“But who do you say I am?” Images of God, Pacific Young Women and Mental Wellbeing

Abstract

In New Zealand, there is a concerning lack of gendered, Pacific perspectives on spirituality, religion and suicide prevention, especially given that Pacific peoples have higher rates of suicide attempts and ideation compared to other ethnic groups. This doctoral research investigates the significance of Christianity for the spiritual and mental wellbeing of young Christian, multi-ethnic Pacific women. It focuses on this cohort’s individual images of God, what influences these images of God and how these images can impact an individual’s mental wellbeing. The overarching research question – ‘How do young Pacific females’ images of God impact their spiritual and mental wellbeing?’ – is underpinned by three main areas of inquiry: how young Pacific Catholic females’ images of God affect their responses to positive and negative life events’; to what extent family relationships are connected to young, Pacific Catholic females’ images of God; and the self-identity of young, Pacific Catholic females in the church and wider New Zealand society. Findings from qualitative interviews of 64 Roman Catholic, mixed Pacific heritage, 17-24-year-old women are discussed. As well as identifying as Roman Catholic and having mixed Pacific heritage, family life and social media also intersect in how these young women discern who God is for them, how they see themselves in the world and how images of God might contribute to suicide prevention.