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The UC Research Repository collects, stores and makes available original research from postgraduate students, researchers and academics based at the University of Canterbury.
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Entering out-of-home care in Aotearoa, New Zealand: a qualitative inquiry into the recalled experiences of young people
(2024) Cagney, Ellen
BACKGROUND: For children who have been maltreated, being removed from their family of origin constitutes the highest level of government intrusiveness and intervention. As of June 2023, there were a total of 4,317 children and young people in out-of-home care (OOHC) in Aotearoa, New Zealand. The subjective experiences of children and young people entering OOHC have not been formally researched in Aotearoa, New Zealand.
AIM: Therefore, the present study aimed to explore the recalled experiences of entering OOHC as a child or young person in Aotearoa, New Zealand.
METHODOLOGY: Through a phenomenological inquiry, ten in-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with care-experienced adults aged 18 to 46 years, and data were analysed thematically.
FINDINGS: Analysis revealed five themes: (1) the familiar versus the unfamiliar, (2) the impact of connection, (3) the benefits of knowledge, (4) the power of communication and (5) the role of individuality.
CONCLUSION: Participants emphasized the need for caregivers to show compassion and understanding for the past and current challenges of the children who are living with them. Findings highlight how much children entering OOHC do not understand about what is happening to them, and how distressing this is. Therefore, it is important children are kept informed and treated with kindness.
Management of birds on Canterbury farms : hedgerow use and deterrent efficacy
(2024) Lowen, Fergus
A large portion of the global land area is dedicated to agriculture, and it has implications for biodiversity. Restoration of habitat is an important step in maintaining biodiversity. Farms are now planting habitat that supports biodiversity. The first experimental component of my study investigated how hedgerow composition (native or exotic) influenced bird populations. I completed surveys of 13 hedgerow pairs (native and exotic) across the Canterbury Plains in the summer of 2022/2023 and the autumn of 2023. I found that more native birds were present in native hedgerows in autumn but there was no difference between hedgerows in the summer and temperature was the primary driver of bird abundance.
Not all birds are desirable on farms and the use of deterrent devices is a common practice. However, the effectiveness of these deterrents has not been compared in an on-farm context in New Zealand. In the second experimental component of my study, I explain the methods I developed to make direct comparisons of common bird deterrent devices (gas gun, kite, and laser) against each other and a control. I used trail cameras to measure the number of birds and used this, as well as seed weight, to determine their effectiveness. I also compared seed preferences under the difference deterrent pressures. The seeds I compared were barley, oilseed rape, radish, and sunflower. I found that the deterrents were generally effective, but this was partially dependent on the response variable I was measuring. I also found that sunflower was the most preferred seed type and barley was the least preferred seed type. Oilseed rape and radish had similar levels of interest in them.
This study will also allow farmers to make more informed decisions on the deterrents they use as well as understanding how landscape factors and hedgerow compositions influence bird populations.
Change the humans first: Principles for improving the management of free-roaming cats
(MDPI AG, 2019) McLeod , Lynette J.; Hine, Donald; Driver , Aaron B.
In Australia, free-roaming cats can be found in urban and rural areas across the country. They are inherently difficult to manage but it is frequently human behaviour that demands the most attention and is in most need of change. To the frustration of policy makers and practitioners, scientific knowledge, technological developments, and legal and institutional innovations, often run afoul of insufficient public capacity, opportunity and motivation to act. This paper demonstrates how the behavioural science literature can provide important insights into maximising the impact of free-roaming cat control activities within an ethical framework that prioritises acting “with” all stakeholders, rather than “on” stakeholders. By better understanding how human values, attitudes and beliefs are shaped, practitioners can more effectively and respectfully interact with how people interpret the world around them, make choices and behave. This literature also has much to say about why certain types of media and marketing messages elicit behaviour change and why other types fall flat. Finally, in addition to explaining the behavioural science and its implications, this review provides researchers, policy makers and engagement specialists with an inclusive, practical framework for conceptualising behaviour change and working to ensure land managers, cat owners and the general public can agree on and adopt best practices for managing free-roaming cats.
Comparison of multidirectional upper limb strength for non-disabled individuals and individuals with C4–C7 spinal cord injury in a seated position
(Informa UK Limited, 2024) Stilwell, George; Symons, Digby; Gooch , Shayne; Dunn , Jennifer
This study investigates the multidirectional upper limb strength of individuals with a C4–C7 spinal cord injury (SCI) and non-disabled individuals in a seated position by measuring multidirectional force at the hand. Current literature lacks quantitative strength data to evaluate strength requirements for people who have reduced upper limb function due to a cervical SCI. Seated multidirectional force measurements were recorded for eleven non-disabled and ten males with a C4–C7 SCI. Collected data was displayed using detailed force polar plots. The resulting plots revealed a clear difference in polar plot shape for non-disabled participants and participants with a C4–C7 SCI. Namely that SCI participants had more elliptical polar plots due to reductions in circumferential strength compared to non-disabled participants. However, the polar plots for higher SCIs tended to have an increasingly more circular shape. The results provide insight into the differences in strength between people with cervical SCI and no disability.
How personal values shape job seeker preference: A policy capturing study
(Public Library of Science (PLoS), 2021) Hicklenton , Carol L.; Hine, Donald; Driver , Aaron B.; Loi , Natasha M.; Barreda-Tarrazona I
Does the "ideal"organization exist? Or do different workplace attributes attract different people? And if so, what attributes attract what types of employees? This study combines person- organization fit theory and a policy capturing methodology to determine (a) which attributes are the strongest predictors of perceived organization attractiveness in a sample of Australian job seekers, and (b) whether the magnitude of these predictive effects varies as a function of job seekers' personal values. The design of this study is a randomized experiment of Australian job seekers who responded to an online survey invitation. Each of the 400 respondents received a random subset of 8 of 64 possible descriptions of organizations. Each description presented an organization that scored either high or low on six attributes based on the Employer Attractiveness Scale: Economic, development, interest, social, application, and environmental value. Multi-level modelling revealed that all six attributes positively predicted job seekers' ratings of organization attractiveness, with the three strongest predictors being social, environmental, and application value. Moderation analyses revealed that participants with strong self-transcendent or weak self-enhancement values were most sensitive to the absence of social, environmental, and application value in workplaces, down-rating organizations that scored low on these attributes. Our results demonstrate how job seekers' personal values shape preferences for different types of workplaces. Organizations may be able to improve recruitment outcomes by matching working conditions to the personal values of workers they hope to employ.