title: An evaluation of oVRcome, a low-cost vrtual reality exposure therapy app

authors: Wallace, Rory

subjects: app

abstract: Emetophobia (fear of vomiting) is an understudied disorder that affects 0.2% of people, with extreme (non-phobic) fear affecting up to 8% of people. The most effective treatment for specific phobias is exposure therapy. One exposure therapy approach, virtual reality exposure therapy (VRET), has become a viable treatment alternative to traditional in vivo or imaginal exposure therapy in recent years. However, using VRET to treat emetophobia has not yet been explored. I used a within-subjects, multiple-baseline-across-participants design with six participants to evaluate the emetophobia programme of oVRcome, a low-cost, Aotearoa New Zealand-based VRET app. After using the oVRcome VRET app, all participants’ phobia severity reduced on one or both measures, with two participants scoring below the threshold for a likely phobia diagnosis. The emetophobia programme of the oVRcome VRET app was effective at reducing emetophobia severity, and my results support research showing eHealth apps can be a low-cost and effective treatment for a range of psychological issues.

text: An evaluation of oVRcome, a low-cost vrtual reality exposure therapy app Emetophobia (fear of vomiting) is an understudied disorder that affects 0.2% of people, with extreme (non-phobic) fear affecting up to 8% of people. The most effective treatment for specific phobias is exposure therapy. One exposure therapy approach, virtual reality exposure therapy (VRET), has become a viable treatment alternative to traditional in vivo or imaginal exposure therapy in recent years. However, using VRET to treat emetophobia has not yet been explored. I used a within-subjects, multiple-baseline-across-participants design with six participants to evaluate the emetophobia programme of oVRcome, a low-cost, Aotearoa New Zealand-based VRET app. After using the oVRcome VRET app, all participants’ phobia severity reduced on one or both measures, with two participants scoring below the threshold for a likely phobia diagnosis. The emetophobia programme of the oVRcome VRET app was effective at reducing emetophobia severity, and my results support research showing eHealth apps can be a low-cost and effective treatment for a range of psychological issues.

year: 2024

title: Lower bounds on the sizes of defining sets in full n-Latin squares and full designs

authors: Cavenagh, Nicholas J.

subjects: Science & Technology

abstract: The full n-Latin square is the n×n array with symbols 1, 2, . . . , n in each cell. In this paper we show, as part of a more general result,that any defining set for the full n-Latin square has size n³(1 − o(1)). The full design N(v, k) is the unique simple design with parameters (v,k,{v-2 \atopwithdelims ()k-2}); that is, the design consisting of all subsets of size k from a set of size v. We show that any defining set for the full design N(v, k) has size {v\atopwithdelims ()k}(1-o(1)) (as v-k becomes large). These results improve existing results and are asymptotically optimal. In particular, the latter result solves an open problem given in (Donovan, Lefevre, et al, 2009), in which it is conjectured that the proportion of blocks in the complement of a full design will asymptotically approach zero.

text: Lower bounds on the sizes of defining sets in full n-Latin squares and full designs The full n-Latin square is the n×n array with symbols 1, 2, . . . , n in each cell. In this paper we show, as part of a more general result,that any defining set for the full n-Latin square has size n³(1 − o(1)). The full design N(v, k) is the unique simple design with parameters (v,k,{v-2 \atopwithdelims ()k-2}); that is, the design consisting of all subsets of size k from a set of size v. We show that any defining set for the full design N(v, k) has size {v\atopwithdelims ()k}(1-o(1)) (as v-k becomes large). These results improve existing results and are asymptotically optimal. In particular, the latter result solves an open problem given in (Donovan, Lefevre, et al, 2009), in which it is conjectured that the proportion of blocks in the complement of a full design will asymptotically approach zero.

year: 2018

title: Effects of industry on Maori cultural values: The case of the Tarawera River

authors: Dodd, Materoa

subjects: New Zealand

abstract: The research is a case study of the relationship between three tribes; Te Arawa, Tuwharetoa ki Kawerau and Ngāti Awa and the Tarawera River during the second half of the 20th century when the river was polluted with effluent from pulp and paper mills. It involves the cultural story of the Tarawera River as told by the iwi (tribes) of the river informed by Maori epistemologies and what has come to be known as a ‗kaupapa Maori research' approach. Reference is made to the history, legends, customs and lifestyle that have arisen from the relationship between iwi and the river. It includes comments on the pollution of the river from members of each iwi. The world views, experiences, and perceptions reported on here have forced a fundamental change on the iwi, a change that has affected their cultural and social relationship to the river. The price of economic development on the river has been cultural and ecological genocide. 
The cultural voice echoes a familiar story in indigenous communities. In the Maori context the research provides opportunities for further inquiry into determining the socio-cultural, economic and political future of the iwi of the river.

text: Effects of industry on Maori cultural values: The case of the Tarawera River The research is a case study of the relationship between three tribes; Te Arawa, Tuwharetoa ki Kawerau and Ngāti Awa and the Tarawera River during the second half of the 20th century when the river was polluted with effluent from pulp and paper mills. It involves the cultural story of the Tarawera River as told by the iwi (tribes) of the river informed by Maori epistemologies and what has come to be known as a ‗kaupapa Maori research' approach. Reference is made to the history, legends, customs and lifestyle that have arisen from the relationship between iwi and the river. It includes comments on the pollution of the river from members of each iwi. The world views, experiences, and perceptions reported on here have forced a fundamental change on the iwi, a change that has affected their cultural and social relationship to the river. The price of economic development on the river has been cultural and ecological genocide. 
The cultural voice echoes a familiar story in indigenous communities. In the Maori context the research provides opportunities for further inquiry into determining the socio-cultural, economic and political future of the iwi of the river.

year: 2010