My goal is simple. It is complete understanding of human wellbeing, why it is as it is and how it can be improved.
Aaron's Qualifications
Since beginning tertiary study in 1995, I have amassed a Bachelors of Social Sciences with a double major in Psychology and Philosophy, a Bachelors of Social Sciences with honours in philosophy, and Graduate Diploma of Applied Ethics - all from the University of Waikato (1995-1999). I then completed a Bachelor of Arts with honours in psychology and Masters of Arts in psychology from Massey University (2001-2002). In 2003 I completed a Diploma in Computing, before moving to the University of Canterbury where I studied a Diploma in Clinical Psychology (I managed 2 years and 8 months through this 3 year program) and completed my PhD in psychology in December 2010. Most recently I've completed a Post-Graduate Certificate in Tertiary Teaching through the University of Otago in 2011.
Current Research and Projects
1. The International Wellbeing Study
2. The Tuesday Program (and in Spanish: El Programa de los Martes)
3. The International Journal of Wellbeing
4. The New Zealand Association of Positive Psychology
5. 2nd NZAPP conference June 8th & 9th 2013
6. The Sovereign New Zealand Wellbeing Index
7. Book: Positive Psychologists on Positive Psychology (2nd Ed.).
2. The Tuesday Program (and in Spanish: El Programa de los Martes)
3. The International Journal of Wellbeing
4. The New Zealand Association of Positive Psychology
5. 2nd NZAPP conference June 8th & 9th 2013
6. The Sovereign New Zealand Wellbeing Index
7. Book: Positive Psychologists on Positive Psychology (2nd Ed.).
Aaron's Publications
Jarden, A., MacKay, L., White, K., Schofield, G., Duncan, S., Williden, M., Hone, L., & McPhee, J. (2013). The Sovereign New Zealand Wellbeing Index. Psychology Aotearoa, 5(1), pp. 22-27.
Bowker, N., & Jarden, A. (2013). APA referencing and citing in a nutshell (2nd ed.). Retrieved from http://www.aaronjarden.com/aarons-professional-page.html
Jarden, A. (ed.). (2012). Positive Psychologists on Positive Psychology, International Journal of Wellbeing, 2(2), 70–149. doi:10.5502/ijw.v2i2.0 (also available in Spanish)
Ross, C., Bathurst, J., & Jarden, A. (2012). Wellbeing and academic success. Retrieved from http://akoaotearoa.ac.nz/ako-hub/ako-aotearoa-central-hub/resources/pages/finding-out-if-increasing-student-wellbeing-leads-greater-academic-success
Bruna, M. O., Hernáez, V. C., & Jarden, A. (2012). El Programa de los Martes: Un programa de intervención on-line gratuito para incrementar el bienestar (The Tuesday Program: A free intervention program to increase wellbeing). Poster presented at the First National Congress of Positive Psychology, El Escorial, Madrid, 15-17 March 2012.
Jarden, A. (2011). Movie Review: Making Australia Happy. New Zealand Mental Health Foundation.
Jarden, A. (2011). An interview with Barbara Fredrickson. International Journal of Wellbeing, 1(3), 333-335. DOI:10.5502/ijw.v1i3.4
Weijers, D., Jarden, A., & Powdthavee, N. (2011). Promoting research on wellbeing. International Journal of Wellbeing, 1(1), 1-3. DOI:10.5502/ijw.v1i1.1.
Jarden, A. (2011). An interview with Daniel Kahneman. International Journal of Wellbeing, 1(1), 186-188. DOI:10.5502/ijw.v1i1.9.
Tuton, D., & Jarden, A. (2011). The psychology of happiness. The Philosophers Magazine, 52, 53-58.
Jarden, A. (2010). The relationship between personal values, and depressed mood and subjective wellbeing. PhD Thesis, University of Canterbury.
Jarden, A. (2010). Book Review: Gratitude: how to appreciate life's gifts. Positive Psychology News Daily.
Jarden, A. (2010). Flourish and thrive: An overview and update on positive psychology in New Zealand and internationally. Psychology Aotearoa, 4, 17-23.
Jarden, A. (2009). Post-traumatic growth: An introduction and review. New Zealand Clinical Psychologist, Autumn, 15-18.
Jarden, A., & Bowker, N. (2009). APA referencing in a nutshell. (unpublished)
Jarden, A. (2007). Book Review: U-Turn: Putting you back into your relationship, New Zealand Journal of Psychology, 35(3), 163–164.
Jarden, A. (2006). Book Review: Cognitive therapy for challenging problems: What to do when the basics don’t work, New Zealand Clinical Psychologist, 17(2), 33-35.
Jarden, A. (2005). Axiology and psychopathology: Thinking about values and psychotherapy. The Bulletin, 105, 42-46.
Jarden, A. (2005). Clinical psychology and life coaching: Comparisons, contrast and opinions, New Zealand Clinical Psychologist, 15(1), 17-21.
Jarden, A. (2005). Belief change in cognitive therapy: Changing beliefs or changing relationships towards beliefs?, The Bulletin, 104, 42-46.
Jarden, A. (2005). Book Review: The handbook of psychotherapy and behavior change (5th ed.),New Zealand Clinical Psychologist, 15(1), 27.
Jarden, A. (2004). The expert therapist, The Bulletin, 102, 41-45.
Jarden, A. (2002). The construction and use of belief in cognitive therapy - A discursive analysis. Master's Thesis.
Bowker, N., & Jarden, A. (2013). APA referencing and citing in a nutshell (2nd ed.). Retrieved from http://www.aaronjarden.com/aarons-professional-page.html
Jarden, A. (ed.). (2012). Positive Psychologists on Positive Psychology, International Journal of Wellbeing, 2(2), 70–149. doi:10.5502/ijw.v2i2.0 (also available in Spanish)
Ross, C., Bathurst, J., & Jarden, A. (2012). Wellbeing and academic success. Retrieved from http://akoaotearoa.ac.nz/ako-hub/ako-aotearoa-central-hub/resources/pages/finding-out-if-increasing-student-wellbeing-leads-greater-academic-success
Bruna, M. O., Hernáez, V. C., & Jarden, A. (2012). El Programa de los Martes: Un programa de intervención on-line gratuito para incrementar el bienestar (The Tuesday Program: A free intervention program to increase wellbeing). Poster presented at the First National Congress of Positive Psychology, El Escorial, Madrid, 15-17 March 2012.
Jarden, A. (2011). Movie Review: Making Australia Happy. New Zealand Mental Health Foundation.
Jarden, A. (2011). An interview with Barbara Fredrickson. International Journal of Wellbeing, 1(3), 333-335. DOI:10.5502/ijw.v1i3.4
Weijers, D., Jarden, A., & Powdthavee, N. (2011). Promoting research on wellbeing. International Journal of Wellbeing, 1(1), 1-3. DOI:10.5502/ijw.v1i1.1.
Jarden, A. (2011). An interview with Daniel Kahneman. International Journal of Wellbeing, 1(1), 186-188. DOI:10.5502/ijw.v1i1.9.
Tuton, D., & Jarden, A. (2011). The psychology of happiness. The Philosophers Magazine, 52, 53-58.
Jarden, A. (2010). The relationship between personal values, and depressed mood and subjective wellbeing. PhD Thesis, University of Canterbury.
Jarden, A. (2010). Book Review: Gratitude: how to appreciate life's gifts. Positive Psychology News Daily.
Jarden, A. (2010). Flourish and thrive: An overview and update on positive psychology in New Zealand and internationally. Psychology Aotearoa, 4, 17-23.
Jarden, A. (2009). Post-traumatic growth: An introduction and review. New Zealand Clinical Psychologist, Autumn, 15-18.
Jarden, A., & Bowker, N. (2009). APA referencing in a nutshell. (unpublished)
Jarden, A. (2007). Book Review: U-Turn: Putting you back into your relationship, New Zealand Journal of Psychology, 35(3), 163–164.
Jarden, A. (2006). Book Review: Cognitive therapy for challenging problems: What to do when the basics don’t work, New Zealand Clinical Psychologist, 17(2), 33-35.
Jarden, A. (2005). Axiology and psychopathology: Thinking about values and psychotherapy. The Bulletin, 105, 42-46.
Jarden, A. (2005). Clinical psychology and life coaching: Comparisons, contrast and opinions, New Zealand Clinical Psychologist, 15(1), 17-21.
Jarden, A. (2005). Belief change in cognitive therapy: Changing beliefs or changing relationships towards beliefs?, The Bulletin, 104, 42-46.
Jarden, A. (2005). Book Review: The handbook of psychotherapy and behavior change (5th ed.),New Zealand Clinical Psychologist, 15(1), 27.
Jarden, A. (2004). The expert therapist, The Bulletin, 102, 41-45.
Jarden, A. (2002). The construction and use of belief in cognitive therapy - A discursive analysis. Master's Thesis.
Aaron's Presentations
2013 - Štěpánka Dvořáková, Alena Slezáčková, Kamlesh Singh, Rajneesh Choubisa, Aaron Jarden,
Fiona Howard: Social capital and subjective wellbeing among university students: Their link
and a comparison of Czech, New Zealand and Indian samples, Brno, Czech Republic, May,
2012 - PowerPoint - The Future of Wellbeing Assessment, Christchurch, July, NZ.
2012 - PowerPoint - Building the world’s largest and most in-depth psychological study, Wellington, April, NZ.
2011 - PowerPoint - From theory to practice: Developing interconnecting projects in positive psychology, Wellington, December, NZ.
2011 - PowerPoint - Positive Psychological Assessment - Presentation, Auckland, September, NZ.
2011 - PowerPoint - Positive Psychological Assessment - Workbook, Auckland, September, NZ.
2011 - PowerPoint - NZAPP Conference Opening, Auckland, September, NZ.
2011 - Poster - The value in values – Relationships between personal values, and depressed mood and subjective wellbeing, Auckland, September, NZ.
2011 - PowerPoint - The international wellbeing study: New and stronger paths to wellbeing, Auckland, September, NZ.
2011 - Poster - The value in values – Relationships between personal values, and depressed mood and subjective wellbeing, Philadelphia, USA.
2011 - PowerPoint - The tuesday program: A free online program to increase wellbeing, Philadelphia, USA.
2011 - PowerPoint - The international wellbeing study: New and stronger paths to wellbeing, Philadelphia, USA.
2011 - PowerPoint - Ways to wellbeing, Wellington, NZ.
2010 - PowerPoint - 21st century psychological research - The International Wellbeing Study, Melbourne, February, Australia.
2010 - Word Doc - Building positive psychology research projects, Melbourne, October, Australia.
2010 - PowerPoint - The international wellbeing study - development, challenges and initial findings, Christchurch, NZ.
2009 - Poster - Can personal values, hope or grit predict academic success?, Philadelphia, USA.
2009 - PowerPoint - Managing cross-organisational research teams, Wellington, NZ.
2009 - Poster - Can personal values, hope or grit predict academic success?, Palmerston North, NZ.
2009 - PowerPoint - Guide to making research grant applications, Wellington, NZ.
2008 - PowerPoint - Axiology, psychopathology, and positive psychology - Investigating important relationships between personal values and mood, personality, beliefs, character strengths, and psychopathology, Croatia.
2008 - PowerPoint - Individual well-being and its’ relationship to personal values, psychopathology, and character strengths, Christchurch, NZ.
2007 - PowerPoint - Study skills for psychology, Christchurch, NZ.
2007 - PowerPoint - Screening first year students for readiness to study psychology, Hamilton, NZ.
2005 - Poster - Axiology and psychopathology: Thinking about values and psychotherapy, Christchurch, NZ.
2004 - PowerPoint - Life coaching and clinical psychology: The therapist as a life coach, Queenstown, NZ.
2003 - PowerPoint - The construction and use of belief in cognitive therapy - A discursive analysis, Wellington, NZ.
2002 - PowerPoint - Challenging the emperor – The social construction of belief in cognitive therapy, Christchurch, NZ.
1999 - Power Point - Moral supervienance, Christchurch, NZ.
Fiona Howard: Social capital and subjective wellbeing among university students: Their link
and a comparison of Czech, New Zealand and Indian samples, Brno, Czech Republic, May,
2012 - PowerPoint - The Future of Wellbeing Assessment, Christchurch, July, NZ.
2012 - PowerPoint - Building the world’s largest and most in-depth psychological study, Wellington, April, NZ.
2011 - PowerPoint - From theory to practice: Developing interconnecting projects in positive psychology, Wellington, December, NZ.
2011 - PowerPoint - Positive Psychological Assessment - Presentation, Auckland, September, NZ.
2011 - PowerPoint - Positive Psychological Assessment - Workbook, Auckland, September, NZ.
2011 - PowerPoint - NZAPP Conference Opening, Auckland, September, NZ.
2011 - Poster - The value in values – Relationships between personal values, and depressed mood and subjective wellbeing, Auckland, September, NZ.
2011 - PowerPoint - The international wellbeing study: New and stronger paths to wellbeing, Auckland, September, NZ.
2011 - Poster - The value in values – Relationships between personal values, and depressed mood and subjective wellbeing, Philadelphia, USA.
2011 - PowerPoint - The tuesday program: A free online program to increase wellbeing, Philadelphia, USA.
2011 - PowerPoint - The international wellbeing study: New and stronger paths to wellbeing, Philadelphia, USA.
2011 - PowerPoint - Ways to wellbeing, Wellington, NZ.
2010 - PowerPoint - 21st century psychological research - The International Wellbeing Study, Melbourne, February, Australia.
2010 - Word Doc - Building positive psychology research projects, Melbourne, October, Australia.
2010 - PowerPoint - The international wellbeing study - development, challenges and initial findings, Christchurch, NZ.
2009 - Poster - Can personal values, hope or grit predict academic success?, Philadelphia, USA.
2009 - PowerPoint - Managing cross-organisational research teams, Wellington, NZ.
2009 - Poster - Can personal values, hope or grit predict academic success?, Palmerston North, NZ.
2009 - PowerPoint - Guide to making research grant applications, Wellington, NZ.
2008 - PowerPoint - Axiology, psychopathology, and positive psychology - Investigating important relationships between personal values and mood, personality, beliefs, character strengths, and psychopathology, Croatia.
2008 - PowerPoint - Individual well-being and its’ relationship to personal values, psychopathology, and character strengths, Christchurch, NZ.
2007 - PowerPoint - Study skills for psychology, Christchurch, NZ.
2007 - PowerPoint - Screening first year students for readiness to study psychology, Hamilton, NZ.
2005 - Poster - Axiology and psychopathology: Thinking about values and psychotherapy, Christchurch, NZ.
2004 - PowerPoint - Life coaching and clinical psychology: The therapist as a life coach, Queenstown, NZ.
2003 - PowerPoint - The construction and use of belief in cognitive therapy - A discursive analysis, Wellington, NZ.
2002 - PowerPoint - Challenging the emperor – The social construction of belief in cognitive therapy, Christchurch, NZ.
1999 - Power Point - Moral supervienance, Christchurch, NZ.
Theses Examined
2012 - PhD - An exploration into physical activity and subjective wellbeing homeostasis.
2012 - PhD - The pursuit of happiness: An exploration of older adults’ intentional happiness-enhancing activities and their association with wellbeing and health.
2012 - Masters - The Association between neighbourhood social capital and adolescent self-reported wellbeing: a mutilevel analysis.
2012 - PhD - In pursuit of optimal psychological health: The role of hedonia and eudiamonia.
2012 - PhD - The pursuit of happiness: An exploration of older adults’ intentional happiness-enhancing activities and their association with wellbeing and health.
2012 - Masters - The Association between neighbourhood social capital and adolescent self-reported wellbeing: a mutilevel analysis.
2012 - PhD - In pursuit of optimal psychological health: The role of hedonia and eudiamonia.
Professional Affiliations
New Zealand Association of Positive Psychology
New Zealand Psychological Society
International Positive Psychology Association
Center for Clinical Excellence
Australian Centre on Quality of Life
International Society for Research on Internet Interventions
New Zealand Council for Educational Research (NZCER), test user qualification Level C.
Association for Contextual Behavioral Science
International Society for Coaching Psychology
International Journal of Educational and Psychological Assessment (reviewer)
Journal of Medical Internet Research (reviewer)
Journal of Personality and Social Psychology (reviewer)
New Zealand Psychological Society
International Positive Psychology Association
Center for Clinical Excellence
Australian Centre on Quality of Life
International Society for Research on Internet Interventions
New Zealand Council for Educational Research (NZCER), test user qualification Level C.
Association for Contextual Behavioral Science
International Society for Coaching Psychology
International Journal of Educational and Psychological Assessment (reviewer)
Journal of Medical Internet Research (reviewer)
Journal of Personality and Social Psychology (reviewer)
Additional Experience
1. Through my training I have worked in a variety of settings - child and family specialty service, an early intervention for psychosis service, a psychiatric consultation service at a large hospital, an intellectual disability service, a spinal unit, and in a prison treating child sex offenders. In addition I have held positions as an addictions researcher for the National Addiction Centre, Youth Justice Researcher with Victoria University's criminology department, and have volunteered with troubled youth in running adventure programs.
2. I have been vice-president of the Waikato Students Union at the University of Waikato.
3. Editor of the student section of the New Zealand Psychological Society's journal, The Bulletin (now Psychology Aotearoa), from July 2005 to November 2007.
4. Invited onto the New Zealand Psychological Society, Institute of Clinical Psychology, Grants Committee, 2007.
5. Conference organisation - e.g, Wellbeing and Public Policy (conference review) 2012, 1st New Zealand Association of Positive Psychology conference 2011.
2. I have been vice-president of the Waikato Students Union at the University of Waikato.
3. Editor of the student section of the New Zealand Psychological Society's journal, The Bulletin (now Psychology Aotearoa), from July 2005 to November 2007.
4. Invited onto the New Zealand Psychological Society, Institute of Clinical Psychology, Grants Committee, 2007.
5. Conference organisation - e.g, Wellbeing and Public Policy (conference review) 2012, 1st New Zealand Association of Positive Psychology conference 2011.
Awards, Grants, and Other
2012 - Hamilton College (NY) - Two year International Journal of Wellbeing support grant.
2012 - Grant reviewer for the Health Research Council of New Zealand.
2012 - Reviewer for the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.
2011 - Ako Aotearoa regional hub research grant - Wellbeing and Academic Success.
2009 - International Positive Psychology Association student scholarship award for First World Congress on Positive Psychology presentation.
2009 - Ako Aotearoa regional hub research grant - Values and academic success.
2004 - New Zealand College of Clinical Psychologists, Canterbury branch, conference travel award.
2002 - Central districts branch of the New Zealand Psychological Society, student research award.
1999 - Arthur Prior Merit Award for Philosophy.
2012 - Grant reviewer for the Health Research Council of New Zealand.
2012 - Reviewer for the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.
2011 - Ako Aotearoa regional hub research grant - Wellbeing and Academic Success.
2009 - International Positive Psychology Association student scholarship award for First World Congress on Positive Psychology presentation.
2009 - Ako Aotearoa regional hub research grant - Values and academic success.
2004 - New Zealand College of Clinical Psychologists, Canterbury branch, conference travel award.
2002 - Central districts branch of the New Zealand Psychological Society, student research award.
1999 - Arthur Prior Merit Award for Philosophy.
