Cited by 2Mental Health Treatment and AccessIndigenous Health, Education, and RightsSuicide and Self-Harm Studies

The DOI matches its Crossref record; 29 of the 29 references it cites were found in a registry or an index; none of the 15 sources its claims cite is checked for support yet.

Pacific peoples’ conceptualisations of depression in Aotearoa New Zealand: Findings from a cross‐sectional survey

Open access
Kapeli, Sarah A., McLean‐Orsborn, Sarah, Singh, Isha, Chandra, Lorisha, Tone‐Graham, Pesetā Veronica·2025·Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand

Abstract

The aim of the present study is to provide a snapshot of how depression is understood and addressed by Pacific peoples in Aotearoa New Zealand. Participants were 548 Pacific peoples (age range 16–83 years) residing in Aotearoa New Zealand, who completed the Pasifika Mental Health in Aotearoa (PMHA) survey containing questions regarding depression. Content Analysis was used to categorise open‐ended responses, and descriptive statistics were used to analyse participant response frequencies. Participant conceptualisations of depression demonstrated a strong understanding of depression, with most identifying multiple symptoms and many describing symptoms aligned with DSM‐5‐TR criteria. When asked about addressing depression, participants overwhelmingly endorsed seeking informal support, followed by formal support. Consistent with these preferences, participants rated talking to friends and counsellors as most helpful, while substance use, including alcohol and drugs, was strongly identified as harmful. This study reveals that Pacific peoples in Aotearoa New Zealand understand depression with strong preferences for both informal and formal support. These findings challenge assumptions about the low level of mental health literacy in Pacific communities and highlight the importance of culturally responsive approaches.

Overview

AI snapshot

Written from the paper’s full text.

TL;DR

This cross-sectional survey of 548 Pacific peoples in Aotearoa New Zealand found a strong understanding of depression, with many participants describing multiple symptoms and symptoms aligned with DSM-5-TR criteria. Participants overwhelmingly endorsed informal support, followed by formal support, and rated counsellors and friends as most helpful while alcohol and drugs were strongly identified as harmful.

Key findings

  • Among 473 responses to “What do you think ‘depression’ is?”, the most frequent category was experiencing multiple symptoms attributable to depression (n = 399), followed by DSM-5-TR-aligned symptoms (n = 347); 99 recognised depression as an illness, 12 said they did not know, and 9 identified symptoms not attributable to depression.
  • For “If you or someone you know has depression, what do you think is the best thing to do?” (470 respondents; 499 coded segments), 306 (61.3%) endorsed seeking informal support, 101 (20.3%) formal support, 81 (16.2%) personal strategies, and 11 (2.2%) did not know.
  • Helpfulness ratings were highest for seeing a counsellor (90.2% helpful), talking to friends (85.1%), seeing a psychiatrist (77.0%), and seeing a doctor (72.2%); harmfulness ratings were highest for using drugs (86.4% harmful), using alcohol (84.9%), and drinking kava (60.8%).
  • The paper reports that these findings challenge assumptions about low mental health literacy in Pacific communities and highlight preferences for culturally responsive approaches that recognise relational and collective wellbeing.

Methods

  • The study draws on the Pasifika Mental Health in Aotearoa (PMHA) cross-sectional survey, collected in 2018–2019 from 548 self-identified Pacific peoples aged 16 years and older who normally live in Aotearoa New Zealand; 99% completed online via Qualtrics, with eligibility requiring Pacific ethnicity, age 16+, and normal residence in Aotearoa NZ.
  • The present analysis used three depression-focused items: an open-ended question on what depression is, an open-ended question on the best thing to do if someone has depression, and a tick-box item rating actions as “Unsure,” “Harmful,” “No difference,” or “Helpful.”
  • Open-ended responses were analysed using inductive content analysis, and descriptive statistics were used to analyse response frequencies.

Limitations

  • Stated: the study does not differentiate between specific Pacific ethnic groups; the sample is skewed toward female, under-45, and Auckland-based participants; the predominantly online survey may have introduced selection bias by excluding those with limited digital literacy or internet access; the cross-sectional design cannot track change over time; acculturation and generational differences remain unexplored; and the study examines stated beliefs rather than actual help-seeking behaviours or treatment outcomes.
  • Stated: the survey format may have limited response depth compared with in-depth Talanoa or other qualitative inquiry, and some cultural concepts may be difficult to articulate in brief written responses.
  • Evident from the text: recruitment was voluntary with direct and snowball sampling plus public/social media advertisements, and the authors state the results cannot be generalised to the wider Pacific population of Aotearoa NZ.

Model-written summary. Check it against the paper before relying on it.

Integrity signals

Registry

Crossref · 10.1080/03036758.2025.2525159

Cites

29 of 29 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

Statistics

Nothing to recompute.

Verification

Claims the paper makes

49 Own result · 36 Own interpretation · 20 Own method · 6 Sources not found · 3 Not checked yet

Show all 65 claims

  • It may state two separate claims as one. 18
  • The quote only partly states this claim. 3
  • Probably not a substantial claim. 38
49 of 49
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Participants' open-ended responses accurately reflect their conceptualisations of depression.

    “Participants were presented with the question, ‘What do you think ‘depression’ is?’ and participants were able to provide an open-ended response.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    The content analysis categories accurately capture and represent participants' responses about depression.

    “authors employed a content analytical approach to code participant responses”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    The survey sample is representative of Pacific peoples in Aotearoa New Zealand.

    “Participants were 548 Pacific peoples (age range 16–83 years) residing in Aotearoa New Zealand”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    DSM-5-TR criteria are a valid benchmark for assessing accurate understanding of depression.

    “many describing symptoms aligned with DSM-5-TR criteria”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Pacific peoples in Aotearoa New Zealand share enough commonalities in conceptualising depression to be studied as a single group.

    “Pacific peoples in Aotearoa New Zealand”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Participants' self-reported responses accurately reflect their actual understanding and perceptions of depression.

    “The findings suggest that Pacific peoples in Aotearoa NZ generally have a good understanding of depression as a legitimate health condition with recognisable symptoms.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    The survey items measuring helpfulness and harmfulness are valid and interpreted consistently by participants.

    “Table 4. Percentage of participants who reported what they thought was helpful, harmful, made no difference or were unsure in relation to depression.”
7 of 7

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Percentages, sums and reported differences re-computed from the paper’s own numbers.

1 of 1

Citations

Cites

Show all 28 references

Research works printed but not linked: 5

  1. CabassaL.2009.Mental health literacy in the United States: a systematic review of population based studies. 13th Annual Conference for the Society for Social Work and Research New Orleans LA.https://www.researchgate.net/publication/268158415_Mental_Health_Literacy_in_the_United_States_A_Systematic_Review_of_Population_Based_Studies.
  2. 10.58694/j.1326‐5377.1997.tb140071.x · DOI
  3. KapeliSA.2022.Exploring Pasifika mental health literacy in Aotearoa New Zealand[dissertation]. University of Auckland.https://researchspace.auckland.ac.nz/server/api/core/bitstreams/ab31a55c‐632b‐4c0a‐b299‐30c04ff25300/content.
  4. Maua‐Hodges T., 2000, Ako Pai ki Aitutaki: transporting or weaving cultures
  5. McLeanSA.2018.Depression in young Samoan females: the views of mental health service providers[master's thesis]. University of Auckland.https://hdl.handle.net/2292/45929.

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Metadata

Authors
Kapeli, S. A., McLean‐Orsborn, S., Singh, I., Chandra, L., & Tone‐Graham, P. V.
Affiliations
  • University of Auckland (NZ)
  • School of Psychology University of Auckland Auckland New Zealand
Corresponding author
Kapeli, Sarah A.
Venue
Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand
Publisher
Wiley
Published
2025-07-03
Volume
55
Issue
6
Pages
2702-2716
ISSN
  • 0303-6758 (ISSN-L)
  • 1175-8899
OpenAlex
W4411990278
Cited by
2
References
28
Citations by year
2026: 2
FWCI
1.07
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • ResearchSpace (University of Auckland) (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Mental Health Treatment and Access
  • Social Sciences › Health › Indigenous Health, Education, and Rights
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Suicide and Self-Harm Studies
Keywords
depression, Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, mental health literacy, help-seeking preferences, informal support, formal support, substance use

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