Masters Research Projects

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https://hdl.handle.net/10292/9823
The Masters Research Projects collection contains digital copies of AUT masters research projects deposited with the Library since 2016 and made available on open access.

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Browsing Masters Research Projects by Author "Donkin, Liesje"

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    Client Experiences of Videocall Therapy During Covid-19 Restrictions in Aotearoa New Zealand
    (Auckland University of Technology, 2022) Jones, Amelia; Van Kessel, Kirsten; Donkin, Liesje
    Intermittent restrictions on personal movement were introduced in Aotearoa New Zealand from March 2020, in response to the COVID-19 global pandemic. Phone or online delivery of psychotherapy, psychology and counselling services (telepsychology) became the norm, often facilitated by videocall technology. Whilst there is literature exploring therapists' experiences of videocall therapy, there are relatively few international studies on clients’ experiences. This research aims to describe six clients’ experience of videocall therapy during COVID-19 restrictions in Aotearoa New Zealand. Recruited via social media advertisements, participants shared their experiences in semi-structured interviews. Reflexive thematic analysis of the interviews identified that videocall therapy is commonly thought of as a conceptual ‘space’ defined by safety and containment. It is created by manipulating a client’s external environment, as well as practices from therapists and clients that acknowledge that videocall therapy is a fundamentally different experience to in-person therapy. Findings from the analysis contribute to the knowledge base in this area, suggesting that perceptions of therapeutic efficacy in videocall therapy may be influenced by practices before, during, and after therapy sessions. Though limited by a small sample size, these findings are the first in Aotearoa New Zealand to describe client experiences of videocalltherapy during the period in which COVID-19 restricted therapy in-person.
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    Psychologists’ Experience and Management of Zoom Fatigue
    (Auckland University of Technology, 2022) Cornthwaite, Kelsey; Donkin, Liesje; van Kessel, Kirsten
    The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in drastic changes to daily routines for psychologists. Driven by the need for remote and flexible ways of providing clinical services while keeping in line with stay-at-home orders, the pandemic has resulted in a rise in the use of videoconferencing tools for online therapy. The increasing use of videoconferencing has raised concerns around reports of feeling tired and exhausted following virtual meetings, termed "Zoom fatigue”. The use of videoconferences in therapy is likely to continue beyond the pandemic, yet limited literature has examined the experiences of Zoom fatigue from psychologists’ perspectives. Understanding how Zoom fatigue may be experienced and managed can provide strategies for more appropriate use of videoconferences and allow for more effective and productive working environments. The current study utilises a qualitative descriptive approach to explore psychologists’ experiences and management of Zoom fatigue. Reflexive thematic analysis of six semi-structured interviews with New Zealand registered psychologists revealed themes that the experience of Zoom fatigue is related to mental, emotional and physical fatigue. Zoom fatigue may also be understood in relation to experiences of technical challenges, stressors of working from home, and difficulties cultivating a therapeutic relationship with clients. The findings of this study suggest that despite the reported challenges of Zoom fatigue, there are effective methods to mitigate the experiences of Zoom fatigue where future uses of videoconferences in therapy can be successfully implemented if it is applied appropriately.
Research projects are protected by the Copyright Act 1994 (New Zealand). The research projects may be consulted by you, provided you comply with the provisions of the Act and the following conditions of use:
  • Any use you make of these documents or images must be for research or private study purposes only, and you may not make them available to any other person.
  • Authors control the copyright of their research projects. You will recognise the author’s right to be identified as the author of the research project, and due acknowledgement will be made to the author where appropriate.
  • You will obtain the author’s permission before publishing any material from the research project.