Rate My Professor Shaystah Dean

Dr. Shaystah Dean is a Senior Research Fellow in the Department of Psychological Medicine at the University of Otago, Christchurch. She qualified as a clinical psychologist from the University of Canterbury in 2011 with a Postgraduate Diploma in Clinical Psychology. She also holds an MSc with Distinction in Psychology from the University of Otago and completed her PhD at the University of Otago, Wellington. Her doctoral thesis, titled 'Motivational Interviewing for adolescent engagement in group trans-diagnostic cognitive behavioural therapy: A randomised clinical trial,' was published in 2016. Throughout her career, Dr. Dean has gained extensive experience in general and adolescent mental health services within both public and private sectors. She contributed significantly to the Canterbury District Health Board's psychosocial response following major events and supported the Ministry of Justice in the planning and delivery of court proceedings after the March 15, 2019, Christchurch mosque terrorist attacks. Additionally, she maintains a private practice and is involved with community organizations focused on mental wellbeing.

Dr. Dean's academic interests center on adolescent mental health, integrated psychological interventions, and disaster mental health response, particularly in culturally diverse and minority faith communities. As an investigator for The March 15 Project: Impacts and Recovery at the University of Otago, Christchurch, she examines post-traumatic growth, religious coping, and long-term mental health outcomes among Muslims affected by the Christchurch attacks. Her key publications include 'Post-traumatic growth and religious coping in Muslims exposed to the March 15 terror attacks in New Zealand' (2025, Australian & New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry), 'The Integration of Islamic Psychology with Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)' (2025, Culture, Medicine, & Psychiatry), 'Factors associated with mental health outcomes in a Muslim community following the Christchurch terrorist attack' (2024, BJPsych Open), ''I can feel sad about it and I can worry, but inside I know everything happens for a reason': personal experiences in the aftermath of the March 15 Christchurch mosque attacks' (2024, BJPsych Open), 'Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) Therapy Compared to Usual Treatment for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in Adults With Psychosis in Forensic Settings: Randomized Controlled Trial' (2024, Psychological Trauma), 'Research following trauma in minority ethnic and faith communities: lessons from a study of the psychosocial sequelae of the Christchurch mosque terror attacks' (2024, BJPsych Open), and 'The psychosocial impacts of the 15 March terrorist attack on the Christchurch Muslim community: A descriptive, cross-sectional assessment' (2024). She has co-authored protocols for international studies on COVID-19 psychosocial impacts and EMDR therapy trials. With 153 citations on ResearchGate, her contributions enhance evidence-based practices for trauma recovery, culturally adapted therapies, and ethical research in vulnerable populations. Dr. Dean has presented her findings at conferences, including the Royal Australian & New Zealand College of Psychiatrists New Zealand Conference in 2024 on psychosis, trauma, and EMDR.