Research
Community wellbeing research
(2024). SIL Research.
In the wake of Cyclone Gabrielle, Auckland Anniversary Weekend floods and other extreme weather events of 2023, we have commissioned wellbeing research to find out how people were doing on their road to recovery. More than 1500 people from affected regions took part in our study and told us what they’ve been struggling with, what wellbeing support they need right now, and what’s been helping them get through these tough times.
(2024). SIL Research.
Five Ways to Wellbeing
5 Ways to Wellbeing: Connect... Be active... Keep learning... Take notice... Give.
Aked, J., Marks, N., Cordon, C., & Thompson, S. (2008). New Economics Foundation.
The evidence emerging from the UK Foresight Challenge Reports indicates that social relationships are critical for promoting wellbeing and for acting as a buffer against mental ill health. This seems to be the case for people across all ages.
Mental capital and wellbeing. (2008). GOV.UK.
The UK Foresight project looking at how to improve mental capital and mental wellbeing through life. Five Ways to Wellbeing came out of this project.
New Zealand’s engagement with the Five Ways to Wellbeing: Evidence from a large cross-sectional survey
Mackay, L., Egli, V., Booker, L.-J., & Prendergast, K. (2019). Kōtuitui: New Zealand Journal of Social Sciences Online, 14(2), 230–244
A survey was undertaken with 10,012 adults throughout Aotearoa, New Zealand, to assess individual wellbeing and participation in the Five Ways to Wellbeing (Connect, Give, Take Notice, Keep Learning and Be Active). Wellbeing was assessed with the Flourishing Scale.
Evidence supporting the ‘5 Ways to Wellbeing’
(2022). Royal Melbourne Hospital.
This resource highlights some of the main evidence for each of the Five Ways to Wellbeing.
Sovereign Wellbeing Index: New Zealand’s first measure of wellbeing.
Human Potential Centre. (2013). Auckland University of Technology.
This report presents key findings from the Sovereign Wellbeing Index about the wellbeing of New Zealand adults in late 2012. The survey was the first national representation of how New Zealanders are faring on a personal and social level. It used the Five Ways to Wellbeing as a research framework. The research has not been repeated in this way since 2013.
Reframing well-being: Lessons from Aotearoa New Zealand’s first wave COVID-19 response.
Stronge, D. C., Greenaway, A., Kannemeyer, R. L., & Howard, C. (2023). Asia Pacific Viewpoint, n/a.
Wellbeing is increasingly being promoted and used to describe social progress. However, tension exists between framings that focus on enhancing individual wellbeing (living well) and societal or collective framings of wellbeing (living well together). Wellbeing is central to Aotearoa New Zealand’s COVID-19 response and recovery. The COVID-19 pandemic reopened debates about what kind of society people want to live in. Our research explored the ‘shared typical’ or commonality of experiences of the first wave of COVID-19 response in Aotearoa New Zealand. Semi-structured interviews provided insights into a wide range of concerns participants faced and what that meant for their wellbeing and the wellbeing of Aotearoa New Zealand. We found that wellbeing is both multidimensional and hierarchical, and while people talked about their own wellbeing, it was often in the context of broader social wellbeing. These findings support research showing that wellbeing is relational. We suggest that Indigenous models of wellbeing are well placed to inform policy strategies enabling holistic wellbeing, but this needs to be done in ways that pair Indigenous and Western knowledge, rather than integrating or assimilating this knowledge into Western science approaches.
Aked, J., Marks, N., Cordon, C., & Thompson, S. (2008). New Economics Foundation. The evidence emerging from the UK Foresight Challenge Reports indicates that social relationships are critical for promoting well-being and for acting as a buffer against mental ill health. This seems to be the case for people across all ages.
Wellbeing evidence at the heart of policy.
Hardoon, D., Hey, N., & Brunetti, S. (2020). What Works Centre for Wellbeing.
Wellbeing - international research
Activities for flourishing: An evidence-based guide
VanderWeele, T. J. (2020). Journal of Positive Psychology and Wellbeing, 4 (1), 79-91.
The paper reviews various evidence-based activities that can be easily employed to promote human flourishing. The evidence from many randomised trials has established several do-it-yourself activities that can be used to improve various aspects of wellbeing. Moreover, various relational and institutional commitments can be voluntarily pursued which likewise have been shown to have substantial effects on wellbeing.
Social wellbeing.
Keyes, Corey Lee M. (1998). Social Psychology Quarterly, 61(2), 121.
The proposal of five dimensions of social wellbeing, social integration, social contribution, social coherence, social actualisation, and social acceptance, is theoretically substantiated.
Positive psychology interventions: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled studies.
Bolier, L., Haverman, M., Westerhof, G. J., Riper, H., Smit, F., & Bohlmeijer, E. (2013). BMC Public Health, 13, 119. 9
The results of this meta-analysis show that positive psychology interventions can be effective in the enhancement of subjective wellbeing and psychological wellbeing, as well as in helping to reduce depressive symptoms.
Subjective wellbeing around the world: Trends and predictors across the life span.
Jebb, A. T., Morrison, M., Tay, L., & Diener, E. (2020). Psychological Science, February.
Using representative cross-sections from 166 nations (more than 1.7 million respondents), differences in three measures of subjective wellbeing over the life span were examined. Globally, and in the individual regions of the world, it was found that only small differences in life satisfaction and negative affect. By contrast, decreases in positive affect were larger.
Oades, L. G., Ozturk, C., Hou, H., & Slemp, G. R. (2020). The Journal of Positive Psychology, 0(0), 1-5
Wellbeing literacy is a capability, rather than a positive psychology interventions per se. Wellbeing literacy may provide novel ways to consider two key challenges to positive psychology interventions justified by randomised controlled trials: (1) the problem of generalisability of skills and knowledge claims across contexts; and (2) the problem that gains from interventions are not sustained.
Przybylko, G., Morton, D. P., Morton, J. K., Renfrew, M. E., & Hinze, J. (2021). The Journal of Positive Psychology, 1–16.
Positive Psychology Interventions (PPIs) have been shown to improve mental health, but little is known about their impact on the quantifiable experience of flourishing. Two experimental studies investigated whether the proportion of participants flourishing, assessed using the Huppert and So conceptual framework, could be increased through a 10-week online interdisciplinary intervention that combined strategies from positive psychology and lifestyle medicine. These studies demonstrate that online interdisciplinary interventions that incorporate positive psychology and lifestyle medicine strategies can increase human flourishing, irrespective of the addition of human support.
What works to improve wellbeing across different interventions: Looking at ONS personal wellbeing findings in impact evaluations.
Peto, L., Pittam, G., & Musella, M. (2020). What Works Centre for Wellbeing.
Key insights from a rapid evidence assessment of impact evaluations.
Promoting wellbeing [web page].
World Health Organization. (2023).
This webpage presents the WHO’s work on wellbeing, including as it relates to the Sustainable Development Goals. They coordinated the 10th Global Conference on Health Promotion in December 2021, where the Geneva Charter for Wellbeing was endorsed by participants. It outlines 5 key action areas: design an equitable economy that serves human development within planetary boundaries; create public policy for the common good; achieve universal health coverage; address the digital transformation to counteract harm and disempowerment and to strengthen the benefits; and value and preserve the planet. WHO continues to work with Member States to implement actions in these areas.
Wellbeing – Aotearoa New Zealand research
Social Investment Agency. (2018). SIA.
This working paper is written for analysts, policy advisors and social service providers to introduce the Social Investment Agency’s wellbeing measurement approach.
Note, the Social Investment Agency has changed its name to the Social Wellbeing Agency.
The State of the State.
Deloitte, & Victoria University of Wellington. (2019). Deloitte New Zealand.
Deloitte’s State of the State series explores wellbeing frameworks, the relationship between social investment and wellbeing, and reviews alternative perspectives, providing recommendations for a way forward. In the fourth report published in 2019, we explore perspectives on how we can equitably grow wellbeing to build a fair future for all Kiwis.
Health and Independence Report 2022: Te Pūrongo mō te Hauora me te Tū Motuhake 2022.
Ministry of Health. (2023). Ministry of Health.
This publication provides an overview of the state of public health in Aotearoa New Zealand for 2022 and presents the latest data on measures of health, causes of health loss, and determinants of health.
Ka whakahuatau te rangatahi mō te Toiora / Youth wellbeing insights report.
Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission. (2023).
The full report, summary report and literature review are presented on this web page.
The project found four common themes of barriers to wellbeing identified by young people relating to uncertain futures, racism and discrimination, social media and online harms, and challenges to whānau wellbeing and intergenerational connections.
Wellbeing and mental distress in Aotearoa New Zealand: snapshot 2016
Kvalsvig, A. (2018). Health Promotion Agency
This report summarises findings from the 2016 Mental Health Monitor and 2016 Health and Lifestyles Survey. Participants reported that the experience of mental distress was common (personally or among people they knew) and that mental distress was more than depression and/or anxiety, and included feeling isolated, overwhelmed by stress and not being able to cope. Awareness of mental distress in self or others was associated with more positive attitudes but participants indicated a reluctance to disclose mental distress in some environments, such as workplaces. Social isolation (also known as loneliness) emerged as an important concern. It was strongly associated with depression, anxiety and other forms of distress, particularly among young people.
Flourishing, positive mental health and wellbeing: how can they be increased?
Norriss, H. (2010). International Journal of Leadership in Public Services, 6(4), 46–50.
The author outlines the view of mental health in New Zealand, and presents an overview of factors that will influence this in the future, arguing that leadership is required to further a nation's positive mental health. Analysis is then presented on the concept of ‘flourishing’ in people and communities and how this has explored positive states of experience and functioning. The personal and social benefits that this approach can give as part of a full spectrum approach to mental health are considered. The Mental Health Foundation of New Zealand proposes a range of potential activities as examples that could contribute to an increase of flourishing and positive mental health in the wider New Zealand population.
Te Tai Waiora: Wellbeing in Aotearoa New Zealand 2022.
NZ Treasury. (2022a, November 24).
Te Tai Waiora is the Treasury’s first four-yearly report on wellbeing.
The distribution of advantage in Aotearoa New Zealand: Exploring the evidence
NZ Treasury. (2022b, December 12).
This paper is an overview of the evidence of distribution, inequality and mobility in New Zealand, including the characteristics and clustering of multiple disadvantage.
Protecting and promoting mental wellbeing: Beyond covid-19.
Poulton, R., Gluckman, P., Menzies, R., Bardsley, A., McIntosh, T., & Faleafa, M. (2020). Koi Tū: The Centre for Informed Futures.
This paper is one of several addressing the consequences of the pandemic. It looks at impacts on wellbeing.
Wellbeing statistics: 2018 [from the General Social Survey]
Statistics New Zealand. (2019).
Figures and trends in wellbeing.
Ngā Tūtohu Aotearoa – Indicators Aotearoa New Zealand: Wellbeing data for New Zealanders.
Statistics New Zealand.
Source of statistics and trends on New Zealanders’ wellbeing. See also this snapshot.
Pacific peoples’ wellbeing (AP 23/01).
(2023). NZ Treasury.
New Zealand is home to the world’s largest Pacific population. About one in 12 New Zealanders identifies as having a Pacific ethnicity or ethnicities, and the Pacific population is much younger and faster growing than the general population.
Rangahau te Korou o te Ora / Quality of life survey 2022
(2022). Auckland Council et al.
The primary objective of the survey is to measure residents’ perceptions across a range of measures that impact on New Zealanders’ quality of life. It contributes to public knowledge and research around quality of life and related factors in New Zealand. The results from the survey are used to help inform council policy and planning responses to population growth and change, as well as providing data for monitoring programmes.
State of the Nation 2023: Costs... Of Living: Ngā Rourou Whakaiti.
Barber, P., Tanielu, R., & Ika, A. (2023). Salvation Army.
Findings from the 16th edition of the State of the Nation report. Discusses a range of social issues including drugs and alcohol. It also covers children and youth, work and income and Māori wellbeing.
Helliwell, J. F., Layard, R., Sachs, J. D., De Neve, J.-E., Aknin, L. B., Wang, S., & Paculor, S. (Eds.). (2022). Sustainable Development Solutions Network.
Findings in the 2023 report cover the happiness agenda for the next 10 years, aspects of happiness like trust, social connections, doing good and feeling good, and wellbeing measurement. [From Overview]. New Zealand is also part of this study.
Trends in wellbeing in Aotearoa New Zealand, 2000-2020.
Hughes, T., & Cardona, D. (2022). NZ Treasury.
This paper provides a high-level summary of some key trends in the indicators of wellbeing presented in the NZ Treasury’s Living Standards Framework Dashboard.
New Zealanders’ views on mental health: An Ipsos Global Advisor survey.
Ipsos. (2021). Ipsos
This survey explored the mental and physical wellbeing of New Zealanders, as well as perceptions surrounding mental illness and society. For the purpose of this survey we defined mental illness / health condition for respondents as an illness or condition that affects a person’s thoughts, feelings or behaviour.
19th Ipsos New Zealand Issues Monitor.
Dudding, A., & Hercock, C. (2023). Ipsos.
This report finds that concern about inflation / cost of living remains the number one issue worrying New Zealanders and is continuing to intensify, with nearly 2 in 3 New Zealanders now identifying it as a key issue they are currently facing.
Mental Health in Aotearoa – Insight report.
(2020). Te Hiringa Hauora/Health Promotion Agency.
This insight report describes results from the 2018 New Zealand Mental Health Monitor and 2018/19 Ministry of Health New Zealand Health Survey. The Mental Health in Aotearoa insight updates some existing information on the commonality of mental distress and population distribution of levels of mental distress, as well as presenting new findings. Throughout the analysis a theme of high mental distress in young people emerged. Our main findings include that the proportion of the adult population with high levels of mental distress is increasing over time and that general mental distress, anxiety and depressive symptoms are highest amongst young people.
Youth19 rangatahi smart survey: Initial findings: Hauora hinengaro / emotional and mental health.
Fleming, T., Tiatia-Seath, J., Peiris-John, R., Sutcliffe, K., Archer, D., Bavin, L., Crengle, S., & Clark, T. (2021). The Youth19 Research Group, The University of Auckland and Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand.
This report highlights the emotional and mental health findings from the Youth19 Rangatahi Smart Survey (Youth19) and highlights ways to support mental wellbeing for young people.
Fleming, T., Ball, J., Bavin, L., Rivera-Rodriguez, C., Peiris-John, R., Crengle, S., Sutcliffe, K., Lewycka, S., Archer, D., & Clark, T. C. (2022). Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand, 1–24.
This study shows that health status and risks among New Zealand adolescents have changed dramatically over 20 years, with areas of large improvement. However, mental wellbeing requires urgent attention.
Ataera-Minster, J., & Trowland, H. (2018). Health Promotion Agency/Te Hiringa Hauora.
Te Kaveinga presents results from the New Zealand Mental Health Monitor and the Health and Lifestyles Survey related to the mental health and wellbeing of Pacific peoples. Published by the Health Promotion Agency, Te Kaveinga is the first in-depth analysis of Pacific mental health using a nationally representative dataset since Te Rau Hinengaro, New Zealand’s last Mental Health Survey. Overall, the findings show that Pacific adults experience psychological distress at higher levels than non-Pacific adults. The findings also tell us that Pacific people report high levels of wellbeing and family wellbeing and are well connected socially and culturally.
The Living Standards Framework Dashboard.
New Zealand Treasury. (2022, April 12). The LSF Dashboard is a measurement tool that informs the Treasury’s wellbeing reporting and supports advice to Ministers on priorities for improving wellbeing.
Southern Cross Healthy Futures Report 2022
Southern Cross & Kantar. (2023). Kantar.
Presents what New Zealanders’ health and wellbeing looks like in 2022. Found that the five biggest issues concerning New Zealanders are cost of living, the economic impact of Covid-19, violence in society, affordable housing and mental health.
Wylie, C., & MacDonald, J. (2020). New Zealand Council for Educational Research.
Every 3 years NZCER surveys principals, teachers, trustees, and parents at a random sample of English-medium primary schools to provide a national picture of what is happening in teaching and learning. This allows comparisons and tracking of how things change over time. Chapter 2 of this report is: ’Student wellbeing and positive behaviour—Findings from the NZCER 2019 National survey of English-medium primary schools.pdf’.
Counting what counts: A systematic scoping review of instruments used in primary healthcare services to measure the wellbeing of Indigenous children and youth.
Saunders, V., McCalman, J., Tsey, S., Askew, D., Campbell, S., Jongen, C., Angelo, C., Spurling, G., & Cadet-James, Y. (2023). BMC Primary Care, 24(1), 51.
Primary healthcare services have principal responsibility for providing child and youth wellbeing and mental health services, but have lacked appropriate measurement instruments to assess the wellbeing of Indigenous children and youth or to evaluate the effectiveness of programs and services designed to meet their needs. This review assesses the availability and characteristics of measurement instruments that have been applied in primary healthcare services in Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the United States (CANZUS countries) to assess the wellbeing of Indigenous children and youth.
Sutcliffe, K., Ball, J., Clark, T. C., Archer, D., Peiris-John, R., Crengle, S., & Fleming, T. (Theresa). (2023). Australian & New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 57(2), 264–282.
The purpose of this study was to investigate prevalence and trends in key mental health and well-being indicators among New Zealand secondary school students. The study found that dolescent mental health needs are high in New Zealand and have increased sharply from 2012 among all demographic groups, especially females, Māori, Pacific and Asian students and those from high-deprivation neighbourhoods. Ethnic and socioeconomic disparities have widened.
Māori wellbeing and Te Whare Tapa Whā
NZ Treasury. (2021, October 28).
He Ara Waiora is a framework that helps the Treasury to understand waiora, often translated as a Māori perspective on wellbeing.
Statistics New Zealand. (2020). Statistics New Zealand.
Te Kupenga gives a picture of the social, cultural, and economic wellbeing of Māori in New Zealand, including information from a Māori cultural perspective.
Māori health models - Te Whare Tapa Whā
(2017). Ministry of Health NZ
The four cornerstones (or sides) of Māori health are whānau (family health), tinana (physical health), hinengaro (mental health) and wairua (spiritual health).
Rebuilding a ‘whare’ body of knowledge to inform ‘a’ Māori perspective of health
Heaton, S. (2015). MAI Journal, 4(2), 164–176
This article explores and expands the discourse around the whare tapa whā which has been depicted in New Zealand curricula and in educational literature as a contemporary Māori model of health, as a Māori perspective of health, as a Māori philosophy of hauora and as a four-sided meeting house.
Whare Tapa Whā: A Māori model of a unified theory of health
Rochford, T. (2004). Journal of Primary Prevention, 25(1), 41–57
Māori, the indigenous people of New Zealand, have suffered social and economic deprivation as a result of colonisation. Māori suffer worse health then their Pākehā (non- Māori) cohort. Māori are using their traditional worldview to develop a model of health that can be used as a holistic or unified theory of health. The model, Whare Tapa Wha, can be used as clinical assessment tool. The model is part of Māori seeking to regain control over our health services. It has supported the development of a Māori health sector, which has led to gains in both health and community development.
Myftari, E. (2015). [Unpublished thesis, University of Otago].
Telling a coherent, elaborate, and meaningful life story is a vital part of adolescent narrative identity development and of psychological well-being. This research investigated the development of three levels of personality (narrative identity, dispositional traits and characteristic adaptations) for Māori adolescents in Aotearoa New Zealand. A finding is that connection to wider whānau is crucial for Māori wellbeing.
Ngā Hua a Tāne Rore: The Benefits of Kapa Haka
Pihama, L., Tipene, J., & Skipper, H. (2014). Manatū Taonga - Ministry of Culture & Heritage.
Kapa haka contributes to many aspects of NZ’s cultural, social and economic contexts. One of the many components of kapa haka is its link to culture and Māori identity and whanaungatanga, the importance of people and connectedness. Waka ama plays a similar role.
Manaaki Tāngata - The Secret to Happiness: Narratives from Older Māori in the Bay of Plenty
McDonald, M. (2016). Unpublished thesis. University of Auckland.
A Māori view of happiness includes various dimensions of connection: “happiness is viewed in a holistic way that enhances ‘mana’ and promotes a meaningful existence through Mana Atua – A connection and commitment to the larger universe; Mana Tūpuna – Strengthened genealogical relationships; Mana Tangata – Realisation of human potential and Mana Whenua – Harmonious integration and unity with the environment.
Gall, A., Anderson, K., Howard, K., Diaz, A., King, A., Willing, E., Connolly, M., Lindsay, D., & Garvey, G. (2021). International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(11), 5832.
Despite the health improvements afforded to non-Indigenous peoples in Canada, Aotearoa (New Zealand) and the United States, the Indigenous peoples in these countries continue to endure disproportionately high rates of mortality and morbidity. Indigenous peoples’ concepts and understanding of health and wellbeing are holistic; however, due to their diverse social, political, cultural, environmental and economic contexts within and across countries, wellbeing is not experienced uniformly across all Indigenous populations. The review found that themes varied across countries; however, identity, connection, balance and self-determination were common aspects of wellbeing. Having this broader understanding of wellbeing across these cultures can inform decisions made about public health actions and resources.
Cram, F. (2014). MAI JOURNAL, 3(1), 15.
Māori wellbeing is the foundation of Māori development, yet Indigenous peoples (including Māori) are often invisible in universal measures of wellbeing. In 2006 Mason Durie outlined Māori-specific measures of wellbeing, built upon Māori understandings of what constitutes a “good life”. Following Durie this paper describes developments in the culturally responsive measurement of Māori wellbeing. These have culminated in Te Kupenga, the 2013 survey of Māori wellbeing by New Zealand Statistics, and two Māori mental wellbeing assessment tools, Hua Oranga and the Meihana Model. Gaps remain in the measurement of collective Māori wellbeing, or whānau ora, with individual reporting on whānau wellbeing currently being used as a proxy. More information is also needed about Māori subjective wellbeing in order for this to be fully captured in measurement tools. The close involvement of Māori in the development of any wellbeing measure is essential for that measure to be culturally responsive and valid.
Māori perspectives on the environment and wellbeing.
Mika, J. (2021). Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment.
Te Arawa Lakes Trust represents a distinctive approach to managing environmental and human wellbeing, defined by a centuries-long association with the land, an Indigenous philosophy of water, embodied by the trust’s governors, managers and staff. The trust’s approach is a lived philosophy, factored into decision-making through analysis and debate. Te Arawa identify synergies between cultural and commercial imperatives in decisions about the environment and wellbeing, but are somewhat constrained by resource limitations.
New Zealand Treasury Guest Lecture Series: Measuring Māori wellbeing.
Durie, M. (2006). Massey University.
Discusses aspects of Māori wellbeing and how to measure it. Presents a framework for measuring, incorporating 3 levels of wellbeing – individual, whānau, and population. Also discusses a matrix of outcomes, including wellbeing aspects of connection to culture, te reo and land.
Pere, L. M. (2006). (Thesis, Massey University)
This study seeks to understand the experience of mental illness from the perspective of those it affects most- the consumer. In order to test the assumption that mental health depends as much on culture and identity as psycho-biology, Oho Mauri examines the worldviews of 17 Indigenous people – Māori - who have had experience of mental illness.
Russell, L., (2018). Health Promotion Agency/Te Hiringa Hauora.
Te Oranga Hinengaro uses Māori mental health data from three population surveys to highlight findings about whanaungatanga, and belonging, cultural connectedness and reconnection, and cultural identity for Māori mental wellbeing.
Statistics New Zealand. (2020). Statistics New Zealand.
Te Kupenga gives a picture of the social, cultural, and economic wellbeing of Māori in New Zealand, including information from a Māori cultural perspective.
Reid, C., & Evans, P. (2022). New Zealand Treasury.
This background paper, and the chapter on Māori wellbeing in the wellbeing report, are intended to inform discussion and debate by providing a deeper dive into key wellbeing indicators that impact on Māori.
Russell, L. (2018). Health Promotion Agency/Te Hiringa Hauora.
Te Oranga Hinengaro uses Māori mental health data from three population surveys to highlight findings about whanaungatanga, and belonging, cultural connectedness and reconnection, and cultural identity for Māori mental wellbeing.
The Whānau Rangatiratanga Frameworks: Approaching whānau wellbeing from within Te Ao Māori.
Social Policy Evaluation and Research Unit. (2016). Social Policy Evaluation and Research Unit.
This paper maps the development of the Whānau Rangatiratanga Frameworks. There are two separate frameworks – a conceptual framework and a measurement framework.
Individual elements of the Five Ways to Wellbeing
Take Notice
An overview of mindfulness-based interventions and their evidence base
Mental Health Foundation. (2011).
This paper reflects on the merits of mindfulness to enhance our wellbeing, looks at mindfulness-based interventions, and the application of mindfulness in our education system.
Mindfulness in education: Evidence base and implications for Aotearoa/New Zealand.
Mental Health Foundation. (2012).
This paper looks at what mindfulness is, how it works, mindfulness-based interventions, and evidence.
Schwalm, F. D., Zandavalli, R. B., de Castro Filho, E. D., & Lucchetti, G. (2021). Journal of Health Psychology, ePub.
Resilience is the ability to recover or cope with adverse situations. Spiritual and religious beliefs may be associated with important ‘resilience resources.’ To investigate whether there is a relationship between spirituality/religiosity (S/R) and resilience. The study found a moderate positive correlation was found between spirituality/religiosity and resilience.
Gratitude and health: An updated review.
Jans-Beken, L., Jacobs, N., Janssens, M., Peeters, S., Reijnders, J., Lechner, L., & Lataster, J. (2019). The Journal of Positive Psychology, 0(0), 1–40.
This review updates the literature on the connection of gratitude to human health to better understand possible causations.
The ability to regulate your attention may help protect against anxiety symptoms.
Obejas, Clare. (2020, March 17). PsyPost.
Greater mindfulness skills were found to indirectly predict fewer anxiety symptoms through attentional control, according to a study published in Psychological Reports.
Hartstone, J. M., & Medvedev, O. N. (2021). Mindfulness, 12(11), 2693–2706.
The goal of this study was to investigate psychological distress during the lockdown in New Zealand. The study concluded that individuals who have higher levels of mindfulness and those with greater life satisfaction experience significantly less depression, anxiety, and stress over time, during both uncertain and emergency conditions such as during the threat of COVID-19. The finding of anxiety and stress reduction during lockdown may be specific to New Zealand, as conditions differ in many ways from those in other countries. Preventative measures which increase mindfulness and satisfaction with life could help alleviate depression, anxiety, and stress during uncertain and emergency conditions.
Know thy selves: Learning to understand oneself increases the ability to understand others.
Böckler, A., Herrmann, L., Trautwein, F.-M., Holmes, T., & Singer, T. (2017). Journal of Cognitive Enhancement: Towards the Integration of Theory and Practice, 1(2), 197–209.
Understanding others’ feelings, intentions, and beliefs is a crucial social skill both for our personal lives and for meeting the challenges of a globalized world. Recent evidence suggests that the ability to represent and infer others’ mental states (Theory of Mind, ToM) can be enhanced by mental training in healthy adults. A finding of the study suggests a close link between getting better in understanding oneself and improvement in social intelligence.
Spreading positive change: Societal benefits of meditation.
Engert, V., Klimecki, O. M., Kanske, P., & Mindful Universities Research Group. (2023). Frontiers in Psychiatry, 14, 1038051.
Research over the past decades has revealed a variety of beneficial effects of meditation training. These beneficial effects span the levels of health and well-being, cognition, emotion, and social behavior. Around the same time, sociologists have shown that traits and outcomes on the individual level have the potential to spread in communities over three or more degrees. This means, for example, that changes can spread from one person to the next, and on to yet another person. Here, we propose that meditation-induced changes may likewise spread through the social networks of meditation practitioners. Such spreading may happen by positively influencing others through prosocial actions, improved cognitive functioning, and increased positive affect. Positive affective states and their underlying physiological correlates may also be shared in the literal sense. We argue that the spreading of positive meditation effects could provide the basis for collective responses to some of the urgent challenges we face in our current time and society and call for future meditation research to examine the phenomenon.
Short-term compassion training increases prosocial behavior in a newly developed prosocial game.
Leiberg, S., Klimecki, O., & Singer, T. (2011). PloS One, 6(3), e17798.
Compassion has been suggested to be a strong motivator for prosocial behavior. While research has demonstrated that compassion training has positive effects on mood and health, we do not know whether it also leads to increases in prosocial behavior. We addressed this question in two experiments. In Experiment 1, we introduce a new prosocial game, the Zurich Prosocial Game (ZPG), which allows for repeated, ecologically valid assessment of prosocial behavior and is sensitive to the influence of reciprocity, helping cost, and distress cues on helping behavior. Experiment 2 shows that helping behavior in the ZPG increased in participants who had received short-term compassion training, but not in participants who had received short-term memory training. Interindividual differences in practice duration were specifically related to changes in the amount of helping under no-reciprocity conditions. Our results provide first evidence for the positive impact of short-term compassion training on prosocial behavior towards strangers in a training-unrelated task.
Awe, the small self, and prosocial behavior.
Piff, P. K., Dietze, P., Feinberg, M., Stancato, D. M., & Keltner, D. (2015). Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 108(6), 883–899.
Awe is an emotional response to perceptually vast stimuli that transcend current frames of reference. Guided by conceptual analyses of awe as a collective emotion, across 5 studies (N = 2,078) we tested the hypothesis that awe can result in a diminishment of the individual self and its concerns, and increase prosocial behavior. In a representative national sample (Study 1), dispositional tendencies to experience awe predicted greater generosity in an economic game above and beyond other prosocial emotions (e.g., compassion). In follow-up experiments, inductions of awe (relative to various control states) increased ethical decision-making (Study 2), generosity (Study 3), and prosocial values (Study 4). Finally, a naturalistic induction of awe in which participants stood in a grove of towering trees enhanced prosocial helping behavior and decreased entitlement compared to participants in a control condition (Study 5). Mediational data demonstrate that the effects of awe on prosociality are explained, in part, by feelings of a small self. These findings indicate that awe may help situate individuals within broader social contexts and enhance collective concern.
Differential benefits of mental training types for attention, compassion, and theory of mind.
Trautwein, F.-M., Kanske, P., Böckler, A., & Singer, T. (2020). Cognition, 194, 104039.
Mindfulness- and, more generally, meditation-based interventions increasingly gain popularity, effectively promoting cognitive, affective, and social capacities. It is unclear, however, if different types of practice have the same or specific effects on mental functioning. Here we tested three consecutive three-month training modules aimed at cultivating either attention, socio-affective qualities (such as compassion), or socio-cognitive skills (such as theory of mind), in three training cohorts and a retest control cohort (N = 332). While attentional performance improved most consistently after attention training, compassion increased most after socio-affective training and theory of mind partially improved after socio-cognitive training. These results show that specific mental training practices are needed to induce plasticity in different domains of mental functioning, providing a foundation for evidence-based development of more targeted interventions adapted to the needs of different education, labor, and health settings.
Give
Held, M. L., & Lee, S. (2020). Community Mental Health Journal, 56(2), 348–354
Volunteering has been found to be a significant predictor of improved health among the general population. Yet, little is known about the relationship between volunteering and perceived general health among individuals with serious mental illness. This study examined the extent to which volunteering is associated with perceived general health of individuals with serious mental illness. Study findings indicate that individuals who engage in volunteering are more likely to report better health status when compared to those who do not engage in volunteering.
Giving leads to happiness in young children.
Aknin, L. B., Hamlin, J. K., & Dunn, E. W. (2012). PLoS ONE, 7(6), e39211.
The study finds that before the age of two, toddlers exhibit greater happiness when giving treats to others than receiving treats themselves. Further, children are happier after engaging in ‘costly giving’’ - forfeiting their own resources - than when giving the same treat at no cost.
Dulin, P. L., Gavala, J., Stephens, C., Kostick, M., & McDonald, J. (2012). Aging & Mental Health, 16(5), 617–624.
This study provides evidence that volunteering is related to increased happiness, irrespective of ethnicity. It also provides evidence that the relationship between volunteering and happiness is moderated by economic resources. Older individuals at the low end of the economic spectrum are likely to benefit more from volunteering than those at the high end.
Focus on Generosity – a discussion paper series – Community Research.
These NZ papers examine the benefits that stem from generosity for givers, receivers and the community as a whole.
- What can we do to promote generosity in New Zealand? (2009)
- What do we know about generosity in New Zealand? (2009)
- What do we mean by generosity? (2008)
A qualitative study into Pacific perspectives on cultural obligations and volunteering
Tamasese, T. K., Parsons, T. L., Sullivan, G., & Waldegrave, C. (2010). The Family Centre Social Policy Research Unit.
This research explored Pacific people’s motivators and barriers to volunteering, and the relationship with their cultural obligations. It includes a series of “projects of pride” to illustrate each Pacific group’s perspective.
Environmental volunteering and health outcomes over a 20-year period.
Pillemer, K., Fuller-Rowell, T. E., Reid, M. C., & Wells, N. M. (2010). The Gerontologist, 50(5), 594–602.
This study tested the hypothesis that volunteering in environmental organizations in midlife is associated with greater physical activity and improved mental and physical health over a 20-year period. The study found that midlife environmental volunteering was significantly associated with physical activity, self-reported health, and depressive symptoms. IMPLICATIONS: This population-based study offers the first epidemiological evidence for a significant positive relationship between environmental volunteering and health and well-being outcomes.
Differences in physical activity participation among young adults in Aotearoa New Zealand.
Wilson, O. W. A., Smith, M., Duncan, S., Hinckson, E., Mizdrak, A., & Richards, J. (2023). BMC Public Health, 23(1), 150.
The purpose of this study was to examine socio-demographic differences in physical activity (aerobic and muscle-strengthening) among young NZ adults (18–24 years).
Be Active
Wickham, S.-R., Amarasekara, N. A., Bartonicek, A., & Conner, T. S. (2020). Frontiers in Psychology, 11, 579205.
Sleep, physical activity, and diet have been associated with mental health and wellbeing individually in young adults. However, which of these “big three” health behaviors most strongly predicts mental health and wellbeing, and their higher-order relationships in predictive models, is less known. This study investigated the differential and higher-order associations between sleep, physical activity, and dietary factors as predictors of mental health and well-being in young adults. The study concluded that sleep quality is an important predictor of mental health and wellbeing in young adults, whereas physical activity and diet are secondary but still significant factors. Although strictly correlational, these patterns suggest that future interventions could prioritize sleep quality to maximize mental health and well-being in young adults.
Akbar, L., Zuk, A. M., & Tsuji, L. J. S. (2020). International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(21), 8275.
Traditional physical activities have numerous physiological and psychosocial benefits for Indigenous youth around the world. Little is known about the positive health and wellness impacts of traditional physical activity experiences on Indigenous youths. The aim of this systematic review is to explore the holistic health and wellness impacts of traditional physical activities on Indigenous youth from certain North American and Oceania geographic areas. Overall, the literature described numerous emotional, mental and spiritual benefits of traditional physical activity, and youth experiences were affected by familial and communal relationships, and systemic factors. Among Indigenous youth, this research shows the importance of including traditional physical activity in future programs and partnerships with community expertise.
Green Prescription Active Families Survey Report: May 2018.
Research New Zealand. (2019). Ministry of Health NZ.
This report presents the findings of the ninth survey in an on-going monitor of participants in the Green Prescriptions Active Families (Active Families) programme. As in previous years, the survey sought the views of participants about how well the programme worked for their child and family. Contains statistics.
Sleep duration and psychological wellbeing among New Zealanders
Lee, C. H., & Sibley, C. G. (2019). Sleep Health, 5(6), 606–614
This study identified the prevalence of short and long sleep duration and examine the relationship between sleep duration and psychological well-being among New Zealand adults. Participants were asked “during the past month, on average, how many hours of actual sleep did you get per night?”. Most New Zealanders reported having optimal sleep duration, but more than a third reported having short and 4.5% reported long sleep duration.
Wellbeing and mobility: A new perspective
Ferdman, A. (2021).Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, 146, 44–55.
The connections between transportation and subjective well-being have received increasing attention in the transportation literature. Yet there are few studies on the relationship between objective well-being and transportation. Objective well-being is the achievement of a persons’ potential in knowledge, health, friendship, and other life domains, through the development of their embodied capacities to know, create and be sociable. The value of these achievements is objective, in the sense that it is not derived from a person’s attitudes or mental state. Thus, objective well-being adds an important dimension to the study of well-being and transportation, as it can explain why active, embodied mobility modes—such as walking and cycling—offer more opportunities for human capacity development, compared to sedentary modes such as driving and riding in a driverless car. Embodied mobility modes activate a well-rounded combination of human capacities thus contributing to better understanding of one’s environment, creative flow and sociability, in turn enhancing one’s overall well-being. This may add important information for transportation planners and urban designers in design and evaluation of mobility environments.
Physical activity and exercise in youth mental health promotion: A scoping review.
Pascoe, M., Bailey, A. P., Craike, M., Carter, T., Patten, R., Stepto, N., & Parker, A. (2020). BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine, 6(1), e000677.
This scoping review examined the breadth and outcomes of controlled trials testing the effect of physical activity and exercise interventions across all mental health outcomes for mental health promotion and indicated prevention studies in young people. The study concluded that that physical activity/exercise is a promising mental health promotion and early intervention strategy and warrants further investigation.
Singh, B., Olds, T., Curtis, R., Dumuid, D., Virgara, R., Watson, A., Szeto, K., O’Connor, E., Ferguson, T., Eglitis, E., Miatke, A., Simpson, C. E., & Maher, C. (2023). British Journal of Sports Medicine.
This Australian review aimed to synthesise the evidence on the effects of physical activity on symptoms of depression, anxiety and psychological distress in adult populations. It concluded that physical activity is highly beneficial for improving symptoms of depression, anxiety and distress across a wide range of adult populations, including the general population, people with diagnosed mental health disorders and people with chronic disease. Physical activity should be a mainstay approach in the management of depression, anxiety and psychological distress.
Griffiths, K., Davies, L., Savage, C., Shelling, M., Dalziel, P., Christy, E., & Thorby, R. (2023). International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 20(4), Article 4.
Internationally, there is rising interest in measuring the value of sport and physical activity to society. A critical step in valuing the sector is first establishing the relationship between engagement in sport and physical activity and the societal outcomes that ensue. This paper summarises the findings of a literature review carried out as part of a larger study on the Social Return on Investment (SROI) of recreational physical activity in Aotearoa New Zealand. The review aimed to synthesise existing evidence on the relationship between recreational physical activity and wellbeing outcomes for all New Zealanders, including tangata whenua (Māori, who are Aotearoa New Zealand’s Indigenous population). The findings are grouped into five outcome areas: physical health; subjective wellbeing; individual development; personal behaviour; and social and community development. The review found some compelling evidence which shows examples of the links between sport and physical activity and outcomes in each of these areas for specific population sub-groups. In particular, for Māori, the findings demonstrate a strong impact on social and community development through building social capital and enhancing cultural identity. However, in all outcome areas, there is mixed quality evidence, a small amount of evidence on which to base definitive conclusions, and limited evidence relating to the monetary value of outcomes.
Singh, B., Olds, T., Curtis, R., Dumuid, D., Virgara, R., Watson, A., Szeto, K., O’Connor, E., Ferguson, T., Eglitis, E., Miatke, A., Simpson, C. E., & Maher, C. (2023). British Journal of Sports Medicine.
The objective of this study was to synthesise the evidence on the effects of physical activity on symptoms of depression, anxiety and psychological distress in adult populations. This study concluded that physical activity is highly beneficial for improving symptoms of depression, anxiety and distress across a wide range of adult populations, including the general population, people with diagnosed mental health disorders and people with chronic disease. Physical activity should be a mainstay approach in the management of depression, anxiety and psychological distress.
Active NZ: Updating the participation landscape: The New Zealand Participation Survey 2021.
Sport New Zealand. (2022). Sport New Zealand.
This report focuses on participation in play, active recreation and sport among young people and adults in 2021.
Leisure-time physical activity is associated with better mental health among adolescents
University of Eastern Finland. (2023)
A recent study led by the University of Eastern Finland suggests that regular leisure-time physical activity, even in small doses, is associated with lower odds of depression, anxiety, chronic stress, and school psychologist visits among Finnish adolescents. However, the relationship between active school transport, i.e., walking or cycling to school, and mental health remains inconclusive. The findings were published in the Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports.
Differences in physical activity participation among young adults in Aotearoa New Zealand.
Wilson, O. W. A., Smith, M., Duncan, S., Hinckson, E., Mizdrak, A., & Richards, J. (2023). BMC Public Health, 23(1), 150.
The purpose of this study was to examine socio-demographic differences in physical activity (aerobic and muscle-strengthening) among young adults (18–24 years). The study concluded that intersections between socio-demographic characteristics should be considered when promoting physical activity among young adults in Aotearoa New Zealand, particularly young adults not employed/studying, and young women who live in deprived areas or identify as Asian or Pasifika. Tailored approaches according to activity type for each of these groups are required.
Faulkner, J., O’Brien, W. J., Stuart, B., St Faulkner, J., O’Brien, W. J., Stuart, B., Stoner, L., Batten, J., Wadsworth, D., Askew, C. D., Badenhorst, C. E., Byrd, E., Draper, N., Elliot, C., Fryer, S., Hamlin, M., Jakeman, J. R., Mackintosh, K. A., McNarry, M. A., Mitchelmore, A., Ryan‐Stewart, H., Saynor, Z., … Lambrick, D. (2022). Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health, 19(3), 1792.
The purpose of this study was to assess the association between PA, mental health, and wellbeing during and following the easing of COVID‐19 restrictions in the United Kingdom (UK) and New Zealand (NZ). In this study, 3363 adults completed online surveys within 2–6 weeks of initial COVID‐19 restrictions (April/May 2020) and once restrictions to human movement had been eased.
Mental health was better once COVID‐19 restrictions were eased (p < 0.001). NZ had better mental health and wellbeing than the UK (p < 0.001). Participation in moderate‐to‐high volumes of PA was associated with better mental health and wellbeing, both during and following periods of COVID‐19 containment, compared to participation in low volumes of PA. Where applicable, during the current or future pandemic(s), moderate‐to‐high volumes of PA should be encouraged.
Connect
World Health Organization. (2024). Social Isolation and Loneliness.
Social isolation and loneliness are increasingly being recognised as a priority public health problem and policy issue for older people. The WHO has set up a Commission on Social Connection (2024–2026) to address this issue.
OECD. (2021). All the lonely people: Education and loneliness.
Everyone feels lonely some of the time. However, chronic loneliness can impair learning, affect physical and mental health, and is even linked to early death. Loneliness is thus not only a personal matter; it is a public health concern. Schools provide spaces and opportunities for friendships. By bringing together students from different backgrounds, education can help forge connections across social groups, strengthen social skills and provide access to activities that are meaningful over a lifetime. It can also build skills needed to prevent or break the negative thought processes associated with chronic loneliness.
Having strong social networks, or a set of individuals a person is connected to, can make people more resilient to symptoms of anxiety and depression, particularly among young adults whose social lives and relationships were disrupted by COVID-19.
This UK web page brings together 10 years of work in loneliness and connection focus area and considers what’s next. Through their work, they discovered what matters most to people:
- feeling loved, respected and appreciated,
- belonging,
- positive connections,
- time alone,
- appreciation of difference
- being part of something bigger.
- friendship, support, and safety.
Helen Clark Foundation work on loneliness
Holly Walker at the Helen Clark Foundation looked at loneliness in NZ twice over the pandemic, and suggested the following elements (some of which relate to aspects of “connection”) be incorporated into a policy response:
- Help communities do their magic
- Create friendly streets and neighbourhoods
- Prioritise those already lonely
- Invest in frontline mental health services.
Easy summary
Reports:
Alone Together
Walker, H. (2020). The Helen Clark Foundation.
Still alone together
Walker, H. (2021). The Helen Clark Foundation.
Chernyshenko, O. S., Kankaraš, M., & Drasgow, F. (2018). OECD.
In an increasingly fast-changing, complex and diverse world, social and emotional skills are becoming ever more important. In this paper we present an overview of literature on social and emotional skills, describing the nature and structure of these skills, their development, malleability and factors that influence them, their cross-cultural comparability and their relevance for a wide range of educational, economic and life outcomes.
Kindness can have unexpectedly positive consequences.
Kumar, A. (2022). Scientific American.
People who engage in random acts of kindness may not fully recognize the impact of their behavior on others
Saeri, A. K., Cruwys, T., Barlow, F. K., Stronge, S., & Sibley, C. G. (2018). Social connectedness improves public mental health: Investigating bidirectional relationships in the New Zealand attitudes and values survey. Australian & New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 52(4), 365–374.
The importance of social connectedness in supporting public mental health is well established. However, the reverse causal pathway (that psychological ill-health leads to reduced social connectedness) remains a dominant perspective among mental health practitioners. Our analysis aimed to provide a rigorous test of the directionality of this relationship.
The study found that social connectedness was a stronger and more consistent predictor of mental health year-on-year than mental health was of social connectedness. It concluded that the results demonstrate how the psychological resources conferred by social connectedness can act as a ‘social cure’ for psychological ill-health, and provide the strongest evidence to date for the direction of this relationship in the general community.
Connections to people and place key to Māori wellbeing.
Kennedy-Perkins, A. (2020). Statistics New Zealand.
Figures from Te Kupenga 2018 on Māori connectedness to people and place.
Strengthening community connection and personal wellbeing through volunteering in New Zealand.
Vannier, C., Mulligan, H., Wilkinson, A., Elder, S., Malik, A., Morrish, D., Campbell, M., Kingham, S., & Epton, M. (2021). Health & Social Care in the Community, 29(6), 1971–1979.
Volunteering is a way for people to develop meaningful relationships within a social group and can lead to the building of social capital, from which both individuals and the wider group can benefit in the form of enhanced wellbeing. This study aimed to explore and describe the impact of volunteering on the volunteer coordinators and volunteers themselves in the eastern suburbs of Christchurch, New Zealand, an area particularly impacted by the devastating earthquakes in the period 2010/2011. The study demonstrates the importance of social connection for both individual and community well-being, emphasises the important role of ‘champions’ in facilitating the building of bridging and bonding relationships between individuals and communities, and suggests a role for healthcare professionals to prescribe volunteering as a way to improve individual health and well-being outcomes.
The measurement of social connectedness and its relationship to wellbeing.
Frieling, M., Krassoi, E., & Cording, J. (2018). Ministry of Social Development.
What is social connectedness and how does it affect our resilience and wellbeing? This research discusses why it’s so important.
Does the Quantity of Social Interactions Affect Happiness?
Markman, A. (2018, October). Psychology Today.
This post discusses the research by Mehle et al., 2010 and Milek et al., 2018. The author concludes that “spending time around other people is a benefit. Even ordinary interactions may reinforce your bond to other people, which can make you happier and more satisfied with your life.”
Does social connectedness promote a greater sense of well-being in adolescence over time?
Jose, P. E., Ryan, N., & Pryor, J. (2012). Journal of Research on Adolescence, 22(2), 235–251.
The results suggest that youth who reported higher levels of social connectedness at one point in time would subsequently report higher wellbeing (i.e., life satisfaction, confidence, positive affect, and aspirations).
Metzger, N., Myers, A., & Woodley, A. (2012). Lifewise.
Findings suggest that Know Your Neighbours has contributed to creating stronger, connected and more inclusive neighbourhoods in North Shore communities. This includes increased feelings of safety and community (93 per cent) and a reduction in reported burglaries. Local street and neighbourhood events have contributed to residents’ feelings of wellbeing.
Tay, L., Tan, K., Diener, E., & Gonzalez, E. (2013). Applied Psychology: Health and Well-Being, 5(1), 28–78.
This analysis revealed that social relations are beneficial for health behaviours such as chronic illness self-management and decreased suicidal tendency. The salutary effects of general measures of social relations (e.g. being validated, being cared for, etc.) on health behaviours are weaker, but specific measures of social relations targeting corresponding health behaviours are more predictive. There is growing evidence that social relations are predictive of mortality and cardiovascular disease, and social relations play an equally protective role against both the incidence and progression of cardiovascular disease. On the other hand, evidence was mixed for the association between social relations and cancer.
An active and socially integrated lifestyle in late life might protect against dementia
Fratiglioni, L., Paillard-Borg, S., & Winblad, B. (2004). The Lancet: Neurology, 3, (6), June: 343-353.
This review systematically analyses the published longitudinal studies exploring the effect of social network, physical leisure, and non-physical activity on cognition and dementia and then summarises from the current evidence that an active and socially integrated lifestyle in late life protects against dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.
The link between self-esteem and social relationships: A meta-analysis of longitudinal studies
Harris, M. A., & Orth, U. (2020). Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 119(6), 1459–1477.
The findings of this study suggest that the link between people’s social relationships and their level of self-esteem is truly reciprocal in all developmental stages across the life span, reflecting a positive feedback loop between the constructs.
Holt-Lunstad, J. (2018). Annual Review of Psychology, 69.
Social relationships are adaptive and crucial for survival. This review presents existing evidence indicating that our social connections to others have powerful influences on health and longevity and that lacking social connection qualifies as a risk factor for premature mortality.
Kelly, M. E., Duff, H., Kelly, S., McHugh Power, J. E., Brennan, S., Lawlor, B. A., & Loughrey, D. G. (2017). Systematic Reviews, 6:259.
The results of this review support prior conclusions that there is an association between social relationships and cognitive function but the exact nature of this association remains unclear. Implications of the findings are discussed and suggestions for future research provided.
Farmer, J., Savic, M., & De Cotta, T. (2023). Swinburne University of Technology Social Innovation Research Institute.
The Relationship between Social Cohesion and Urban Green Space: An Avenue for Health Promotion
Jennings, V., & Bamkole, O. (2019). International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 16(3).
Social cohesion involves the interpersonal dynamics and sense of connection among people. Increased social cohesion can be associated with various physical and psychological health benefits. The presence of urban green spaces can encourage positive social interactions that cultivate social cohesion in ways that enhance health and well-being. Urban green spaces have also been linked to positive health behaviors and outcomes including increased physical activity and social engagement. Understanding the relationship between social cohesion and urban green space is important for informing holistic approaches to health. In this article, we discuss how positive interactions in urban green space can catalyze social cohesion, social capital and critical health-promoting behaviors that may enhance psychological health and well-being. We also summarize the strengths and limitations of previous studies and suggest directions for future research.
Study Identifies Social Connection as the Strongest Protective Factor for Depression.
(2020, August). Neuroscience News.
Active social connection is the strongest protective factor for depression, a new study reports. Additionally, reducing sedentary activities such as watching TV or taking a nap can also help lower depression risk.
Social bonds are related to health behaviors and positive well-being globally.
Tunçgenç, B., van Mulukom, V., & Newson, M. (2023). Science Advances, 9(2), eadd3715.
At times of turmoil, such as during disasters, social crises, or pandemics, our social bonds can be key to receiving support and gaining certainty about the right course of action. This study examined how social bonds with close social circles (i.e., family and friends) and extended groups (i.e., country, government, and humanity) relate to engagement in health behaviors and psychological well-being. Results revealed that only family bonding was associated with self-reported engagement in health behaviors. Being strongly bonded with both close circles and extended groups predicted less anxiety and depression and better well-being, particularly for those who were bonded with more groups. These findings highlight that close and extended social bonds offer different sources of support and direction during the most challenging of circumstances and that continuous investment is needed to forge and maintain both. For a lay person’s view, see also https://medicalxpress.com/news/2023-01-strong-social-health-global.html
Social capital: What works to improve belonging, cohesion and support?
(2022, October 6). What Works Wellbeing.
The Centre for Thriving Places brought together what is known about improving neighbourhood belonging, social support and community cohesion.
Social connectedness as a determinant of mental health: A scoping review
Wickramaratne, P. J., Yangchen, T., Lepow, L., Patra, B. G., Glicksburg, B., Talati, A., Adekkanattu, P., Ryu, E., Biernacka, J. M., Charney, A., Mann, J. J., Pathak, J., Olfson, M., & Weissman, M. M. (2022). PLoS ONE, 17(10), e0275004.
Public health and epidemiologic research have established that social connectedness promotes overall health. Yet there have been no recent reviews of findings from research examining social connectedness as a determinant of mental health. The goal of this review was to evaluate recent longitudinal research probing the effects of social connectedness on depression and anxiety symptoms and diagnoses in the general population. The results, which were largely consistent across settings, exposure measures, and populations, support efforts to improve clinical detection of high-risk patients, including adults with low social support and elevated loneliness.
Keep Learning
Good for your soul? Adult learning and mental wellbeing.
Field, J. (2009). International Journal of Lifelong Education, 28(2), 175–191
This paper provides a background analysis of research into the relationship between adult learning and wellbeing. It notes that there is a general paucity of rigorous research that focuses specifically on this topic. Studies covered in the review include both those which examine the effects of adult learning upon factors that are directly relevant to wellbeing (such as self-efficacy, confidence, or the ability to create support networks), and those that address factors that are indirectly associated with wellbeing, such as earnings or employment. It argues that evidence from current research suggests that adult learning appears to have a positive, albeit qualified, effect on attitudes and behaviours that affect people’s mental wellbeing.
Happiness: Why learning, not rewards, may be the key.
Blain, B. & Rutledge, R. (2021, February). Medical Express.
A study suggests that learning is one of the keys to happiness.
Watson, D., Tregaskis, O., Gedikli, C., Vaughn, O., & Semkina, A. (2018). European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology, 27(2), 247–268.
Although there is an abundance of workplace learning interventions, few are evaluated from a wellbeing perspective despite the commonly held assumption that learning yields positive emotional and psychological outcomes. The evidence indicates an important gap in our evaluation of and design of workplace learning interventions and their impact on well-being, beyond those focusing on personal resources. This raises important theoretical and practical challenges concerning the relationship between learning and wellbeing in the context of professional capability enhancement, leadership capability and organizational learning.
Youth wellbeing: New Zealand research
Ka whakahuatau te rangatahi mō te Toiora / Youth wellbeing insights report.
Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission. (2023). MHWC.
The project found four common themes of barriers to wellbeing identified by young people relating to uncertain futures, racism and discrimination, social media and online harms, and challenges to whānau wellbeing and intergenerational connections.
Differences in physical activity participation among young adults in Aotearoa New Zealand.
Wilson, O. W. A., Smith, M., Duncan, S., Hinckson, E., Mizdrak, A., & Richards, J. (2023). BMC Public Health, 23(1), 150.
The purpose of this study was to examine socio-demographic differences in physical activity (aerobic and muscle-strengthening) among young adults (18–24 years). The study concluded that intersections between socio-demographic characteristics should be considered when promoting physical activity among young adults in Aotearoa New Zealand, particularly young adults not employed/studying, and young women who live in deprived areas or identify as Asian or Pasifika. Tailored approaches according to activity type for each of these groups are required.
Youth19 rangatahi smart survey: Initial findings: Hauora hinengaro / emotional and mental health.
Fleming, T., Tiatia-Seath, J., Peiris-John, R., Sutcliffe, K., Archer, D., Bavin, L., Crengle, S., & Clark, T. (2021). The Youth19 Research Group, The University of Auckland and Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand.
This report highlights the emotional and mental health findings from the Youth19 Rangatahi Smart Survey (Youth19) and highlights ways to support mental wellbeing for young people.
Fleming, T., Ball, J., Bavin, L., Rivera-Rodriguez, C., Peiris-John, R., Crengle, S., Sutcliffe, K., Lewycka, S., Archer, D., & Clark, T. C. (2022). Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand, 1–24.
This study shows that health status and risks among New Zealand adolescents have changed dramatically over 20 years, with areas of large improvement. However, mental wellbeing requires urgent attention.
Wylie, C., & MacDonald, J. (2020). New Zealand Council for Educational Research.
Every 3 years NZCER surveys principals, teachers, trustees, and parents at a random sample of English-medium primary schools to provide a national picture of what is happening in teaching and learning. This allows comparisons and tracking of how things change over time. Chapter 2 of this report is: ’Student wellbeing and positive behaviour—Findings from the NZCER 2019 National survey of English-medium primary schools.pdf’. Most schools have an active focus on wellbeing.
Saunders, V., McCalman, J., Tsey, S., Askew, D., Campbell, S., Jongen, C., Angelo, C., Spurling, G., & Cadet-James, Y. (2023). BMC Primary Care, 24(1), 51.
Primary healthcare services have principal responsibility for providing child and youth wellbeing and mental health services, but have lacked appropriate measurement instruments to assess the wellbeing of Indigenous children and youth or to evaluate the effectiveness of programs and services designed to meet their needs. This review assesses the availability and characteristics of measurement instruments that have been applied in primary healthcare services in Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the United States (CANZUS countries) to assess the wellbeing of Indigenous children and youth.
Myftari, E. (2015). [Unpublished thesis, University of Otago].
Telling a coherent, elaborate, and meaningful life story is a vital part of adolescent narrative identity development and of psychological wellbeing. This research investigated the development of three levels of personality (narrative identity, dispositional traits and characteristic adaptations) for Māori adolescents in Aotearoa New Zealand. A finding is that connection to wider whānau is crucial for Māori wellbeing.
‘Making ourselves visible’: The experiences of takatāpui and rainbow rangatahi in care.
Clunie, M., Fenaughty, J., Haunui, K., Hamilton, T., Lockie, A., Mackie, K., Metzger, N., Radford-Poupard, J., Sade-Inia, J., Shippam, M., & Wi-Hongi, A. (2023). Point and Associates.
The Oranga Tamariki Voices of Children and Young People team commissioned Point and Associates (Point) as project navigators to facilitate a community-designed participatory project to give visibility to the lived experiences of diverse takatāpui and rainbow rangatahi in care. This project centres on what takatāpui and rainbow care-experienced rangatahi want Oranga Tamariki to know about them and their experiences of care. This is important for raising awareness about the aspirations and needs of diverse takatāpui and rainbow rangatahi and to provide Oranga Tamariki with insights from those who are care experienced. (From the Executive summary). Nine rangatahi shared their experiences of being takatāpui and rainbow in care. They were a diverse group of rangatahi aged between 14 and 23 years old and were currently or recently in the custody of the Chief Executive under a Care or Protection or Youth Justice order.
2022 State of child health in Aotearoa New Zealand.
Cure Kids. (2023).
Mental health concerns - Hospitalisations for young people with serious mental health concerns have doubled over the past two decades. Almost a quarter of young people report serious psychological distress — a five-fold increase over the past decade.
Youth health and wellbeing survey—What-About-Me?
Ministry of Social Development. (2022). Ministry of Social Development.
This report is an overview of the results from young people surveyed in school settings. The survey findings identified areas of strength, resilience and challenges for young people in Aotearoa New Zealand: Most young people feel loved and connected. Many young people have a strong sense of identity Most young people have a stable home base Young people aspire to achieve and contribute Some young people were more likely to have experienced discrimination Young women were less positive than young men about many aspects of their lives Mental wellbeing overall for young people appears to be deteriorating Young people at lower decile schools were more likely to worry about their whānau not being able to pay for essentials.
Stubbing, D. J., Simon-Kumar, N., & Gluckman, S. P. (2023). Koi Tū: The Centre for Informed Futures, University of Auckland.
Across the evidence that is available from work with youth in Aotearoa a few key issues emerge consistently. These issues, and their relation to youth wellbeing, are summarised here in four key themes: Bleak Futures – young people’s concerns about the future in relation to COVID-19, climate change, social pressure and economic insecurity; Social Media – the role of social media, digital technologies and cyber safety; Racism and Discrimination – the impact of discrimination based on ethnicity, gender and sexuality; and Intergenerational Connectedness – the value of cultural and whānau connections.
Going forward, much is missing from our understanding of the determinants of youth wellbeing; there are many biological, developmental and sociological considerations that cannot be captured through these voices. It is essential to expand our knowledge base with high quality research to ensure we are capturing and responding to the full complex interplay of wellbeing determinants for young people in Aotearoa. The report presents six actions to take.
Toi Āria: Design for Public Good, Massey University (Ed.). (2023). Te Rourou, One Aotearoa Foundation.
This research report channels the voices of over 140 students throughout Murihiku Southland on what it will take for youth mental health and wellbeing to thrive. Four main themes emerging from the voices of Southland’s young people include needing a larger diversity of people in leadership roles, needing safe spaces, more exposure to new ideas and opportunities, and to be heard and empowered in their communities. (From the website).
Hobbs, M., Bowden, N., Marek, L., Wiki, J., Kokaua, J., Theodore, R., Ruhe, T., Boden, T., Thabrew, H., Hetrick, S., & Milne, S. (2023). Social Science & Medicine, 326, 115893.
Mental health conditions often arise during adolescence and may be related to the type of environment in which young people reside. The study utilisesd a large national sample of almost one million young people to confirm the importance of environmental determinants for mental health. It is possible that leverage points for improving the mental health of young people, and reducing the burden to the health system of mental health, can be sought in upstream environmental based interventions. See also RNZ interview at https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/ninetonoon/audio/2018888852/links-between-youth-mental-health-and-environment
Evidence brief: Mental health and wellbeing needs of children and young people.
Aikman, P. J., & Collinson, Z. (2023). Oranga Tamariki, Ministry for Children.
This evidence brief details what is known about the best practice responses to meeting the mental health and wellbeing needs of children and young people who are in care and protection or youth justice systems. (From the website).
Improving health & wellbeing websites: Views of rangatahi Māori: A Youth19 brief.
King-Finau, T., Dewhirst, M., & Fleming, T. (2022). Youth19 and The Adolescent Health Research Group.
This factsheet presents findings about the perspectives of rangatahi Māori on improving health and wellbeing websites. Note, there are also briefs for Asian and Pasifika young people.
Sutcliffe, K., Ball, J., Clark, T. C., Archer, D., Peiris-John, R., Crengle, S., & Fleming, T. (Theresa). (2023). Australian & New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 57(2), 264–282.
The purpose of this study was to investigate prevalence and trends in key mental health and well-being indicators among New Zealand secondary school students. The study found that dolescent mental health needs are high in New Zealand and have increased sharply from 2012 among all demographic groups, especially females, Māori, Pacific and Asian students and those from high-deprivation neighbourhoods. Ethnic and socioeconomic disparities have widened.
Paine, S.-J., Neumann, D., Langridge, F., Peters, A., & Kingi, T. K. (2022). Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand, 0(0), 1–11.
Growing Up in New Zealand (GUiNZ) is the largest contemporary longitudinal study of child development in Aotearoa New Zealand. The aim of the study was to recruit a large, socioeconomically and ethnically diverse cohort of children, with successful recruitment of 1246 pregnant Māori women. This paper describes the development and operationalisation of the GUiNZ Kaitiaki principles which provide a framework for ensuring that Māori rights and aspirations for research and policy development are upheld as part of the study. We also consider how the Kaitiaki principles might inform the next phase of GUiNZ, particularly with respect to the potential guardianship role that rangatahi (young people) should have as their contribution to the study expands. Finally, this commentary seeks to highlight the significant opportunities that Māori values and philosophies bring to longitudinal research in Aotearoa including through strengthening our connections with whānau and Maori communities.
Clark, T. C., Ball, J., Fenaughty, J., Drayton, B., Fleming, T. T., Rivera-Rodriguez, C., Le Grice, J., Peiris-John, R., Bavin, L.-M., Schwencke, A., Sutcliffe, K., Lewycka, S., Lucassen, M., Waa, A., Greaves, L. M., & Crengle, S. (2022). The Lancet Regional Health. Western Pacific, 28, 100554.
Background: Rangatahi Māori, the Indigenous adolescents of Aotearoa New Zealand (NZ), have poorer health outcomes than Pākehā (NZ European /other European/"White") adolescents. We explored the influence of policies for Indigenous youth by presenting health trends, inequities and contrasting policy case examples: tobacco control and healthcare access. The study found that age-appropriate Indigenous strategies are required to improve health outcomes and reduce inequities for rangatahi Māori. Characteristics of effective strategies include: (1) evidence-based, sustained, and comprehensive approaches including both universal levers and Indigenous youth-specific policies; (2) Indigenous and rangatahi leadership; (3) the political will to address Indigenous youth rights, preferences, priorities; and (4) a commitment to an anti-racist praxis and healthcare Indigenisation.
Education Review Office. (2023). ERO.
ERO looked at how education is meeting the needs of learners from ethnic communities and how schools can embrace increasing ethnic diversity. In this guide we share findings from our research, as well some practical things that school leaders and teachers can do to support better inclusion of learners from ethnic communities. Selected finding include: Learners from ethnic communities experience widespread racist bullying, which too often is not taken seriously by their school. Learners from ethnic communities often do not feel they belong. Many learners from ethnic communities go on to tertiary study, but pathways are confusing, and, for some, choices are unfairly constrained by teachers’ biases.
What would help young people who feel down? Voices of young people: A Youth19 brief.
Sutcliffe, K., Ball, J., & Fleming, T. (2023). The Youth19 Research Group, The University of Auckland and Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand.
In this brief, we summarise the themes in students’ open-text responses to the question: “What is one thing that would make things better for young people who have a hard time or feel bad?“