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
Understanding the relationship between alcohol and suicide in New Zealand
Researcher(s)
Dr Rose Crossin
Addiction
Queer and Transgender Experiences of Accessing Mental Health Support
Researcher(s)
Gloria Fraser
Health Services and Delivery
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
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
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
Supporting kiwi veterans’ mental wellbeing
Supporting kiwi veterans’ mental wellbeing
Researcher(s)
Professor David McBride
Occupational Mental Health
Prevention and Promotion
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
Separating differences in Personality and Mood using Neuroimaging
Separating differences in Personality and Mood using Neuroimaging
Researcher(s)
Associate Professor Bruce Russell
Mood Disorders
Text based support following a suicide attempt
Text based support following a suicide attempt
Researcher(s)
Dr Lillian Ng
Tech and Digital
