title: Development of a mental health recovery module for the WHOQOL

authors: Rowthorn, Melissa J.

subjects: Quality of life

abstract: Purpose
The WHOQOL tools are widely used, multi-faceted, patient-rated, quality of life (QoL) measures, developed by the World Health Organization. The WHOQOL questionnaires are used to assess generic quality of life issues affected by all health problems. This study developed a module to use with the WHOQOL tools to improve their sensitivity to Health Related QoL issues relevant to mental health recovery.

Methods
Using a sequential mixed-methods approach, two research stages occurred. A qualitative stage invited 88 participants with experience of mental health recovery, into focus groups and importance rating activities, to identify candidate items for the new module. Following this, a quantitative stage involved 667 participants with, and without, mental health/addiction issues completing online or paper-based questionnaires to analyze which candidate items differentiated between those with and without mental health/addiction issues. Classical test theory and iterative Partial Credit Rasch Analysis were used to identify the most suitable candidate items for a reliable and valid mental health recovery module to be used with the WHOQOL tools.

Results
Seventeen candidate items captured important HRQoL facets relevant to mental health recovery. Rasch analysis removed 10 misfitting items. The final 7-item module, which demonstrated the best Rasch model fit, enquires about recovery beliefs, identifying strengths, self-awareness, acceptance, capacity to relate, feeling understood, and recovery progress. Ordinal-to-interval conversion tables have been developed to optimize measurement precision when using the module.

Conclusions
Important HRQoL issues central to mental health recovery can be reliably evaluated by using the recovery module with the WHOQOL tools.

text: Development of a mental health recovery module for the WHOQOL Purpose
The WHOQOL tools are widely used, multi-faceted, patient-rated, quality of life (QoL) measures, developed by the World Health Organization. The WHOQOL questionnaires are used to assess generic quality of life issues affected by all health problems. This study developed a module to use with the WHOQOL tools to improve their sensitivity to Health Related QoL issues relevant to mental health recovery.

Methods
Using a sequential mixed-methods approach, two research stages occurred. A qualitative stage invited 88 participants with experience of mental health recovery, into focus groups and importance rating activities, to identify candidate items for the new module. Following this, a quantitative stage involved 667 participants with, and without, mental health/addiction issues completing online or paper-based questionnaires to analyze which candidate items differentiated between those with and without mental health/addiction issues. Classical test theory and iterative Partial Credit Rasch Analysis were used to identify the most suitable candidate items for a reliable and valid mental health recovery module to be used with the WHOQOL tools.

Results
Seventeen candidate items captured important HRQoL facets relevant to mental health recovery. Rasch analysis removed 10 misfitting items. The final 7-item module, which demonstrated the best Rasch model fit, enquires about recovery beliefs, identifying strengths, self-awareness, acceptance, capacity to relate, feeling understood, and recovery progress. Ordinal-to-interval conversion tables have been developed to optimize measurement precision when using the module.

Conclusions
Important HRQoL issues central to mental health recovery can be reliably evaluated by using the recovery module with the WHOQOL tools.

year: 2019

title: Quantum empathy: an alternative narrative for global transcendence

authors: Pavlovich, Kathryn

abstract: This paper proposes an alternative narrative for global transcendence that has spirituality at the core of shaping society. It draws on contemplative practices such as mindfulness, reflexivity and empathy that may contribute to closing the gap between self and other. From these practices, I argue that we have the ability to tap into the harmonic frequency of the universe (quantum empathy) that may bridge across, through and beyond boundaries to link our human experience. At this quantum level, empathy is an entangled, interconnected and indeterminate shared existence that may support the ethical shift in human consciousness. This view of spirituality as a macrolevel organizing mechanism does not present a tool-kit for organizational change, but rather offers a provocation of future system-level possibilities abducted from leading-edge science.

text: Quantum empathy: an alternative narrative for global transcendence This paper proposes an alternative narrative for global transcendence that has spirituality at the core of shaping society. It draws on contemplative practices such as mindfulness, reflexivity and empathy that may contribute to closing the gap between self and other. From these practices, I argue that we have the ability to tap into the harmonic frequency of the universe (quantum empathy) that may bridge across, through and beyond boundaries to link our human experience. At this quantum level, empathy is an entangled, interconnected and indeterminate shared existence that may support the ethical shift in human consciousness. This view of spirituality as a macrolevel organizing mechanism does not present a tool-kit for organizational change, but rather offers a provocation of future system-level possibilities abducted from leading-edge science.

year: 2020

title: Taku Ara, Taku Mahara: Pākehā Family Experiences of Kaupapa Māori and Bilingual Education

authors: Barnes, Alexander Louis

subjects: Kaupapa Maori

abstract: Kaupapa Māori (indigenous Māori-centred philosophies) initiatives have transformed various social, cultural and public projects in the domains of governance and constitutional issues, health, education, the environment, community development and research in Aotearoa – New Zealand. As a Pākehā graduate of te kōhanga reo and kura kaupapa Māori (Māori language immersion pre-school and primary school), this research is concerned with exploring the impact of kaupapa Māori and bilingual educational initiatives on my life and the lives of two other Pākehā families who share similar educational backgrounds. This foundational study utilises qualitative narrative inquiry methods as a means of understanding and analysing the implications for Pākehā as a result of their participation in kaupapa Māori and bilingual education. An intergenerational family approach is used in this research whereby the individual voices and experiences of young adults are heard equally alongside their parents’. Collectively understood, the themes represented in this research offer a unique means of understanding why Päkehä families decided to be involved in Māori immersion settings, and what these experiences mean to them now. One of the principle aims of this study is that it be used as a platform for dialogue amongst Pākehā, non-Māori and Māori about the future direction of bicultural education in Aotearoa – New Zealand.

text: Taku Ara, Taku Mahara: Pākehā Family Experiences of Kaupapa Māori and Bilingual Education Kaupapa Māori (indigenous Māori-centred philosophies) initiatives have transformed various social, cultural and public projects in the domains of governance and constitutional issues, health, education, the environment, community development and research in Aotearoa – New Zealand. As a Pākehā graduate of te kōhanga reo and kura kaupapa Māori (Māori language immersion pre-school and primary school), this research is concerned with exploring the impact of kaupapa Māori and bilingual educational initiatives on my life and the lives of two other Pākehā families who share similar educational backgrounds. This foundational study utilises qualitative narrative inquiry methods as a means of understanding and analysing the implications for Pākehā as a result of their participation in kaupapa Māori and bilingual education. An intergenerational family approach is used in this research whereby the individual voices and experiences of young adults are heard equally alongside their parents’. Collectively understood, the themes represented in this research offer a unique means of understanding why Päkehä families decided to be involved in Māori immersion settings, and what these experiences mean to them now. One of the principle aims of this study is that it be used as a platform for dialogue amongst Pākehā, non-Māori and Māori about the future direction of bicultural education in Aotearoa – New Zealand.

year: 2006