title: Parent mental health and associations with mind-mindedness across two  infant interactions: free play and a teaching task

authors: Sparrow, Kerry

subjects: Parental mental health

abstract: Mind-mindedness (MM) is the tendency of a parent to recognise and treat their child as having a mind of their own. The current study aimed to examine associations of parent mental health and wellbeing symptoms with parental MM across two infant interactions: a free play and a teaching task. Sixty-two parent-infant dyads from New Zealand and Australia participated in the interactions, which were recorded and then coded for positive and negatively valenced appropriate and non-attuned MM. In addition, parents also completed the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-21; Lovibond & Lovibond, 1995), the Difficulties with Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS; Gratz & Roemer, 2004) and the Parental Reflective Functioning Questionnaire (PRFQ; Luyten, Mayes, Sadler, Fonagy, Nicholls, Crowley & Slade, 2009) via an online survey. 
The results showed that the proportion of appropriate positive MM comments differed across the tasks. Parents spoke more overall during free play but made more appropriate positive and negative comments in the teaching task.  Greater parental stress and anxiety symptoms were associated with more appropriate negative mind-minded comments, with different patterns seen across the two tasks. In free play, stress was associated with appropriate negative MM; whereas in the teaching task, greater parent stress and anxiety were associated with more appropriate negative MM and fewer non-attuned MM comments. Appropriate and non-attuned MM comments were positively correlated with parental pre-mentalising. Increased parental difficulties with emotional regulation were linked to an increase in appropriate negative and also non-attuned MM comments. Stress explained 11.7% of the variance in appropriate negative MM comments in free play, and anxiety explained 12.1% of the variance in appropriate negative MM during the teaching task. Stress and PRFQ pre-mentalising together explained 23.2% of the variance in non-attuned MM comments in the teaching task 
The current findings have implications for understanding how parental wellbeing is associated with differences in MM and extend existing research from free play contexts to the parent-infant teaching context. Understanding differences in MM as a function of parent mental health is important in targeting future MM interventions to support high-risk parents. This research was conducted over the COVID period with varying impacts. In particular, DERS and DASS scores were higher than other research conducted prior to COVID, so caution is required when considering the generalisability of the results. However, this may reflect the ‘new normal’ for a significant portion of time as COVID impact has been reported to be significant and ongoing.

text: Parent mental health and associations with mind-mindedness across two  infant interactions: free play and a teaching task Mind-mindedness (MM) is the tendency of a parent to recognise and treat their child as having a mind of their own. The current study aimed to examine associations of parent mental health and wellbeing symptoms with parental MM across two infant interactions: a free play and a teaching task. Sixty-two parent-infant dyads from New Zealand and Australia participated in the interactions, which were recorded and then coded for positive and negatively valenced appropriate and non-attuned MM. In addition, parents also completed the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-21; Lovibond & Lovibond, 1995), the Difficulties with Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS; Gratz & Roemer, 2004) and the Parental Reflective Functioning Questionnaire (PRFQ; Luyten, Mayes, Sadler, Fonagy, Nicholls, Crowley & Slade, 2009) via an online survey. 
The results showed that the proportion of appropriate positive MM comments differed across the tasks. Parents spoke more overall during free play but made more appropriate positive and negative comments in the teaching task.  Greater parental stress and anxiety symptoms were associated with more appropriate negative mind-minded comments, with different patterns seen across the two tasks. In free play, stress was associated with appropriate negative MM; whereas in the teaching task, greater parent stress and anxiety were associated with more appropriate negative MM and fewer non-attuned MM comments. Appropriate and non-attuned MM comments were positively correlated with parental pre-mentalising. Increased parental difficulties with emotional regulation were linked to an increase in appropriate negative and also non-attuned MM comments. Stress explained 11.7% of the variance in appropriate negative MM comments in free play, and anxiety explained 12.1% of the variance in appropriate negative MM during the teaching task. Stress and PRFQ pre-mentalising together explained 23.2% of the variance in non-attuned MM comments in the teaching task 
The current findings have implications for understanding how parental wellbeing is associated with differences in MM and extend existing research from free play contexts to the parent-infant teaching context. Understanding differences in MM as a function of parent mental health is important in targeting future MM interventions to support high-risk parents. This research was conducted over the COVID period with varying impacts. In particular, DERS and DASS scores were higher than other research conducted prior to COVID, so caution is required when considering the generalisability of the results. However, this may reflect the ‘new normal’ for a significant portion of time as COVID impact has been reported to be significant and ongoing.

year: 2023

title: Heavy Metal Contamination from Landfills in Coastal Marine Sediments:  Kiribati and New Zealand.

authors: Redfern, Farran Mack

subjects: Landfill leachate

abstract: Landfill leachates are a concern in the Pacific Region where they may contribute contaminants to the coastal marine environment.  Poor waste management and pollution of coastal waters are amongst the major environmental problems in Kiribati, particularly in South Tarawa.  An investigation of areas adjacent to coastal landfill sites; Betio, Kiribati and Auckland, New Zealand was undertaken.  The Kiribati case study investigated metal contamination in marine sediments at an operational landfill while the New Zealand study was adjacent to a coastal landfill decommissioned in the 1970s. Surficial sediments (top 15 cm) were collected along transects.  At both the New Zealand and Kiribati sites, 3 transects adjacent to the landfill and 1 control transect were sampled.  The sediments were analyzed for particle size distribution, organic matter content, and Cd, As, Cr, Cu, Pb, Hg, Ni and Zn concentrations.  The pH was also measured.

The Kiribati study site had a groundwater pH of 7.14 - 8.85, and sediment materials were dominated by sand with a low organic matter content (1.60 - 2.21 %). At the Kiribati sites Cd, As, and Ni were below the detection limits.  The Cr, Cu, Pb and Zn concentrations were lower at the Kiribati control transect than the landfill transects.  Cr level decreased away from the landfill indicating the landfill as a possible source.  However, Cu and Zn did not show any distribution pattern suggesting other potential sources (port and shipwrecks) may have contributed to the elevated levels.  At the Kiribati landfill and control transects the Cr, As, Cd, Cu, Pb, Ni, and Zn concentration were below the Effects Range-Low (ERL) and the threshold Effects levels (TEL) of the Sediment Quality Guidelines (SQCs) of the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, indicating no potential adverse ecological effects on the biota.  At the Kiribati control site the Cr, As, Cd, Cu, Pb, Ni and Zn concentrations were within the background ranges published for clean reef sediment but the concentration at the landfill transects exceeded the background ranges. The concentration of mercury at both the control and landfill transects in Kiribati exceeded the Effects Range-Median (ERM) and the Probable Effects Level (PEL) of the SQGs indicating potential adverse ecological effects on the local benthic communities.

The New Zealand study site sediments had a pH of 6.22 - 7.24, and comprised up to 90 % clay/silt, with an organic matter content of 5 - 22 %.  At the New Zealand landfill transects Arsenic concentrations decreased away from the landfill indicating the landfill as a possible source.  Other metals such as Cr did not show a pattern of distribution along the transects, or with depth, suggesting that the landfill was not the only source of these metals.  There was a weak correlation between organic matter content, particle size distribution, and metal enrichment.

At the New Zealand site, there were no marked differences in metal concentrations between the landfill and control transects suggesting the landfill was not the only source of metals and that the wider urban or industrial run-off may have contributed.  All the metal concentrations, except Hg and Zn, exceeded the ERL and the TEL values indicating the potential for adverse ecological effects of metals on the benthic communities.  At the New Zealand site the Hg and Zn concentrations exceeded both the ERM and PEL of the SQGs and are considered highly contaminated.

text: Heavy Metal Contamination from Landfills in Coastal Marine Sediments:  Kiribati and New Zealand. Landfill leachates are a concern in the Pacific Region where they may contribute contaminants to the coastal marine environment.  Poor waste management and pollution of coastal waters are amongst the major environmental problems in Kiribati, particularly in South Tarawa.  An investigation of areas adjacent to coastal landfill sites; Betio, Kiribati and Auckland, New Zealand was undertaken.  The Kiribati case study investigated metal contamination in marine sediments at an operational landfill while the New Zealand study was adjacent to a coastal landfill decommissioned in the 1970s. Surficial sediments (top 15 cm) were collected along transects.  At both the New Zealand and Kiribati sites, 3 transects adjacent to the landfill and 1 control transect were sampled.  The sediments were analyzed for particle size distribution, organic matter content, and Cd, As, Cr, Cu, Pb, Hg, Ni and Zn concentrations.  The pH was also measured.

The Kiribati study site had a groundwater pH of 7.14 - 8.85, and sediment materials were dominated by sand with a low organic matter content (1.60 - 2.21 %). At the Kiribati sites Cd, As, and Ni were below the detection limits.  The Cr, Cu, Pb and Zn concentrations were lower at the Kiribati control transect than the landfill transects.  Cr level decreased away from the landfill indicating the landfill as a possible source.  However, Cu and Zn did not show any distribution pattern suggesting other potential sources (port and shipwrecks) may have contributed to the elevated levels.  At the Kiribati landfill and control transects the Cr, As, Cd, Cu, Pb, Ni, and Zn concentration were below the Effects Range-Low (ERL) and the threshold Effects levels (TEL) of the Sediment Quality Guidelines (SQCs) of the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, indicating no potential adverse ecological effects on the biota.  At the Kiribati control site the Cr, As, Cd, Cu, Pb, Ni and Zn concentrations were within the background ranges published for clean reef sediment but the concentration at the landfill transects exceeded the background ranges. The concentration of mercury at both the control and landfill transects in Kiribati exceeded the Effects Range-Median (ERM) and the Probable Effects Level (PEL) of the SQGs indicating potential adverse ecological effects on the local benthic communities.

The New Zealand study site sediments had a pH of 6.22 - 7.24, and comprised up to 90 % clay/silt, with an organic matter content of 5 - 22 %.  At the New Zealand landfill transects Arsenic concentrations decreased away from the landfill indicating the landfill as a possible source.  Other metals such as Cr did not show a pattern of distribution along the transects, or with depth, suggesting that the landfill was not the only source of these metals.  There was a weak correlation between organic matter content, particle size distribution, and metal enrichment.

At the New Zealand site, there were no marked differences in metal concentrations between the landfill and control transects suggesting the landfill was not the only source of metals and that the wider urban or industrial run-off may have contributed.  All the metal concentrations, except Hg and Zn, exceeded the ERL and the TEL values indicating the potential for adverse ecological effects of metals on the benthic communities.  At the New Zealand site the Hg and Zn concentrations exceeded both the ERM and PEL of the SQGs and are considered highly contaminated.

year: 2006

title: “Papatuanuku/papa:” Some thoughts on the oppositional grounds of the doctoral experience

authors: Mika, Carl Te Hira

subjects: Kaupapa

abstract: There are significant challenges that face Māori students and supervisors as a “doctoral team.” Perhaps the most fundamental of these is that there is a metaphysics at work in writing and talking that Māori are encouraged to speculate on and reclaim. One term for this metaphysics, “Papatūānuku” (often abbreviated to “Papa”), signifies an active entity that rejects strict definition but influences both doctoral text and team. This article proposes that student and supervisor must simultaneously glance towards the conventions of academic writing and recollect Papatūānuku as potential being in the doctoral process.

text: “Papatuanuku/papa:” Some thoughts on the oppositional grounds of the doctoral experience There are significant challenges that face Māori students and supervisors as a “doctoral team.” Perhaps the most fundamental of these is that there is a metaphysics at work in writing and talking that Māori are encouraged to speculate on and reclaim. One term for this metaphysics, “Papatūānuku” (often abbreviated to “Papa”), signifies an active entity that rejects strict definition but influences both doctoral text and team. This article proposes that student and supervisor must simultaneously glance towards the conventions of academic writing and recollect Papatūānuku as potential being in the doctoral process.

year: 2016