title: The characteristics and life difficulties associated to non-suicidal self-injury and suicidality in a community sample.

authors: Robertson, Charlotte Rose

abstract: Non-Suicidal Self-Injury (NSSI) is a complex and understudied topic within the New Zealand literature. Risk factors, and functions of NSSI and suicidality within the socio-cultural context of New Zealand is an important area of research, having both clinical and research implications, such as enhancing or fuelling further investigation into prevention and therapeutic strategies. 
A revised version of the Survey of College and Mental Health and Well Being and the Depression, Anxiety, Stress Scale (21) were used to explore NSSI, mental health, physical health and other characteristics of participants. Surveys were anonymous and self-selected by New Zealand community members. There were 304 participants, primarily identifying as female and of European descent. 
Young women were the highest risk demographic for engagement in NSSI. Psychological distress, any type of abuse, suicidality, and experiencing the suicide of a friend or acquaintance were significant predictors of participant’s engagement in NSSI. Multiple types of abuse and experiencing the death of a family member or friend to suicide significantly predicted suicidality, suggesting merit for acquired capability theory. Emotional regulation remains the most endorsed function of NSSI. There is no type of abuse that correlates to a function of NSSI, which highlights the complexity and idiosyncrasy of NSSI for each individual. Clinicians should focus on the behaviours’ functions specific for that individual to promote positive treatment outcomes.

text: The characteristics and life difficulties associated to non-suicidal self-injury and suicidality in a community sample. Non-Suicidal Self-Injury (NSSI) is a complex and understudied topic within the New Zealand literature. Risk factors, and functions of NSSI and suicidality within the socio-cultural context of New Zealand is an important area of research, having both clinical and research implications, such as enhancing or fuelling further investigation into prevention and therapeutic strategies. 
A revised version of the Survey of College and Mental Health and Well Being and the Depression, Anxiety, Stress Scale (21) were used to explore NSSI, mental health, physical health and other characteristics of participants. Surveys were anonymous and self-selected by New Zealand community members. There were 304 participants, primarily identifying as female and of European descent. 
Young women were the highest risk demographic for engagement in NSSI. Psychological distress, any type of abuse, suicidality, and experiencing the suicide of a friend or acquaintance were significant predictors of participant’s engagement in NSSI. Multiple types of abuse and experiencing the death of a family member or friend to suicide significantly predicted suicidality, suggesting merit for acquired capability theory. Emotional regulation remains the most endorsed function of NSSI. There is no type of abuse that correlates to a function of NSSI, which highlights the complexity and idiosyncrasy of NSSI for each individual. Clinicians should focus on the behaviours’ functions specific for that individual to promote positive treatment outcomes.

year: 2021

title: Living with the Aftermath of Male Child Sexual Abuse

authors: Coveny, Doris

subjects: Child sexual abuse

abstract: Child sexual abuse (CSA) in boys has been shown to have long lasting and devastating effects on men's lives. Negative health outcomes such as anxiety, posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, poor social skills, destructive lifestyles, and mistrust towards others are only a few of the reported after-effects. Research of CSA is largely focused on girls and women, leaving a relative shortage on men. This qualitative study attempts to add to the dearth of literature in this field by reporting findings from narrative interviews with men who were sexually abused as children. The aim was to investigate how men reconciled their early experiences of CSA with everyday life and their relationships with others. Seven participants of New Zealand European and one participant of Māori descent participated in a loosely structured conversational interview. The study was guided by narrative theory and social constructionist epistemology using thematic narrative analysis to interpret the data. The findings are discussed within seven overarching themes: Shame, guilt, and lost self-identities illustrates how survivors of CSA can become very isolated due to their internalised feelings of inferiority and self-blame.  The participants' inability to share their experiences alienated them from others as much as themselves, which ultimately affected their sense of belonging. CSA instilled feelings of self-loathing and inadequacy as well as it fostered low self-esteem and led to the loss of their self-identity. Anger and hurt - a kind of death/an empty shell highlights the expression of heightened anger resulting from their experiences and isolation. Participants appeared confused, lost and empty without aspirations or hopes for the future. It describes a long process of regaining meaning in life, which some men found in fatherhood despite its challenges. Escaping the pain describes the men's emotional and physical turmoil, which triggered attempts to forget past events. Many participants engaged in violence and substance use, tried to become someone else, or end their life. Damage boils over talks about the participants' memories of their CSA experiences and the associated effects on their daily lives. It demonstrates how CSA can affect men's emotional stability and reactions when situations become too distressing. Mistrust - a place of safety summarises participants' feelings of mistrust towards others and their difficulty to accept forms of authority. It highlights CSA's potential aftermath in regards to interpersonal and romantic relationships as well as over protectiveness towards children.  Social norms and barriers to disclosure discusses the difficulties surrounding disclosure of CSA, spanning both childhood and adulthood. Further, it shows how social norms such as hegemonic masculinity can influence outcomes. From missed opportunities to healing describes regrets about perceived undeveloped talents, educational opportunities, or loss of family. The theme shows how coping mechanisms helped to navigate life and describes the benefits of counselling.

text: Living with the Aftermath of Male Child Sexual Abuse Child sexual abuse (CSA) in boys has been shown to have long lasting and devastating effects on men's lives. Negative health outcomes such as anxiety, posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, poor social skills, destructive lifestyles, and mistrust towards others are only a few of the reported after-effects. Research of CSA is largely focused on girls and women, leaving a relative shortage on men. This qualitative study attempts to add to the dearth of literature in this field by reporting findings from narrative interviews with men who were sexually abused as children. The aim was to investigate how men reconciled their early experiences of CSA with everyday life and their relationships with others. Seven participants of New Zealand European and one participant of Māori descent participated in a loosely structured conversational interview. The study was guided by narrative theory and social constructionist epistemology using thematic narrative analysis to interpret the data. The findings are discussed within seven overarching themes: Shame, guilt, and lost self-identities illustrates how survivors of CSA can become very isolated due to their internalised feelings of inferiority and self-blame.  The participants' inability to share their experiences alienated them from others as much as themselves, which ultimately affected their sense of belonging. CSA instilled feelings of self-loathing and inadequacy as well as it fostered low self-esteem and led to the loss of their self-identity. Anger and hurt - a kind of death/an empty shell highlights the expression of heightened anger resulting from their experiences and isolation. Participants appeared confused, lost and empty without aspirations or hopes for the future. It describes a long process of regaining meaning in life, which some men found in fatherhood despite its challenges. Escaping the pain describes the men's emotional and physical turmoil, which triggered attempts to forget past events. Many participants engaged in violence and substance use, tried to become someone else, or end their life. Damage boils over talks about the participants' memories of their CSA experiences and the associated effects on their daily lives. It demonstrates how CSA can affect men's emotional stability and reactions when situations become too distressing. Mistrust - a place of safety summarises participants' feelings of mistrust towards others and their difficulty to accept forms of authority. It highlights CSA's potential aftermath in regards to interpersonal and romantic relationships as well as over protectiveness towards children.  Social norms and barriers to disclosure discusses the difficulties surrounding disclosure of CSA, spanning both childhood and adulthood. Further, it shows how social norms such as hegemonic masculinity can influence outcomes. From missed opportunities to healing describes regrets about perceived undeveloped talents, educational opportunities, or loss of family. The theme shows how coping mechanisms helped to navigate life and describes the benefits of counselling.

year: 2017

title: The science and practice of Māori astronomy and Matariki

authors: Whaanga, Hēmi

subjects: Indigenous Knowledge

abstract: Ki te iwi Mäori me öna tüpuna, ko ngä hua o te noho tahi, o te äta pänui, o te körero anö hoki me ngä whetü, he mea äta tuitui ki te pütaiao, ki te ahureatanga, ki ngä tikanga aho atua, ki te taiao anö hoki. Ko ngä nekehanga o ngä kähui whetü he mea äta pänui, ka mutu he whakapono, he mätauranga atu anö hoki tö ia iwi, tö ia takiwä puta noa i a Aotearoa nei mö te ao tukupü. Ko te mätauranga whänui mö te kökörangi he mea äta whakatö ki ngä ähuatanga o te päpori Mäori o mua, he mea äta whakaora anö hoki ki ngä körero tuku iho, ki ngä tikanga hauhake whenua, ka mutu i äta whakaurua ki roto i ngä tikanga whakatü whare tupuna. Tau atu, tau mai, whakanuia ai te rewanga ake me te tönga iho o ngä whetü hiahira, ka mutu i kaha whakaatuahia ngä kaupapa katoa o te tuarangi ahakoa pëhea. Mä roto mai i tënei pepa ka körerohia te mätauranga me te pütaiao mätai arorangi e whai iho nei ki a Matariki, ka tahi, ka rua ka wänangahia te whakarauora haeretanga i ngä tikanga tuku iho e hängai nei ki taua kähui whetü me tana pänga nuitanga ki te ahurea o te whenua o näianei, o Aotearoa.

text: The science and practice of Māori astronomy and Matariki Ki te iwi Mäori me öna tüpuna, ko ngä hua o te noho tahi, o te äta pänui, o te körero anö hoki me ngä whetü, he mea äta tuitui ki te pütaiao, ki te ahureatanga, ki ngä tikanga aho atua, ki te taiao anö hoki. Ko ngä nekehanga o ngä kähui whetü he mea äta pänui, ka mutu he whakapono, he mätauranga atu anö hoki tö ia iwi, tö ia takiwä puta noa i a Aotearoa nei mö te ao tukupü. Ko te mätauranga whänui mö te kökörangi he mea äta whakatö ki ngä ähuatanga o te päpori Mäori o mua, he mea äta whakaora anö hoki ki ngä körero tuku iho, ki ngä tikanga hauhake whenua, ka mutu i äta whakaurua ki roto i ngä tikanga whakatü whare tupuna. Tau atu, tau mai, whakanuia ai te rewanga ake me te tönga iho o ngä whetü hiahira, ka mutu i kaha whakaatuahia ngä kaupapa katoa o te tuarangi ahakoa pëhea. Mä roto mai i tënei pepa ka körerohia te mätauranga me te pütaiao mätai arorangi e whai iho nei ki a Matariki, ka tahi, ka rua ka wänangahia te whakarauora haeretanga i ngä tikanga tuku iho e hängai nei ki taua kähui whetü me tana pänga nuitanga ki te ahurea o te whenua o näianei, o Aotearoa.

year: 2020