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
2017
Selenium status and association with risk of postnatal depression.
Selenium status and association with risk of postnatal depression.
Researcher(s)
Dr Louise Brough
Biological
2017
The STATUS Trial
The STATUS Trial
Researcher(s)
Professor Chris Bullen
Intervention
2017
Understanding the environmental origins of children’s early mental health difficulties: Growing Up in New Zealand
Understanding the environmental origins of children’s early mental health difficulties: Growing Up in New Zealand
Researcher(s)
Associate Professor Susan Morton
2017
13 Reasons Why: Dangerous sensationalism or opening up the suicide conversation? Examining young people’s perspectives.
13 Reasons Why: Dangerous sensationalism or opening up the suicide conversation? Examining young people’s perspectives.
Researcher(s)
Sarah McKenzie
Suicide Prevention
Media
2016
A Pilot New Zealand Study of Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) in Treatment-Resistant Depression
A Pilot New Zealand Study of Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) in Treatment-Resistant Depression
Researcher(s)
Dr Nicholas Hoeh
Treatment Approaches
2016
Te Papakainga o Tane Whakapiripiri: A case study of a kaupapa Maori forensic mental health secure rehabilitation service.
Te Papakainga o Tane Whakapiripiri: A case study of a kaupapa Maori forensic mental health secure rehabilitation service.
Researcher(s)
Professor Brian McKenna
Forensic Psychiatry
2016
Can sodium benzoate improve the residual symptoms associated with a poor response to antipsychotic treatment?
Can sodium benzoate improve the residual symptoms associated with a poor response to antipsychotic treatment?
Researcher(s)
Associate Professor Bruce Russell
Biological
2016
Enhancing the citizenship status of mental health service users through mental health professionals’ acts and practices of social inclusion.
Enhancing the citizenship status of mental health service users through mental health professionals’ acts and practices of social inclusion.
Researcher(s)
Dr Helen Paris Hamer
Health Services and Delivery
2012
A prospective, observational study of the natural history of Complex Regional Pain Syndrome Type-1 (ORPS1)
A prospective, observational study of the natural history of Complex Regional Pain Syndrome Type-1 (ORPS1)
Researcher(s)
Debbie Bean
2015
Child custody decision making when parents have mental illnesses and/or addictions
Child custody decision making when parents have mental illnesses and/or addictions
Researcher(s)
Dr Anne Scott
Family Mental Health
Legal
2015
The Stress in Primary Care Study: RCT of a brief intervention for common mental health syndromes in primary care
The Stress in Primary Care Study: RCT of a brief intervention for common mental health syndromes in primary care
Researcher(s)
Tony Dowell
Intervention
Treatment Approaches
2015
Use of metaphor to enhance cognitive behaviour therapy
Use of metaphor to enhance cognitive behaviour therapy
Researcher(s)
Fiona Mathieson
Intervention
2015
Barriers and drivers in screening for depression amongst midwives and the co-ordination of care with GP’s
Barriers and drivers in screening for depression amongst midwives and the co-ordination of care with GP’s
Researcher(s)
Dr Ian Soosay
Primary Healthcare
Health Services and Delivery
2015
A rapid non drug treatment for anxiety – the rapid symptom shifting therapy
A rapid non drug treatment for anxiety – the rapid symptom shifting therapy
Researcher(s)
Professor Bruce Arroll
Treatment Approaches
Intervention
2015
Parent-child emotion conversations; associations with parental psychopathology and children’s developing mental health
Parent-child emotion conversations; associations with parental psychopathology and children’s developing mental health
Researcher(s)
Dr Amy Bird
Family Mental Health
2015
Follow-up: the years after Early Intervention in Psychosis
Follow-up: the years after Early Intervention in Psychosis
Researcher(s)
Dr Eva Saskia van Stockum
Intervention
Young people’s talk about suicide: Identifying risk and resilience
Young people’s talk about suicide: Identifying risk and resilience
Researcher(s)
Dr Kerry Gibson
Suicide Prevention
2014
Instigators of change: Oral histories of forensic psychiatric services in the Auckland Region
Instigators of change: Oral histories of forensic psychiatric services in the Auckland Region
Researcher(s)
Dr Kate Prebble
History of Psychiatry
2014
A Psychological Intervention to Improve Outcomes in Patients with Head and Neck Cancer and their Caregivers
A Psychological Intervention to Improve Outcomes in Patients with Head and Neck Cancer and their Caregivers
Researcher(s)
Dr Elizabeth Broadbent
Health Psychology
2014
Investigating the effects of fish oil supplementation on cognitive performance in older adults with Mild Cognitive Impairment
Investigating the effects of fish oil supplementation on cognitive performance in older adults with Mild Cognitive Impairment
Researcher(s)
Alexia Mengelberg
Old Age Psychiatry
Dementia
2014
Factors implicated in young women’s self-harm: Risk and Resilience
Factors implicated in young women’s self-harm: Risk and Resilience
Researcher(s)
Dr Cate Curtis
Suicide Prevention
2014
A randomized trial of varenicline for the treatment of cognitive and affective symptoms in Huntington’s Disease.
A randomized trial of varenicline for the treatment of cognitive and affective symptoms in Huntington’s Disease.
Researcher(s)
Dr Ailsa McGregor
Intervention
Neurocognitive Disorders
Huntington’s Disease
2014
Changing expectations: analysing the landscape of housing support in the New Zealand Mental Health Sector.
Changing expectations: analysing the landscape of housing support in the New Zealand Mental Health Sector.
Researcher(s)
Dr Jacquie Kidd
2014
The Role of Resilience for Young People in Coping with Everyday Events
The Role of Resilience for Young People in Coping with Everyday Events
Researcher(s)
Associate Professor Paul Jose
Suicide Prevention
2014
Intervention for children aged 11-13 years, designed to reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression and improve self-esteem and participation
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
2014
Neuroplasticity as a Treatment Outcome in Autism Spectrum Disorder
Neuroplasticity as a Treatment Outcome in Autism Spectrum Disorder
Researcher(s)
Francisco Javier Virues Ortega
Suicide Prevention
Neurodevelopmental/Neurodiversity
2013
RCT of an ultra-brief intervention for common mental health syndromes in primary care
RCT of an ultra-brief intervention for common mental health syndromes in primary care
Researcher(s)
Professor Sunny Collings
Intervention
2013
Does living in a media-free environment improve wellbeing and creative thinking in adolescence?
Does living in a media-free environment improve wellbeing and creative thinking in adolescence?
Researcher(s)
Associate Professor Robert J. Hancox
Suicide Prevention
2013
Game for Health: Development of a modular eHealth resource for children and adolescents with chronic illness
Game for Health: Development of a modular eHealth resource for children and adolescents with chronic illness
Researcher(s)
Dr Hiran Thabrew
Suicide Prevention
2012
Elucidation of the molecular nature of the vasculopathy of Alzheimer’s Disease
Elucidation of the molecular nature of the vasculopathy of Alzheimer’s Disease
Researcher(s)
Garth Cooper
Biological
Neurocognitive Disorders
