Annual Conference

Academic programme convenor Damian Scarf

The New Zealand Psychological Society (NZPsS) invites you to participate in our revised 2020 conference theme: Psychology's response in times of crisis - what needs to change? The conference will not take place as a face-to-face event, it will take place online. This theme and format change reflect the significant changes in Aotearoa and the world in recent months. With the new conference theme, we want to capture the essence and importance of the mahi of psychologists, while highlighting recent changes in psychological practise, academic research, and society more generally. In many ways, the pandemic has pushed us into the future, with much of research, training, and practise moving online. The conference is a chance to present not only on how things have changed, but also both the positives and potential drawbacks of these changes. What changes should we embrace? What impact may the changes have on the role of psychologists, how we support the community, issues of social justice and New Zealand society in the future? How can we better address our responsibility to honour the Treaty of Waitangi and cultural diversity?
The conference presents a great opportunity for professionals and students to share their insights, discuss findings in a supportive context. We hope to ‘virtually’ see you there and playing a role in leading psychological scholarship in Aotearoa New Zealand!

Abstract submissions are now open - closing date 31 May 2020

Presentations can be either 10 or 20 minutes long, mini-workshops 1 - 3 hrs and need to fit with one of the subthemes below:

Bicultural Theme
Tamariki and rangatahi
In these challenging times it is more important than ever to invest in the wellbeing of tamariki and rangatahi to ensure the best possible future. What are the key issues and what is working well?
Poipoia te kakano, Kia puawai – Nurture the seed and it will blossom
Social, economic and political impacts of crisis
The COVID-19 pandemic has, and will continue to have, marked social and economic impacts in New Zealand. In this theme, we want to explore the nature of these impacts and the psychological mechanisms that contribute to them
Innovations in service delivery
How have we embraced our new technologies? How effective are they - what works for whom? What will the Mental Health needs of our population be going forward and how will we best meet them? What are the challenges ahead?
Kua takoto te manuka - The leaves of the manuka tree have been laid down
Our Working Lives
How organisations and workers move forward after major change and crisis
He moana pukepuke e ekengia te waka- A choppy sea can be navigated
Dealing with the 'invisible' threats - what are we learning from the psychology of climate change and addressing a global pandemic?
As a profession, psychology has a number of roles in the local, national and international responses to unprecedented threats to human populations, people's livelihoods, cultural and social structures and their futures. How are we doing? What's ahead?
I orea te tuatara ka patu ki waho - A problem is solved by continuing to find solutions.
The impact of a pandemic on mental health and wellbeing – how are we doing in Aotearoa?
What have been some of the differential impacts of Covid-19 on our country’s population in terms of addiction, suicide, self-harm, violence, anxiety and other serious mental health difficulties? How have we been resilient? What have we learned and what do we need to address going forward with the new knowledge of the ever-present threat of global crises such as this?

The abstract submission form won't reflect the changes mentioned above.