the rugged terrain, but the steep mountainside proved to be advantageous for mining. The topography worsened the impact of severe weather, in particular the gales and heavy rainfall which damaged buildings and caused regular problems for those maintaining tracks and tramways. Over summer months batteries often had to cease work through having insufficient water power. On the flat land, because swamps made transport difficult, the river provided the main access route until the railway line was constructed.  Drainage created productive farmland and, coincidentally, partly relieved the mosquito and sandfly scourge.

year: 2016

title: Depression and self-concept: the role of self perceptions in understanding, assessing, and intervening with depressed adolescents

authors: Fitzgerald, John

abstract: In 1994 the World Health Organization published statistics which identified New Zealand youth, and males in particular, as being the most likely to die by suicide compared to young people in 22 other economically developed countries (WHO 1993). A review of the literature suggests that depression in adolescents is a highly significant precursor to suicidal behaviour. For the most part, models of depression that have been applied to adolescents fail to acknowledge the unique social context within which adolescents function, and tend not to be sensitive to developmental considerations.
This thesis explores key aspects of the adolescent depression literature, focussing particular attention on the core adolescent task of the development of a sense of self. The literature review prompted two research studies.
The first study examined qualitative data from clinical interviews with depressed youth. Three major themes were drawn out of these interviews, the importance of relationships, perceptions of power and agency, and the sense that the young people had of themselves, their self-concept. These themes were present when the participants talked about their lives in general, and depression in particular. Depression impacted on their relationships with families and peers, rendered them less able to manage their lives, and negatively effected their self conceptions.
The second study was a survey of a community sample of non-referred adolescents. The focus here was to explore the correlates of teenage depression, again with particular reference to variables that were likely to be related to self-conceptions. As well as a measure of self-concept, I also explored attributions for everyday events and depression on the basis that the way a person thinks about themselves (self-concept) is likely to influence their reasoning about the world and depression, and vice versa. The data reflected a statistically significant relationship between depression and self-concept, as well as supporting the associations with attributions and the importance of life experiences. The process of interpreting the various associations highlighted the importance of adopting an adolescent frame of reference when thinking about factors influencing the development of depression in adolescents.
These first two studies were completed to complement each other, focussing on similar variables, but using different methodologies. The third study utilised the data from the first two to generate a clinical intervention based on the enhancement of self-concept as a route to achieving symptomatic and clinically relevant change in a small number of depressed adolescents. The psychometric data suggested that depressive symptoms reduced as self-concept became more positive, this was confirmed by the clinical presentation of the young people. Despite the small sample size, both the quantitative and qualitative data suggest that an intervention aimed at promoting positive self-conceptions may be a useful adjunct to mainstream cognitive-behavioural intervention programmes.

text: Depression and self-concept: the role of self perceptions in understanding, assessing, and intervening with depressed adolescents In 1994 the World Health Organization published statistics which identified New Zealand youth, and males in particular, as being the most likely to die by suicide compared to young people in 22 other economically developed countries (WHO 1993). A review of the literature suggests that depression in adolescents is a highly significant precursor to suicidal behaviour. For the most part, models of depression that have been applied to adolescents fail to acknowledge the unique social context within which adolescents function, and tend not to be sensitive to developmental considerations.
This thesis explores key aspects of the adolescent depression literature, focussing particular attention on the core adolescent task of the development of a sense of self. The literature review prompted two research studies.
The first study examined qualitative data from clinical interviews with depressed youth. Three major themes were drawn out of these interviews, the importance of relationships, perceptions of power and agency, and the sense that the young people had of themselves, their self-concept. These themes were present when the participants talked about their lives in general, and depression in particular. Depression impacted on their relationships with families and peers, rendered them less able to manage their lives, and negatively effected their self conceptions.
The second study was a survey of a community sample of non-referred adolescents. The focus here was to explore the correlates of teenage depression, again with particular reference to variables that were likely to be related to self-conceptions. As well as a measure of self-concept, I also explored attributions for everyday events and depression on the basis that the way a person thinks about themselves (self-concept) is likely to influence their reasoning about the world and depression, and vice versa. The data reflected a statistically significant relationship between depression and self-concept, as well as supporting the associations with attributions and the importance of life experiences. The process of interpreting the various associations highlighted the importance of adopting an adolescent frame of reference when thinking about factors influencing the development of depression in adolescents.
These first two studies were completed to complement each other, focussing on similar variables, but using different methodologies. The third study utilised the data from the first two to generate a clinical intervention based on the enhancement of self-concept as a route to achieving symptomatic and clinically relevant change in a small number of depressed adolescents. The psychometric data suggested that depressive symptoms reduced as self-concept became more positive, this was confirmed by the clinical presentation of the young people. Despite the small sample size, both the quantitative and qualitative data suggest that an intervention aimed at promoting positive self-conceptions may be a useful adjunct to mainstream cognitive-behavioural intervention programmes.

year: 2002

title: Think globally, act locally: Collective consent and the ethics of knowledge production

authors: Hudson, Maui

abstract: Ethical review is an integral part of the process of developing research and considering issues associated with the production of knowledge. It is part of a system that primarily legitimises western traditions of inquiry and reinforces western assumptions about knowledge and its benefit to society. Around the world the process of colonisation has excluded indigenous understandings. In New Zealand, Māori (indigenous) knowledge has been similarly marginalised; this pattern is also reflected within ethical review. Māori values, while acknowledged, are not yet considered to have equal weight in ethical deliberations. The notion of collective rights and the possibility of developing processes to allow collective consent to be recognised and mandated by ethics committees have been raised by communities but largely ignored by the ethical review system. While kaupapa Māori researchers espouse the benefits of closer community involvement, policy makers and ethics committees have focused on “consultation” as the mechanism which confirms proof of engagement, the establishment of community support, and the relevance of the project. This article highlights the potential of the concept of collective consent in negotiations between researchers and communities.

text: Think globally, act locally: Collective consent and the ethics of knowledge production Ethical review is an integral part of the process of developing research and considering issues associated with the production of knowledge. It is part of a system that primarily legitimises western traditions of inquiry and reinforces western assumptions about knowledge and its benefit to society. Around the world the process of colonisation has excluded indigenous understandings. In New Zealand, Māori (indigenous) knowledge has been similarly marginalised; this pattern is also reflected within ethical review. Māori values, while acknowledged, are not yet considered to have equal weight in ethical deliberations. The notion of collective rights and the possibility of developing processes to allow collective consent to be recognised and mandated by ethics committees have been raised by communities but largely ignored by the ethical review system. While kaupapa Māori researchers espouse the benefits of closer community involvement, policy makers and ethics committees have focused on “consultation” as the mechanism which confirms proof of engagement, the establishment of community support, and the relevance of the project. This article highlights the potential of the concept of collective consent in negotiations between researchers and communities.

year: 2010