Perpetrators’ perspectives on family violence: What happens, and why, during a family violence event?

Family violence (FV) is a significant social issue in many countries around the world, and New Zealand is no exception. In recent years, significant advances have been made in the development of FV theories and in our empirical understanding of risk factors implicated in these theories. However, from both a theoretical and empirical standpoint, we continue to have a limited understanding of what happens, and why it happens, during a FV event (FVE). The current research developed and tested a descriptive theoretical model of a FVE from the perpetrator’s perspective. Event narratives were gathered from 14 men and 13 women completing community-based FV perpetrator treatment programmes. All narratives were gathered during individual semi-structured interviews and were systematically analysed using grounded theory methods (Strauss & Corbin, 1990). The resulting event process model of FV (FVEPM) contains four sections arranged temporally from the most distal to the most proximal factors in relation to the FVE described: Background factors (Section 1), Event build-up (Section 2), Event (Section 3), and Post-event (Section 4; Chapter 5). The FVEPM provides a descriptive temporal outline of a FVE, including its cognitive, behavioural, social, and motivational components. It highlights the dynamic nature of FVEs, and the salient role of situational and interpersonal factors in contributing to FV perpetration. Further analysis of the FVEPM revealed three distinct pathways to FV: Conflict escalation (Pathway 1), Automated violence (Pathway 2), and Compliance (Pathway 3; Chapter 6). Each pathway describes distinct patterns of cognition, affect, motivation, and behaviour that characterise a FVE. Next, the generalisability of the FVEPM and its pathways was tested with an incarcerated sample of eight men with extensive histories of violent and other offending (Chapter 7). Overall, participants’ event narratives were consistent with the phenomena and processes set out in the FVEPM. However, event narratives were better represented by splitting Pathway 1 into two subtypes, and no event narratives were assigned to Pathway 3. Finally, drawing on Section 3 (‘Event’) of the FVEPM, a conceptual framework of motives for FV was proposed (Chapter 8). The proposed framework advances existing conceptual models by differentiating motives from the contextual factors that may influence their selection, and by providing an organising framework from which to consider multiple and changing motives during a FVE. The current research represents a novel attempt to develop an inclusive theoretical model of a FVE, and to examine distinct pathways to FV perpetration. Theoretical and clinical implications of the current research are discussed, including the need to consider how dyadic interaction patterns may contribute to FV perpetration and the role of perpetrators’ dissociative experiences during a FVE. Finally, limitations of the current research and suggestions for future research are proposed

Computational Fluid Dynamic Studies of Vortex Amplifier Design for the Nuclear Industry—I. Steady-State Conditions

In this study the effects of changes to the geometry of a vortex amplifier are investigated using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) techniques, in the context of glovebox operations for the nuclear industry. These investigations were required because of anomalous behavior identified when, for operational reasons, a long-established vortex amplifier design was reduced in scale. The aims were (i) to simulate both the anomalous back-flow into the glovebox through the vortex amplifier supply ports, and the precessing vortex core in the amplifier outlet, then (ii) to determine which of the various simulated geometries would best alleviate the supply port back-flow anomaly. Various changes to the geometry of the vortex amplifier were proposed; smoke and air tests were then used to identify a subset of these geometries for subsequent simulation using CFD techniques. Having verified the mesh resolution was sufficient to reproduce the required effects, the code was then validated by comparing the results of the steady-state simulations with the experimental data. The problem is challenging in terms of the range of geometrical and dynamic scales encountered, with consequent impact on mesh quality and turbulence modeling. The anomalous nonaxisymmetric reverse flow in the supply ports of the vortex amplifier has been captured and the mixing in both the chamber and the precessing vortex core has also been successfully reproduced. Finally, by simulating changes to the supply ports that could not be reproduced experimentally at an equivalent cost, the geometry most likely to alleviate the back-flow anomaly has been identified

A walking stick in one hand and a chainsaw in the other: Patients’ perspectives of living with multimorbidity

AIMS: Multimorbidity is common, yet there are major gaps in research, particularly among younger and indigenous populations. This research aimed to understand patients’ perspectives of living with multimorbidity. METHODS: A qualitative study of 61 people living with multimorbidity, 27 of whom were Māori and a third aged under 65, from urban and rural regions in New Zealand. Six focus groups and 14 interviews were conducted, recorded, transcribed and analysed. RESULTS: For many participants, living with multimorbidity disrupted their ‘normal’ lives, posing challenges in everyday activities such as eating and toileting, working and managing medications. Dealing with the health system posed challenges such as accessing appointments and having enough time in consultations. Cultural competency, good communication and continuity of care from healthcare providers were all valued. Participants had many recommendations to improve management, including a professional single point of contact to coordinate all specialist care. CONCLUSIONS: Living with multimorbidity is often challenging requiring people to manage their conditions while continuing to live their lives. This research suggests changes are needed in the health system in New Zealand and elsewhere to better manage multimorbidity thus improving patient’s lives and reducing costs to the health sector and wider society

Flamelet/flow interaction in premixed turbulent flames - Simultaneous measurements of gas velocity and flamelet position

An experimental technique for obtaining simultaneous measurements of fluid velocity and flamelet position in premixed flames is described and applied in a turbulent V-flame. The flamelet position information is used to calculate conditional velocity statistics, conditional on both zone (reactants or products) as well as conditional on distance from the flamelet. The conditional zone statistics demonstrate that increases (or decreases) in turbulence across the flame are dependent on axial position and location within the flame brush. The product- zone conditional covariance, coupled with the measured conditional mean velocity profiles, indicate that turbulence generation by shear may be a significant contribution to product zone turbulence levels. Velocity statistics conditional on distance from the flamelet demonstrate a considerable interaction between the flamelet and velocity field. Man and rms velocities vary significantly with proximity to the flamelet, such that differences in velocities which which occur just across the flamelet surface. The change in rms velocities just across the flamelet is found to be anisotropic, with the largest increase (smallest decrease) occurring in the axial velocity component. Rms velocities conditional on flamelet position further support the hypothesis that increased product gas velocity fluctuations may have a significant component associated with turbulence generation by mean shear

Effect of multimorbidity on health service utilisation and health care experiences

Introduction: Multimorbidity, the co-existence of two or more long-term conditions, is associated with poor quality of life, high health care costs and contributes to ethnic health inequality in New Zealand (NZ). Health care delivery remains largely focused on management of single diseases, creating major challenges for patients and clinicians. Aim: To understand the experiences of people with multimorbidity in the NZ health care system. Methods: A questionnaire was sent to 758 people with multimorbidity from two primary health care organisations (PHOs). Outcomes were compared to general population estimates from the NZ Health Survey. RESULTS Participants (n = 234, 31% response rate) reported that their general practitioners (GPs) respected their opinions, involved them in decision-making and knew their medical history well. The main barriers to effective care were short GP appointments, availability and affordability of primary and secondary health care, and poor communication between clinicians. Access issues were higher than for the general population. DISCUSSION Participants generally had very positive opinions of primary care and their GP, but encountered structural issues with the health system that created barriers to effective care. These results support the value of ongoing changes to primary care models, with a focus on patient-centred care to address access and care coordination