Christine Stephens - Academia.edu (original) (raw)
Papers by Christine Stephens
Http Dx Doi Org 10 1080 0309877x 2014 895305, 2014
ABSTRACT Research into both student engagement and student emotions is increasing with widespread... more ABSTRACT Research into both student engagement and student emotions is increasing with widespread agreement that both are critical determinants of student success in higher education. Less researched are the complex, reciprocal relationships between these important influences. Two theoretical frameworks inform this paper: Pekrun’s (2011) taxonomy of academic emotions and Kahu’s (2013) conceptual framework of student engagement. The prospective qualitative design aims to allow a rich understanding of the fluctuating and diverse emotions that students experience during the transition to university and to explore the relationships between academic emotions and student engagement. The study follows 19 mature-aged (aged 24 and over) distance students throughout their first semester at university using video diaries to collect data on their emotional experiences and their engagement with their study. Pre- and post-semester interviews were also conducted. Findings highlight that different emotions have different links to engagement: as important elements in emotional engagement, as inhibitors of engagement, and as outcomes that reciprocally influence engagement. Two key conclusions can be drawn. Firstly, student emotions are the point of intersection between the university factors such as course design, and student variables such as motivation and background. Secondly, the flow of influence between emotions, engagement, and learning is reciprocal and complex and can spiral upwards towards ideal engagement or downwards towards disengagement and withdrawal.
Gaceta Optica Organo Oficial Del Colegio Nacional De Opticos Optometristas De Espana, 2010
OBJETIVO: Este estudio analizó la validez de la hipótesis de que en una muestra amplia de neocela... more OBJETIVO: Este estudio analizó la validez de la hipótesis de que en una muestra amplia de neocelandeses de entre 55 y 70 años que refieren haber sido diagnosticados de un problema visual tendrán, en promedio, una edad notablemente superior, serán en mayor ...
Http Dx Doi Org 10 1080 10439460600811901, Aug 20, 2006
... and physical health are of increasing concern to many police organizations (Gersons, 1989; Ma... more ... and physical health are of increasing concern to many police organizations (Gersons, 1989; Mann & Neece, 1990; Miller & ... of responses to volatile situations by describing his feelings as ''apprehensive'' rather than ''afraid'', as does Kevin. ... 248 K. Frewin, C. Stephens & K. Tuffin ...
Http Dx Doi Org 10 1080 10615809908250477, May 29, 2007
Abstract It has been consistently demonstrated that social support affects psychological outcomes... more Abstract It has been consistently demonstrated that social support affects psychological outcomes following the experience of trauma. Information processing theories of traumatic stress and empirical evidence suggest a model of social support and Posttraumatic Stress ...
Australasian Journal of Disaster and Trauma Studies, 2001
Abstract 1. The present study investigated the number of traumatic events experienced by 187 poli... more Abstract 1. The present study investigated the number of traumatic events experienced by 187 police recruits and 177 serving police. The 2 groups were administered the Traumatic Stress Schedule (FH Norris, 1990) and the frequency of 10 categories of trauma were ...
Housing Studies, 2015
Breheny, M., Severinsen, C.A & Stephens, C. (2015, April). Ageing in unsuitable places. P... more Breheny, M., Severinsen, C.A & Stephens, C. (2015, April). Ageing in unsuitable places. Paper presented at the IAGG Conference, Dublin, Ireland.
Australasian journal on ageing, 2015
To investigate relationships between caregiving and subjective sleep reports among older New Zeal... more To investigate relationships between caregiving and subjective sleep reports among older New Zealanders. Participants were 434 carers (177 home-based) and 1747 non-carers (aged 55-72 years) who completed the 2008 Health Work and Retirement survey. Sleep outcomes (feeling worn out, tired, or dissatisfied with sleep or having a diagnosed sleep disorder) were explored by caregiving status. Logistic regression was used to investigate caregiving as an independent predictor of poor sleep health after controlling for other demographic variables. Home-based carers were more likely to report feeling tired some/all of the time than non-carers (odds ratio 1.6, 95% confidence interval 1.1-2.2). Being Māori, a woman, younger or more socioeconomically deprived (New Zealand Deprivation Index 2006) were also significant independent predictors of poor sleep outcomes. Carers are at increased risk of feeling tired in the daytime. Early recognition and management of underlying sleep problems are partic...
Higher Education Research and Development
Journal of visual impairment & blindness
The timing of the 2010 and 2012 surveys conducted by the New Zealand Longitudinal Study of Aging ... more The timing of the 2010 and 2012 surveys conducted by the New Zealand Longitudinal Study of Aging provides a clear “before and after” dimension to the exploration of the impacts of the Canterbury earthquakes, on the study population of older people. Our data shows some effects (after controlling for baseline differences) on measures of living standards, as well as on physical and mental health, according to location, and degrees of recorded direct and indirect exposure to the Canterbury earthquakes. In particular, the aspects of control and self-realisation within the quality of life measure show different trends based on location and exposure to earthquake effects. Other psychosocial measures of loneliness and depression also show regional differences. These differences are not unidirectional or consistently negative, to the extent that some exposure suggests positive outcomes on some measures. The relevance and value of these findings in terms of policy will be further enhanced by ...
Disparities in socioeconomic status and how such disparities affect the health of older people is... more Disparities in socioeconomic status and how such disparities affect the health of older people is an important issue for policy makers in the context of population ageing. As older people live in different types of economic circumstances to those who are working, and because, as people age, their desires and needs are qualitatively different to those of younger generations, there is a need for measures of economic living standards which are appropriate for older people. This paper reports on the development and validation of a measure of living standards for older people based on Sen’s Capability Approach. Using this approach, living standards are conceptualised as varying from constraint to freedom rather than from hardship to comfort. The measure was included in the NZLSA survey of 3,923 New Zealanders aged 50-87 years to test convergent and discriminant validity and to compare the measure with an existing measure of living standards. The pattern of associations with measures of e...
Stress and health : journal of the International Society for the Investigation of Stress, 2014
Psychological resilience has been defined as the ability of an individual to recover from a traum... more Psychological resilience has been defined as the ability of an individual to recover from a traumatic event or to remain psychologically robust when faced with an adverse event. This study investigated a sample of 176 police officers who were surveyed at commencement of their training in 1998/1999 (Time 1), 12 months later (Time 2), and at the end of 2009 (Time 3). A multidimensional model of psychological resilience (including environment, thoughts, feelings, behaviours, and physical activities) was evaluated in terms of the pathogenic outcomes of posttraumatic stress, psychological distress, and physical health at the three time points. A three part model of psychological resilience (environment, physical behaviours, and cognitions) was used to demonstrate that social support, adaptive health practices, adaptive coping, and optimism were effective when police officers were faced with adversity. The model provides initial understandings of the multidimensional nature of psychologic...
Nursing praxis in New Zealand inc, 1999
Nurses who work in high-risk areas, such as emergency wards, are susceptible to traumatic stress.... more Nurses who work in high-risk areas, such as emergency wards, are susceptible to traumatic stress. The present study is an exploratory one, which attempts to describe and interpret some event characteristics of traumatic incidents identified by nurses. Nine nurses from the Accident and Emergency wards of two New Zealand hospitals were interviewed using the repertory grid technique. Qualitative analysis was used to compare event characteristics across participants and four underlying themes were identified: personal issues, contextual issues, control issues, or organisational issues. Comparison of these results with previous work with high stress occupations suggests that although event characteristics from all groups can be broadly grouped under four themes, there are some distinct differences in the traumatic impact of some event characteristics for nurses. The results have implications in the development of measures of traumatic stress for nurses and have immediate implications for...
ABSTRACT This study examines the relationships between illness perceptions and illness-related di... more ABSTRACT This study examines the relationships between illness perceptions and illness-related distress among adults with type 2 diabetes. Research participants (N = 615) were randomly selected from a primary care database in New Zealand. Data were collected through a mailed questionnaire survey and review of medical records. The primary outcome was diabetes-related psychological distress measured using the Problem Areas in Diabetes (PAID) scale. Multiple regression analyses controlling for age, clinical characteristics, and mental health showed that illness perceptions accounted for 15% of differences in distress about diabetes (F change (4,462) = 35.37, p < .001). Poor mental health and illness severity alone do not explain differences in diabetes-related emotional adjustment. Results suggest that ‘making sense’ of diabetes may be central to successfully managing the emotional consequences of diabetes.
Journal of Further and Higher Education, 2014
ABSTRACT Research into both student engagement and student emotions is increasing with widespread... more ABSTRACT Research into both student engagement and student emotions is increasing with widespread agreement that both are critical determinants of student success in higher education. Less researched are the complex, reciprocal relationships between these important influences. Two theoretical frameworks inform this paper: Pekrun’s (2011) taxonomy of academic emotions and Kahu’s (2013) conceptual framework of student engagement. The prospective qualitative design aims to allow a rich understanding of the fluctuating and diverse emotions that students experience during the transition to university and to explore the relationships between academic emotions and student engagement. The study follows 19 mature-aged (aged 24 and over) distance students throughout their first semester at university using video diaries to collect data on their emotional experiences and their engagement with their study. Pre- and post-semester interviews were also conducted. Findings highlight that different emotions have different links to engagement: as important elements in emotional engagement, as inhibitors of engagement, and as outcomes that reciprocally influence engagement. Two key conclusions can be drawn. Firstly, student emotions are the point of intersection between the university factors such as course design, and student variables such as motivation and background. Secondly, the flow of influence between emotions, engagement, and learning is reciprocal and complex and can spiral upwards towards ideal engagement or downwards towards disengagement and withdrawal.
Social Indicators Research, 2013
Abstract Living standards are an effective way to assess socioeconomic status in relation to heal... more Abstract Living standards are an effective way to assess socioeconomic status in relation to health but controversy remains about their assessment, particularly for older people. Sen&#x27;s capability framework shifts attention from material conditions to opportunities for choice enabled by material resources. To develop this promising approach, this paper reports on the development of a measure of living standards for older people based on Sen&#x27;s capability framework. Six living standards domains were established from thematic analysis of 143 ...
Http Dx Doi Org 10 1080 0309877x 2014 895305, 2014
ABSTRACT Research into both student engagement and student emotions is increasing with widespread... more ABSTRACT Research into both student engagement and student emotions is increasing with widespread agreement that both are critical determinants of student success in higher education. Less researched are the complex, reciprocal relationships between these important influences. Two theoretical frameworks inform this paper: Pekrun’s (2011) taxonomy of academic emotions and Kahu’s (2013) conceptual framework of student engagement. The prospective qualitative design aims to allow a rich understanding of the fluctuating and diverse emotions that students experience during the transition to university and to explore the relationships between academic emotions and student engagement. The study follows 19 mature-aged (aged 24 and over) distance students throughout their first semester at university using video diaries to collect data on their emotional experiences and their engagement with their study. Pre- and post-semester interviews were also conducted. Findings highlight that different emotions have different links to engagement: as important elements in emotional engagement, as inhibitors of engagement, and as outcomes that reciprocally influence engagement. Two key conclusions can be drawn. Firstly, student emotions are the point of intersection between the university factors such as course design, and student variables such as motivation and background. Secondly, the flow of influence between emotions, engagement, and learning is reciprocal and complex and can spiral upwards towards ideal engagement or downwards towards disengagement and withdrawal.
Gaceta Optica Organo Oficial Del Colegio Nacional De Opticos Optometristas De Espana, 2010
OBJETIVO: Este estudio analizó la validez de la hipótesis de que en una muestra amplia de neocela... more OBJETIVO: Este estudio analizó la validez de la hipótesis de que en una muestra amplia de neocelandeses de entre 55 y 70 años que refieren haber sido diagnosticados de un problema visual tendrán, en promedio, una edad notablemente superior, serán en mayor ...
Http Dx Doi Org 10 1080 10439460600811901, Aug 20, 2006
... and physical health are of increasing concern to many police organizations (Gersons, 1989; Ma... more ... and physical health are of increasing concern to many police organizations (Gersons, 1989; Mann &amp;amp; Neece, 1990; Miller &amp;amp; ... of responses to volatile situations by describing his feelings as &amp;#x27;&amp;#x27;apprehensive&amp;#x27;&amp;#x27; rather than &amp;#x27;&amp;#x27;afraid&amp;#x27;&amp;#x27;, as does Kevin. ... 248 K. Frewin, C. Stephens &amp;amp; K. Tuffin ...
Http Dx Doi Org 10 1080 10615809908250477, May 29, 2007
Abstract It has been consistently demonstrated that social support affects psychological outcomes... more Abstract It has been consistently demonstrated that social support affects psychological outcomes following the experience of trauma. Information processing theories of traumatic stress and empirical evidence suggest a model of social support and Posttraumatic Stress ...
Australasian Journal of Disaster and Trauma Studies, 2001
Abstract 1. The present study investigated the number of traumatic events experienced by 187 poli... more Abstract 1. The present study investigated the number of traumatic events experienced by 187 police recruits and 177 serving police. The 2 groups were administered the Traumatic Stress Schedule (FH Norris, 1990) and the frequency of 10 categories of trauma were ...
Housing Studies, 2015
Breheny, M., Severinsen, C.A & Stephens, C. (2015, April). Ageing in unsuitable places. P... more Breheny, M., Severinsen, C.A & Stephens, C. (2015, April). Ageing in unsuitable places. Paper presented at the IAGG Conference, Dublin, Ireland.
Australasian journal on ageing, 2015
To investigate relationships between caregiving and subjective sleep reports among older New Zeal... more To investigate relationships between caregiving and subjective sleep reports among older New Zealanders. Participants were 434 carers (177 home-based) and 1747 non-carers (aged 55-72 years) who completed the 2008 Health Work and Retirement survey. Sleep outcomes (feeling worn out, tired, or dissatisfied with sleep or having a diagnosed sleep disorder) were explored by caregiving status. Logistic regression was used to investigate caregiving as an independent predictor of poor sleep health after controlling for other demographic variables. Home-based carers were more likely to report feeling tired some/all of the time than non-carers (odds ratio 1.6, 95% confidence interval 1.1-2.2). Being Māori, a woman, younger or more socioeconomically deprived (New Zealand Deprivation Index 2006) were also significant independent predictors of poor sleep outcomes. Carers are at increased risk of feeling tired in the daytime. Early recognition and management of underlying sleep problems are partic...
Higher Education Research and Development
Journal of visual impairment & blindness
The timing of the 2010 and 2012 surveys conducted by the New Zealand Longitudinal Study of Aging ... more The timing of the 2010 and 2012 surveys conducted by the New Zealand Longitudinal Study of Aging provides a clear “before and after” dimension to the exploration of the impacts of the Canterbury earthquakes, on the study population of older people. Our data shows some effects (after controlling for baseline differences) on measures of living standards, as well as on physical and mental health, according to location, and degrees of recorded direct and indirect exposure to the Canterbury earthquakes. In particular, the aspects of control and self-realisation within the quality of life measure show different trends based on location and exposure to earthquake effects. Other psychosocial measures of loneliness and depression also show regional differences. These differences are not unidirectional or consistently negative, to the extent that some exposure suggests positive outcomes on some measures. The relevance and value of these findings in terms of policy will be further enhanced by ...
Disparities in socioeconomic status and how such disparities affect the health of older people is... more Disparities in socioeconomic status and how such disparities affect the health of older people is an important issue for policy makers in the context of population ageing. As older people live in different types of economic circumstances to those who are working, and because, as people age, their desires and needs are qualitatively different to those of younger generations, there is a need for measures of economic living standards which are appropriate for older people. This paper reports on the development and validation of a measure of living standards for older people based on Sen’s Capability Approach. Using this approach, living standards are conceptualised as varying from constraint to freedom rather than from hardship to comfort. The measure was included in the NZLSA survey of 3,923 New Zealanders aged 50-87 years to test convergent and discriminant validity and to compare the measure with an existing measure of living standards. The pattern of associations with measures of e...
Stress and health : journal of the International Society for the Investigation of Stress, 2014
Psychological resilience has been defined as the ability of an individual to recover from a traum... more Psychological resilience has been defined as the ability of an individual to recover from a traumatic event or to remain psychologically robust when faced with an adverse event. This study investigated a sample of 176 police officers who were surveyed at commencement of their training in 1998/1999 (Time 1), 12 months later (Time 2), and at the end of 2009 (Time 3). A multidimensional model of psychological resilience (including environment, thoughts, feelings, behaviours, and physical activities) was evaluated in terms of the pathogenic outcomes of posttraumatic stress, psychological distress, and physical health at the three time points. A three part model of psychological resilience (environment, physical behaviours, and cognitions) was used to demonstrate that social support, adaptive health practices, adaptive coping, and optimism were effective when police officers were faced with adversity. The model provides initial understandings of the multidimensional nature of psychologic...
Nursing praxis in New Zealand inc, 1999
Nurses who work in high-risk areas, such as emergency wards, are susceptible to traumatic stress.... more Nurses who work in high-risk areas, such as emergency wards, are susceptible to traumatic stress. The present study is an exploratory one, which attempts to describe and interpret some event characteristics of traumatic incidents identified by nurses. Nine nurses from the Accident and Emergency wards of two New Zealand hospitals were interviewed using the repertory grid technique. Qualitative analysis was used to compare event characteristics across participants and four underlying themes were identified: personal issues, contextual issues, control issues, or organisational issues. Comparison of these results with previous work with high stress occupations suggests that although event characteristics from all groups can be broadly grouped under four themes, there are some distinct differences in the traumatic impact of some event characteristics for nurses. The results have implications in the development of measures of traumatic stress for nurses and have immediate implications for...
ABSTRACT This study examines the relationships between illness perceptions and illness-related di... more ABSTRACT This study examines the relationships between illness perceptions and illness-related distress among adults with type 2 diabetes. Research participants (N = 615) were randomly selected from a primary care database in New Zealand. Data were collected through a mailed questionnaire survey and review of medical records. The primary outcome was diabetes-related psychological distress measured using the Problem Areas in Diabetes (PAID) scale. Multiple regression analyses controlling for age, clinical characteristics, and mental health showed that illness perceptions accounted for 15% of differences in distress about diabetes (F change (4,462) = 35.37, p < .001). Poor mental health and illness severity alone do not explain differences in diabetes-related emotional adjustment. Results suggest that ‘making sense’ of diabetes may be central to successfully managing the emotional consequences of diabetes.
Journal of Further and Higher Education, 2014
ABSTRACT Research into both student engagement and student emotions is increasing with widespread... more ABSTRACT Research into both student engagement and student emotions is increasing with widespread agreement that both are critical determinants of student success in higher education. Less researched are the complex, reciprocal relationships between these important influences. Two theoretical frameworks inform this paper: Pekrun’s (2011) taxonomy of academic emotions and Kahu’s (2013) conceptual framework of student engagement. The prospective qualitative design aims to allow a rich understanding of the fluctuating and diverse emotions that students experience during the transition to university and to explore the relationships between academic emotions and student engagement. The study follows 19 mature-aged (aged 24 and over) distance students throughout their first semester at university using video diaries to collect data on their emotional experiences and their engagement with their study. Pre- and post-semester interviews were also conducted. Findings highlight that different emotions have different links to engagement: as important elements in emotional engagement, as inhibitors of engagement, and as outcomes that reciprocally influence engagement. Two key conclusions can be drawn. Firstly, student emotions are the point of intersection between the university factors such as course design, and student variables such as motivation and background. Secondly, the flow of influence between emotions, engagement, and learning is reciprocal and complex and can spiral upwards towards ideal engagement or downwards towards disengagement and withdrawal.
Social Indicators Research, 2013
Abstract Living standards are an effective way to assess socioeconomic status in relation to heal... more Abstract Living standards are an effective way to assess socioeconomic status in relation to health but controversy remains about their assessment, particularly for older people. Sen&#x27;s capability framework shifts attention from material conditions to opportunities for choice enabled by material resources. To develop this promising approach, this paper reports on the development of a measure of living standards for older people based on Sen&#x27;s capability framework. Six living standards domains were established from thematic analysis of 143 ...