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Welcome to the NZ Massage Therapy Research Centre

The NZ Massage Therapy Research Centre (NZMTRC) was established in 2009 to foster massage therapy research in New Zealand. As a hub for massage therapy research, the NZMTRC aims to: promote massage therapy research and teaching across the wider massage community and provide access to New Zealand based massage therapy research findings.

Research findings are presented in a poster gallery, a publications gallery, as well as a section with additional resources and links.

There is functionality for you to search by author, year or key keyword.

Many posters are Bachelor of Therapeutics and Sports Massage (BTSM) research projects with a broad range of topics. These topics include, but are not limited to: education, professionalisation, practice patterns, and/or case study research.

As small scale studies, they contribute to a developing New Zealand research culture in Massage Therapy.

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Research Posters

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The desire for a professional identity: what DQMT’s want from a new professional body

Publish Date: Sunday, 2 December 2018

Jen Mason, Donna Smith, Jo Smith & 2018 Year 3 BTSM Researchers

Research

Massage New Zealand (MNZ) is the only massage therapy specific membership body in New Zealand (NZ). It has four levels of membership1 that relate to massage therapy qualification levels 4-7. The majority of level 7 MNZ Registered Massage Therapists (RMT) hold a bachelor’s degree qualification in massage therapy, which has been taught in NZ since 2002. However MNZ makes minimal differentiation in their RMT levels, and previous research suggests that MNZ may not be meeting the needs of degree qualified massage therapists (DQMT). It is 14 years since the first DQMT graduates entered the MT industry. It is timely to explore whether DQMT graduates need a stronger voice. The purpose of this study was to determine if DQMT’s supported the development of a new professional body, solely to represent them: and if so, why?

View Project Poster 1

View Project Poster 2

Publications and Presentations

MNZ Magazine - Massa Commercium & Massa Socium...

Jo Smith and Donna Smith

Year: 2022

Highlights and challenges of implementing BTSM...

Jo Smith & Donna Smith

Year: 2022

A Place at the Table

Dr. Donna Smith and Dr. Jo Smith

Year: 2021

Perceptions of Degree-based Education for...

Donna Smith

Year: 2015

Outcomes Research Project: Certificate in...

Pip Charlton

Year: 2013

Celebrating 10 years of BTSM

Smith, D., Brown, E., Cunliffe, C., de Groot, L.,...

Year: 2013

The Drive for Legitimation of Massage Therapy...

Smith, D., Smith, J., Baxter, G., & Spronken-Smith, R.

Year: 2012

Behavioural indicators of professionalism:...

Senior, T., Yanouzas, G., Jury, N. & Smith, D.

Year: 2012

Public awareness of massage therapy: knowledge...

Bormann, B., McDowell, A. & Smith, J.

Year: 2012

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Resources

Learn More

Please find below links to current and past research posters, publications and additional resources.

Using the search engine at the top of the page you will also be able to type in key words, the authors name and or year.

Research Posters Archive

Publications and Presentations Archive

Staff Profile

Dr Jo Smith

Jo co-leads Years 2 & 3 of the Bachelor of Therapeutic and Sports Massage (BTSM) and co-leads the New Zealand Massage Therapy Research Centre. Having developed the first Bachelor’s degree in massage therapy in the Southern hemisphere, she is now focusing on developing a culture of research within the BTSM and the New Zealand massage industry.

Her PhD research focused on the culture of care and practice patterns within New Zealand and she has also carried out research into outcomes, professionalization and educational issues pertinent to massage therapy. Prior to becoming a massage educator and researcher, Jo worked as a massage therapist and physiotherapist.

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Dr Donna Smith

Donna is the Programme Manager of Years 2 & 3 of the Bachelor of Therapeutic and Sports Massage (BTSM), and the NZ Diploma in Remedial Massage Level 6. Donna completed the Bachelor of Therapeutic and Sports Massage in 2004, a Post Graduate Diploma in Tertiary Teaching and her PhD.

Current research has focused on degree-based education for the practice and growth of massage therapy in New Zealand, cultural safety in massage therapy, the delivery of online blended teaching and learning and navigating biculturalism within an educational organisation. She also co-leads the New Zealand Massage Therapy Research Centre.

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Victoria Morgan

Victoria is the Programme Manager for Year 1 of the Bachelor of Therapeutic and Sports Massage and the New Zealand Diploma in Relaxation and Wellness Level 5. Victoria holds a Bachelor of Nursing and completed her Bachelor of Therapeutic and Sports Massage in 2022. Victoria’s research focused on how to make massage therapy more affordable by using alternative payment schemes such as pay it forward. An article on this research will be published in 2024 and is currently available in poster form here.

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