A formative evaluation of an Aotearoa New Zealand family/whānau violence programme : examining facilitators’ perspectives of goodness of fit, efficacy, and fidelity.

Abstract

Family/whānau violence and intimate partner violence are now unquestionably seen as a major social burden internationally and in Aotearoa New Zealand (Martin et al., 2006). In our communities there are some populations that are significantly more vulnerable to experiencing violence and crime (Slabber, 2012; Understanding Family Violence, 2017), and in Aotearoa the statistics consistently show that Māori are over represented in family violence experiences. Despite increasing efforts to address these challenges, there continues to be a scarcity of intervention strategies that are culturally-adapted, much less culturally-based (Leske et al., 2016; Te Puni Kōkiri, 2010). This study attempted to understand the goodness of fit, efficacy, and fidelity of a novel, culturally-centred programme supporting fathers desisting from intimate-partner and family/whānau violence. Employing kaupapa Māori research principles and a qualitative collaborative evaluation research design, five programme facilitators were interviewed. The findings revealed that facilitators strongly endorsed the utility and integration of three programme values, including aroha, manaakitanga, and whanaungatanga. However, facilitators believed the programme’s three remaining values (wairuatanga, mana motuhake, and ako) were less integrated. The findings also identified facilitators’ perspectives of several factors that foster the efficacy of the programme, including the deconstruction and reconceputalisation of key Māori cultural concepts such aroha and mana, the re-evaluation of the tāne Māori identity, and the integral group processes of whanaungatanga and manaakitanga. Finally, in investigating fidelity, the current research identified that facilitators diverged from the programme content at varying degrees which offered insight into potential areas or need for programme revision and/or amendments and emphasised the tension that exists between programme adaptation and programme fidelity (Leske et al., 2016). These findings are discussed in light of the programme’s content, culturally-responsive group facilitation, and as related to the broader whānau violence literature in Aotearoa and international best- practice recommendations when working with fathers with a history of violence.