Dr Armon J Tamatea

Qualifications: PhD Massey, PGDipPsych(Clin) Waikato
Iwi: Rongowhakaata, Te Aitanga-A-Maahaki
Email Armon Tamatea ([email protected])About Armon
Armon Tamatea is a clinical psychologist who served as a clinician and senior research advisor for the Department of Corrections (New Zealand) before being appointed senior lecturer in psychology at the University of Waikato where he has been involved in the post-graduate diploma of clinical psychology programme. Armon has worked extensively in the assessment and treatment of people with histories of serious violence and sexual offending, and contributed to the design and implementation of an experimental prison-based violence prevention programme for high-risk offenders diagnosed with psychopathy. His current research focus involves understanding and reducing violence in New Zealand prisons.
Expertise
Clinical psychology; psychotherapy and behaviour change; criminal justice and foresnic psychology; personality disorders (especially psychopathic personality).
Research Interests
Armon’s research interests include prison violence and institutional aggression, psychopathy, New Zealand gang communities, and exploring culturally-informed approaches to offender management. He was also New Zealand editor for Sexual Abuse in Australia and New Zealand: An Interdisciplinary Journal. Armon currently divides his professional time between teaching, research, supervision, and clinical practice in the criminal justice arena.
Recent Publications
Tamatea, A. J. (2022). Humanising psychopathy, or what it means to be diagnosed as a psychopath: stigma, disempowerment, and scientifically-sanctioned alienation. In L. Malatesti, J. McMillan, & P. Šustar (Eds.), History, Philosophy and Theory of the Life Sciences (Vol. 27, pp. 19-41). doi:10.1007/978-3-030-82454-9_3
Ward, T., Arrigo, B., Barnao, M., Beech, A., Brown, D. A., Cording, J., . . . Taxman, F. (2022). Urgent issues and prospects in correctional rehabilitation practice and research. Legal and Criminological Psychology. doi:10.1111/lcrp.12211
Day, A., Tamatea, A., & Geia, L. (2021). Cross-cultural practice frameworks in correctional settings. Aggression and Violent Behavior. doi:10.1016/j.avb.2021.101674
Plessas, A., Billot, M. W., Tamatea, A., Medvedev, O. N., McCormack, J., & Anderson, A. (2021). Barriers and Facilitators of Access to Psychological Services for Indigenous Populations: A Scoping Review and Thematic Analysis. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 12. doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2021.747054
Papers Taught
Associations and Memberships
Registered Clinical Psychologist
New Zealand Psychological Society [NZPsS] member, including the Institutes of Clinical Psychology [ICP] and Criminal Justice & Forensic Psychology [ICJFP] (2000–)
Society for the Scientific Study of Psychopaths [SSSP] student member (2007–)
Australia and New Zealand Association for the Treatment of Sexual Abuse [ANZATSA] Executive Committee member (2009–)