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
The Gauging Risk and Resilience in Teenagers (GRIT) Study
Researcher(s)
Dr Samantha Lee
Child and Youth Mental Health
Text based support following a suicide attempt
Researcher(s)
Dr Lillian Ng
Tech and Digital
Suicide Prevention
Understanding the relationship between alcohol and suicide in New Zealand
Researcher(s)
Dr Rose Crossin
Addiction
Suicide Prevention
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
Rainbow Experiences of Accessing Mental Health Support
Researcher(s)
Gloria Fraser
Health Services and Delivery
LGBTQ+ Mental Health
13 Reasons Why: Dangerous sensationalism or opening up the suicide conversation? Examining young people’s perspectives.
Researcher(s)
Sarah McKenzie
Suicide Prevention
Media
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
A prospective, observational study of the natural history of Complex Regional Pain Syndrome Type-1 (CRPS1)
Researcher(s)
Debbie Bean
Physical and Psychological Disorders
A rapid non drug treatment for anxiety – the rapid symptom shifting therapy
Researcher(s)
Professor Bruce Arroll
Treatment Approaches
Intervention
Autism and psychiatric conditions: what’s the genetic overlap in our New Zealand Youth
Researcher(s)
Dr Jessie Jacobsen
Suicide Prevention
Neurodevelopmental/Neurodiversity
Biological
Intervention for children aged 11-13 years, designed to reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression and improve self-esteem and participation
Researcher(s)
Ema Tokolahi
Anxiety
Depression
Suicide Prevention
Effect of methamphetamine (“P”) addiction neural structure and function, and the potential methylphenidate in treatment.
Researcher(s)
Dr Bruce Russell
Treatment Approaches
Biological
Research into disparities in contact with mental health services between Māori and non-Māori.
Researcher(s)
Ms Fiona Mathieson
Primary Healthcare
Intervention
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
Year
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Select content All 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996 1995 1994 1993 1992 1991 1990 1989 1988 1986
Institution
Story filter - institution
Select content All University of Auckland University of Otago Massey University University of Canterbury Auckland University of Technology Otago University at Wellington Victoria University of Wellington Auckland District Health Board CCDHB Helen Hamer & Associates Ltd Massey University Wellington North Shore Hospital RASNZ (Refugees as Survivors New Zealand Trust) Rehabilitation Service The Collaborative Trust The Mental Health Foundation (with University of Auckland) Unitec University of Waikato Wellington School of Medicine
Grant Area
Stories - Grants Area
Select content All areas Depression Child and Youth Mental Health Health Services and Delivery Treatment Approaches Addiction Forensic Psychiatry Primary Healthcare Psychotic Disorders Suicide Prevention Community Mental Health Intervention Schizophrenia Anxiety COVID-19 Diagnostic Techniques Māori Mental Health Old Age Psychiatry Population Mental Health Biological Disability History of Psychiatry Huntington's Disease Legal Physical and Psychological Disorders Student Mental Health Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Biological Psychiatry Child Youth Mental Health Diabetes Epilepsy Family Mental Health Legal, Mental Health Services and Delivery Mood Disorders Neurocognitive Disorders Neurodevelopmental Disorders Neurodevelopmental/Neurodiversity Occupational Mental Health Old Age Mental Health Old Age Psychiatry, Biological, Dementia Public Health Schizophrenia, Tech and Digital Youth Mental Health
Primary Research Area
Stories - Primary
Select content All Health Services and Delivery Suicide Prevention Treatment Approaches Biological Child and Youth Mental Health Intervention Neurocognitive Disorders Psychotic Disorders Mood Disorders Anxiety Depression Family Mental Health Old Age Psychiatry Tech and Digital Forensic Psychiatry History of Psychiatry Occupational Mental Health Population Mental Health Primary Healthcare Schizophrenia Trauma Addiction Diagnostic Techniques Disability Health Psychology Huntington's Disease Media Neurodevelopmental/Neurodiversity Physical and Psychological Disorders Prevention and Promotion Rehabilitation
Researcher
Researcher name
Select content All researchers Associate Professor Bruce Russell Dr Bruce Russell Dr F. Goodyear-Smith Dr Nicholas Hoeh Dr S. Hatcher Dr Sunny Collings Fiona Mathieson Framework Trust Ms Kate Prebble The Mental Health Foundation Alexia Mengelberg Andrew Walmsley Associate Professor Bruce Arroll Associate Professor Maria Stubbe Associate Professor Paul Jose Associate Professor Robert J. Hancox Associate Professor Sarah Hetrick and Dr Sarah Fortune Associate Professor Susan Morton Associate Professor Welma Stonehouse Associate Professor Yoram Barak Auckland Mental Health Law Association C.J. Bensemann Cathy Stinear Cathy Stinear and Dr Simon Hatcher D.R. Love & R.L.M. Faull D.R. Love and R.L.M. Faull Disability Law Dr Ailsa McGregor Dr Allen Fraser Dr Amy Bird Dr Andrea Kwakowsky Dr Anne Scott Dr Annette Mortensen Dr Anthon Rodgers Dr Cara Swit Dr Cate Curtis Dr Cooper & Dr Kydd Dr Coverdale, Dr Lees and Dr Kydd Dr David Codyre Dr Elizabeth Broadbent Dr Eva Saskia van Stockum Dr Frederick Sundram Dr G.J. Lees Dr Garth Cooper Dr Gary Cheung Dr Geoff Bridgman Dr Goodyear-Smith Dr Heinz Albrecht Dr Helen Paris Hamer Dr Hiran Thabrew Dr Ian Soosay Dr Irene Zeng Dr J. Stanton Dr J.J. Wright Dr J.J. Wright and Dr R.R. Kydd Dr J.M. Stanton Dr Jacquie Kidd Dr Janet Spittlehouse Dr Jennifer Jordan Dr Joanne Lin Dr Karen Day Dr Karolina Stasiak Dr Kate Prebble Dr Kerry Gibson Dr Kydd, Dr Liley and Dr Wright Dr Lee, Dr Coverdale and Dr Kydd Dr Louise Brough Dr M. Abas and Dr R. R. Kydd Dr M.D. Patton Dr Mairin Taylor Dr Melanie Abas Dr Merrick and Dr Aroll Dr Narun Pornpattananangkul Dr Nick Argyle Dr Oakley-Browne Dr Peter Shepherd, Mr Greg Smith and Dr Claire Chaussade Dr Rachael Pond Dr Rebecca Slykerman Dr S. Merry Dr Samantha Marsh Dr Sarah Hetrick Dr Simon Hatcher Dr Trish Van Kralingen Dr Z. Cohen Dr. Bruce Arroll Dr. Bruce Russell Dr. Karolina Stasiak Emily Cooney Emma Sutich Erik Wibowo Extended Hours Team, Carrington Hospital Forensic Service Francesca Fogarty Francisco Javier Virues Ortega Frank Tracey Garth Cooper Healther McDowell Helen Warren Janett Levien
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
Fostering Flourishing Youth in Aotearoa
Fostering Flourishing Youth in Aotearoa
Researcher(s)
Dr Sarah Hetrick
Health Services and Delivery
Primary Healthcare
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
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
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
RASNZ COVID-19 Study
RASNZ COVID-19 Study
Researcher(s)
Dr Annette Mortensen
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
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
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
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
