Poipoia te kākano kia puāwai – nurture the seed and it will bloom
Whau Foundation helps to address gaps in knowledge and service delivery by funding innovative research. Our work focuses on evidence-based practices and developing effective interventions.
We’ve funded over 180 research projects across Aotearoa, driving advancements in understanding and addressing mental health challenges faced by New Zealanders.
We prioritise finding out what actually works in mental health care, ensuring that our initiatives are grounded in research and real-world outcomes.
Here you can explore research projects supported by Whau Mental Health Research Foundation across our 57 years of operating:
Featured Success Stories
2023
The Gauging Risk and Resilience in Teenagers (GRIT) Study
The Gauging Risk and Resilience in Teenagers (GRIT) Study
Researcher(s)
Dr Samantha Lee
Child and Youth Mental Health
2021
Text based support following a suicide attempt
Text based support following a suicide attempt
Researcher(s)
Dr Lillian Ng
Tech and Digital
Suicide Prevention
2020
Understanding the relationship between alcohol and suicide in New Zealand
Understanding the relationship between alcohol and suicide in New Zealand
Researcher(s)
Dr Rose Crossin
Addiction
Suicide Prevention
2017
Queer and Transgender Experiences of Accessing Mental Health Support
Queer and Transgender Experiences of Accessing Mental Health Support
Researcher(s)
Gloria Fraser
Health Services and Delivery
LGBTQ+ Mental Health
2016
Help now for self-harm: development of an app for young people.
Development of a new generation e-therapy for young people with mild to moderate depression.
Researcher(s)
Dr Karolina Stasiak
Depression
Suicide Prevention
Tech and Digital
2015
Autism Spectrum Disorder and psychiatric conditions: what’s the genetic overlap in our New Zealand Youth
Autism Spectrum Disorder and psychiatric conditions: what’s the genetic overlap in our New Zealand Youth
Researcher(s)
Dr Jessie Jacobsen
Suicide Prevention
Neurodevelopmental/Neurodiversity
Biological
2010
Effect of methamphetamine (“P”) addiction neural structure and function, and the potential methylphenidate in treatment.
Effect of methamphetamine (“P”) addiction neural structure and function, and the potential methylphenidate in treatment.
Researcher(s)
Dr Bruce Russell
Treatment Approaches
Biological
2009
Māori Adaption of a brief intervention for common mental health syndromes in primary care
Research into disparities in contact with mental health services between Māori and non-Māori.
Researcher(s)
Ms Fiona Mathieson
Primary Healthcare
Intervention
1996
Studying the patterns of brain proteins in parts of the normal human brain compared with the proteins expressed in equivalent brain regions of patients with schizophrenia.
Studying the patterns of brain proteins in parts of the normal human brain compared with the proteins expressed in equivalent brain regions of patients with schizophrenia.
Researcher(s)
Dr Cooper, Dr Kydd and Dr Faull
Schizophrenia
Other Success Stories
2023
Supporting kiwi veterans’ mental wellbeing
Supporting kiwi veterans’ mental wellbeing
Researcher(s)
Professor David McBride
Occupational Mental Health
Prevention and Promotion
2023
Circulating microRNA as stable biomarkers of anxiety and depression
Circulating microRNA as stable biomarkers of anxiety and depression
Researcher(s)
Professor Bruce Russell
Depression
Biological
2023
Mental health in young people with brain injury: a population-level perspective on service need and access
Mental health in young people with brain injury: a population-level perspective on service need and access
Researcher(s)
Dr Rebecca Slykerman
Population Mental Health
2022
MindKiwi: online Mindfulness Treatment for Children and families with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in Aotearoa New Zealand
MindKiwi: online Mindfulness Treatment for Children and families with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in Aotearoa New Zealand
Researcher(s)
Dr Mairin Taylor
Treatment Approaches
Neurodevelopmental/Neurodiversity
Tech and Digital
2022
Supporting Aotearoa Rangatahi to Thrive in a Media Saturated World
Supporting Aotearoa Rangatahi to Thrive in a Media Saturated World
Researcher(s)
Dr Cara Swit
Media
2022
Risk factors, protective factors, and school absenteeism – a potential early indicator of self-harm and suicidal behaviours in adolescents
Risk factors, protective factors, and school absenteeism – a potential early indicator of self-harm and suicidal behaviours in adolescents
Researcher(s)
Dr Irene Zeng
Suicide Prevention
Primary Healthcare
2022
The stories behind the statistics: understanding experiences of living with diabetes using a mental health and equity lens
The stories behind the statistics: understanding experiences of living with diabetes using a mental health and equity lens
Researcher(s)
Associate Professor Maria Stubbe
2021
Ageing among Persons with Schizophrenia:a comprehensive interRAI study.
Ageing among Persons with Schizophrenia:
a comprehensive interRAI study.
Researcher(s)
Associate Professor Yoram Barak
Old Age Psychiatry
Neurocognitive Disorders
2021
Separating differences in Personality and Mood using Neuroimaging
Separating differences in Personality and Mood using Neuroimaging
Researcher(s)
Associate Professor Bruce Russell
Mood Disorders
2021
Neuroinflammation as a potential therapeutic target for mood symptomatology in Huntington’s disease
Neuroinflammation as a potential therapeutic target for mood symptomatology in Huntington’s disease
Researcher(s)
Dr Andrea Kwakowsky
Huntington’s Disease
2021
Fostering Flourishing Youth in Aotearoa
Fostering Flourishing Youth in Aotearoa
Researcher(s)
Dr Sarah Hetrick
Health Services and Delivery
Primary Healthcare
2021
Efficacy, acceptability, and feasibility of the CALM psychoeducational programme for New Zealand children and families affected by anxiety
Efficacy, acceptability, and feasibility of the CALM psychoeducational programme for New Zealand children and families affected by anxiety
Researcher(s)
Dr Rachael Pond
Child and Youth Mental Health
Tech and Digital
2020
A randomised controlled pilot study of ketamine-assisted therapy
A randomised controlled pilot study of ketamine-assisted therapy
Researcher(s)
Dr Nicholas Hoeh
Treatment Approaches
Biological
2020
What becomes of the broken-hearted? Voices of suicidal survivors of family violence
What becomes of the broken-hearted? Voices of suicidal survivors of family violence
Researcher(s)
Emily Cooney
Child and Youth Mental Health
Health Services and Delivery
2020
Sharing Hope: Co-creating Understandings of What Gives Young People Hope
Sharing Hope: Co-creating Understandings of What Gives Young People Hope
Researcher(s)
Dr Janet Spittlehouse
Health Services and Delivery
2020
RASNZ COVID-19 Study
RASNZ COVID-19 Study
Researcher(s)
Dr Annette Mortensen
2020
The use of telepsychiatry during COVID-19
The use of telepsychiatry during COVID-19
Researcher(s)
Dr Gary Cheung
Health Services and Delivery
Tech and Digital
2020
Understanding the changes in patterns of demand for national helpline crisis services and their responses during COVID19
Understanding the changes in patterns of demand for national helpline crisis services and their responses during COVID19
Researcher(s)
Associate Professor Sarah Hetrick and Dr Sarah Fortune
Health Services and Delivery
2020
Developing a Māori Mental Health Advance Preferences statement (MAPs) in the Southern DHB
Developing a Māori Mental Health Advance Preferences statement (MAPs) in the Southern DHB
Researcher(s)
Professor Paul Glue
Health Services and Delivery
Legal
2020
Development of a youth-led, values-based, anti-cyberbullying mHealth tool for prevention of suicide in New Zealand youth
Development of a youth-led, values-based, anti-cyberbullying mHealth tool for prevention of suicide in New Zealand youth
Researcher(s)
Dr Samantha Marsh
Child and Youth Mental Health
Tech and Digital
2020
Acceptability to Māori of an online platform and interactive chatbot to support mental health wellbeing
Acceptability to Māori of an online platform and interactive chatbot to support mental health wellbeing
Researcher(s)
Dr Amy Hai Yan Chan
Tech and Digital
2019
Using Big Data in Neuroimaging to Discover Brain Activity Associated with Suicidality in Youth
Using Big Data in Neuroimaging to Discover Brain Activity Associated with Suicidality in Youth
Researcher(s)
Dr Narun Pornpattananangkul
Child and Youth Mental Health
Biological
2019
Use of probiotics as an adjuvant treatment for Major Depressive Disorder in a community outpatient setting in New Zealand
Use of probiotics as an adjuvant treatment for Major Depressive Disorder in a community outpatient setting in New Zealand
Researcher(s)
Dr Frederick Sundram
Treatment Approaches
2019
Exploring Sleep and Psychological Health in Medical Students
Exploring Sleep and Psychological Health in Medical Students
Researcher(s)
Erik Wibowo
Child and Youth Mental Health
2019
Workplace Wellbeing “It’s Your Chnnl”: An Action Research Study in the Emergency Department Setting.
Workplace Wellbeing “It’s Your Chnnl”: An Action Research Study in the Emergency Department Setting.
Researcher(s)
Dr Karen Day
Health Services and Delivery
2018
Suicide Prevention in the New Zealand Construction Industry
Suicide Prevention in the New Zealand Construction Industry
Researcher(s)
Andrew Walmsley
Occupational Mental Health
2018
Does Diversity-Receptiveness in Educational Institutions Predict International Students’ Psychological and Social Well-being?
Does Diversity-Receptiveness in Educational Institutions Predict International Students’ Psychological and Social Well-being?
Researcher(s)
Professor Colleen Ward
Child and Youth Mental Health
Health Services and Delivery
2018
Paracetamol stocks in households
Paracetamol stocks in households
Researcher(s)
Ms Eeva-Katri Kumpula
Health Services and Delivery
2018
Development and validation of non-invasive magnetic resonance imaging techniques to detect brain inflammation
Development and validation of non-invasive magnetic resonance imaging techniques to detect brain inflammation
Researcher(s)
Dr Joanne Lin
Biological
2018
Completion of the “Stories of Deaf people who have had a significant experience of mental illness or addiction” project.
Completion of the “Stories of Deaf people who have had a significant experience of mental illness or addiction” project.
Researcher(s)
Dr Geoff Bridgman
Health Services and Delivery
Deaf and Hard of Hearing
