Aboriginal Wellbeing Research Articles

Weaving Wayapa and cognitive behaviour therapy: applying research topic yarning to explore a cultural interface between Western and Indigenous psychology practice in Australia

ABSTRACT Background Indigenous Psychology within Australia reflects the traditional knowledges of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples and their understanding of the cultivation of relational social and emotional wellbeing (SEWB). However, these perspectives are poorly incorporated into dominant “Western” psychological theories and practice, such as Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT). This represents a barrier to the cultural safety of current mental health practice and its decolonisation within Australia. Objectives This study brought together CBT Practitioners and Practitioners of an Aboriginal Wellbeing practice (“Wayapa”) to engage in a series of yarns (guided focus groups) to share perspectives, insights, and stories on their own and each other’s practices. Method Indigenous qualitative research approaches including Research Topic Yarning were engaged to decolonise the research environment and support dialogue at the cultural interface of the two practices. Results Through experiencing Wayapa, CBT practitioners reflected on gaps in their own practice, with an enthusiasm for the opportunities that Wayapa provided to decolonise their practice. Wayapa practitioners were able to celebrate the holistic nature of their practice and the possibility for it to inform dominant “Western” psychological theories and practice, such as CBT, and encourage a more connected and culturally safe way of working with First Nations peoples. Conclusions Creating safe cultural interfaces between “Western” and Indigenous Psychologies, and building awareness of the value of Aboriginal grounded wellbeing models, can help to promote and expand culturally safe practices within Australian psychological practice.

Sustaining an Aboriginal wellbeing program: Informing health promotion practice and policy.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples' holistic concepts of wellbeing are inadequately represented in the health promotion discourse. The aim of this article was to explore what sustains an Aboriginal wellbeing program, to inform critical reflection and reorientation to empower Aboriginal wellbeing approaches in health promotion practice and policy. Aboriginal and non-Indigenous researchers collaboratively designed a critically framed, strengths-based research approach with Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Service staff and wellbeing program participants. Data from Individual Yarning (n = 15) with program participants and staff inspired co-researchers to co-develop interpretations over two half-day Collaborative Yarning sessions (n = 9). Co-researchers depicted five lifeworld qualities that sustain an Aboriginal wellbeing program: love, connection, respect, culture and belonging. The lifeworld qualities are relational, communicative and involve the dynamics of identity, power and self-determination. The five qualities support a lifeworld approach to an Aboriginal wellbeing program, opening communicative and relational opportunities to mediate culturally responsive interactions. The qualities mediated interactions between people in the lifeworld including program participants and coordinators, and systems representatives including health service providers. A lifeworld approach provides a way to empower Aboriginal self-determination and leadership through embedment of cultural determinants of health in wellbeing programs. SO WHAT?: Health service providers and policy makers can use lifeworld approaches to guide critical reflection and reorient practice and policy related to Aboriginal health. The lifeworld qualities that encompass this approach in wellbeing programs are communicative and relational, centred on local community voices and co-produced with community for Aboriginal identity, empowerment and self-determination.

From Deficit to Strength-Based Aboriginal Health Research-Moving toward Flourishing.

Aboriginal Australians have a fundamental human right to opportunities that lead to healthy and flourishing lives. While the impact of trauma on Aboriginal Australians is well-documented, a pervasive deficit narrative that focuses on problems and pathology persists in research and policy discourse. This narrative risks further exacerbating Aboriginal disadvantage through a focus on 'fixing what is wrong' with Aboriginal Australians and the internalising of these narratives by Aboriginal Australians. While a growing body of research adopts strength-based models, limited research has sought to explore Aboriginal flourishing. This conceptual paper seeks to contribute to a burgeoning paradigm shift in Aboriginal research, seeking to understand what can be learned from Aboriginal people who flourish, how we best determine this, and in what contexts this can be impactful. Within, we argue the case for a new approach to exploring Aboriginal wellbeing that integrates salutogenic, positive psychology concepts with complex systems theory to understand and promote Aboriginal wellbeing and flourishing. While deeper work may be required to establish the parameters of a strength-based, culturally aligned Aboriginal conceptualisation of positive psychology, we suggest the integration of Aboriginal and Western methodologies offers a unique and potent means of shifting the dial on seemingly intractable problems.

Sport and Queensland Aboriginal reserves in the 1920s and 1930s: Ideology, revenue, and exploitation

AbstractRugby league flourished in the Aboriginal settlements run by the Queensland government in the 1920s and 1930s, as officials relaxed policies of segregation and isolation to allow Aboriginal teams to travel within the state. Revenue from the games, at times significant sums, went to government trust accounts and not directly to the settlements. Available data on this sporting income and government spending policies reveals an exploitative system, ethically comparable to Stolen Wages and reflecting the dispossession of Aboriginal Queenslanders in this era. While sport bolstered community pride, these exploitative dimensions qualify its contribution to Aboriginal wellbeing.

Experiences of co-designing research about a rural Aboriginal well-being program: Informing practice and policy.

The objective of this study was to explore data and Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal researchers' experiences and reflexivity in co-designing research about a rural Aboriginal well-being program to inform practice and policy. Gumbaynggirr, Birpai, Kamilaroi and Awabakal countries located in regional and rural New South Wales, Australia. Rural and regionally located research team who co-designed processes to challenge the status quo about a critically framed, rural-based Aboriginal well-being research project. Researchers drew on data from a research project in an interpretive cycle of collaborative Yarning. Data included 90 published articles, 12 Yarning transcripts and 26 reflective journal text sets, as well as researcher experiences and reflexivity. The Duguula Gayirray (Yarning together), Yandaarray (walking together) and Duguula Nguraljili (sharing together) co-design practice model was developed to represent key actions in the context of an Aboriginal well-being program in a rural context. Actions were supported by seven interpersonal ways of being and were underpinned by respectful relationships between community and researchers. Duguula Gayirray, Yandaarray and Duguula Nguraljili are critical to co-design practice and are grounded in respectful relationships. Our experiences led us to critique our perceptions of power sharing, equitable partnerships and collaborative knowledges towards opportunity for collective research co-design. Duguula Gayirray, Yandaarray and Duguula Nguraljili transformed our understanding of achieving liberation from dominant western research in the context of a rurally located Australian Aboriginal well-being program. This study contributes to progression of Aboriginal health research practice and policy recommendations, enabling real cultural change in health care with rurally located Aboriginal communities.

Supplemental Material for Ngarratja Kulpaana: Talking Together About the Impacts of Lateral Violence on Aboriginal Social and Emotional Well-Being and Identity

Supplemental Material for Ngarratja Kulpaana: Talking Together About the Impacts of Lateral Violence on Aboriginal Social and Emotional Well-Being and Identity

People Needs Country: the symbiotic effects of landcare and wellbeing for Aboriginal peoples and their countries

ABSTRACT Objective An innate connection to traditional land is often central to Australian Aboriginal culture. The aim of this study was to explore the symbiotic links between the health of Australian Aboriginal peoples and their Country. Method This study utilised a multiple case-study design to extract common themes from four cases of Aboriginal land management, which typify different major ecoregions found throughout Australia and featured Aboriginal voices discussing land management and Aboriginal wellbeing. Results Aboriginal wellbeing was consistently linked to the promotion of integrated landcare programs. Engaging with cultural landcare practices was perceived as beneficial to both Aboriginal peoples and their Country. Landcare was found to complement better physical and mental health in addition to community and individual wellbeing. An ongoing narrative describing the symbiotic nature of “healthy Country; healthy people” was established. Conclusions Our findings indicate that caring for Country may be beneficial for the social and emotional wellbeing of Australian Aboriginal peoples and demonstrate that further research in this area is needed. Key Points What is already known about this topic: A deep, innate connection to traditional land is often central to Australian Aboriginal peoples. Settler-colonial practices have disrupted Aboriginal peoples’ connection to Country. Aboriginal wellbeing is holistic and includes connection to Country. What this topic adds: Engaging with traditional cultural landcare practices was seen as beneficial to both Aboriginal peoples and their Country. Landcare complemented better physical and mental health in addition to community and individual wellbeing; “healthy Country; healthy people”. Further research in this area is needed to develop strength-based psychological models.

Checking up to keep on track: An Aboriginal-led approach to monitoring well-being

This article reports the process of identifying a well-being monitoring and evaluation approach for a community development programme with Aboriginal Native Title Holders in Northern Australia. The process involved the use of an empowerment-based Aboriginal Family Well-Being framework to enable Native Title Holders to articulate domains of value to their local community. These domains aligned with an existing culturally sensitive Aboriginal well-being survey tool which the Native Title Holders saw as relevant for their use. The attempts to provide Aboriginal people with a broader and more long-term perspective from which to judge the value of short-term projects is a different approach to traditional programme assessment (monitoring and evaluation). It aims to provide Aboriginal people with a more relevant frame from which they can make judgements about the worth of any programme or project in their location, supporting local control and decision-making. Potentially it provides Aboriginal people with the information from which to advocate for other supports and to assess the value of Government and other projects.

Understanding and working with different worldviews to co-design cultural security in clinical mental health settings to engage with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander clients

Abstract Background: Creating the conditions for meaningful relationships is essential to understanding Aboriginal worldviews and co-designing ways of working to achieve better health outcomes. Non-Aboriginal health professionals struggle to recognise the importance of social relationships to Aboriginal peoples and tensions emerge due to these different worldviews informed by different ontologies and epistemologies. This is more so in clinical settings where training and models of care are often inadequate for working with Aboriginal people. The impact of different understandings of relationships on the provision of health services to Aboriginal peoples remains under-researched. There is a critical need to reassess the way clinicians are supported by their organisations to engage with Aboriginal clients in competent and meaningfully ways. Methods: The paper provides key insights into an Aboriginal-led participatory action research project and the work of Aboriginal Elder co-researchers with non-Aboriginal mainstream service staff to better understand the importance of social relationships from an Aboriginal worldview. The paper critically engages literature on clinical service provision for Aboriginal peoples, along with an examination of the Australian Psychological Society Code of Conduct, to explore the tensions between professional training and the need to build relationships with Aboriginal clients. Findings: Through the Elders, non-Aboriginal service staff have expanded their understanding of Aboriginal culture, kinship and the importance of country to Aboriginal wellbeing. The Elders mentored staff to unpack the tensions between worldviews in clinical settings. The research resulted in a co-designed culturally safe framework for non-Aboriginal practitioners, which is building confidence, capacity and competence to work in partnership with Aboriginal peoples. The framework emphasis the need for culturally safe models of care. The Elders have supported non-Aboriginal staff to sit between the two worldviews to develop ways to work with Aboriginal clients and shift mainstream models of mental health care to improve the wellbeing of Aboriginal people.

Understanding culture: the voices of urban Aboriginal young people

ABSTRACT Culture is an essential factor in the wellbeing of Indigenous peoples, but colonisation has disrupted and fragmented Indigenous cultures across the world. In Australia, urban Aboriginal young people are a growing population. However, research, policies and programmes aimed at improving Aboriginal wellbeing are unclear in their understanding of what culture is and how it is included in practice, particularly from the perspective of urban Aboriginal young people. Therefore, this study used yarning and thematic analysis to explore the experiences and conceptualisations of culture from the perspective of young, urban Aboriginal people. The young people described culture in terms of relationships, connection to Country, shared beliefs and values, and with regards to identity. Such understanding will contribute to an evidence-base of appropriate, better targeted and more effective wellbeing policies and programmes.

A Dialogical Approach to Understand Perspectives of an Aboriginal Wellbeing Program: An Extension of Habermas’ Theory of Communicative Action

This article will aim to demonstrate how we applied a collaborative dialogical research approach to understand perspectives of an Aboriginal wellbeing program by extending Habermas’ Theory of Communicative Action to respect Australian Aboriginal ways of knowing, being and doing. This process aims to disrupt the colonizing discourse by bridging the disconnect between Indigenous decolonizing methods and Western knowledges, toward a dialogical, respectful, appropriate and reciprocally beneficial research project. We discuss how layers of reflexivity (self, interpersonal and collective) have a role in communicative relationality (trust and shared decision making). We propose cross-cultural communicative relationality is strengthened by three key researcher actions; inner listening, relational actions beyond discourse and collective knowledge, along with Habermas criteria for discerning the motivations of action (communicative vs strategic). This article provides researchers from a variety of disciplines a way to respectively research in the critical paradigm while considering Aboriginal ways toward building a relationship that is mutually beneficial.

Victorian local government priority for Aboriginal health and wellbeing: a mixed-methods study.

The aim of this study is to identify if Victorian local governments prioritise Aboriginal health and wellbeing issues through policy and explore the key factors influencing policy and program development and implementation. A sequential explanatory mixed-methods study design utilised a survey to quantify commitment to Aboriginal health policy followed by in-depth interviews that explored how and why policy or programs were in place. Data were analysed separately and then interpreted together. Representatives from 39 of Victoria's 79 local governments (49%) responded to the survey and 14 were interviewed. Seventy-four per cent had policy and programs addressing Aboriginal health and wellbeing. The key factors influencing policy and program development were: (i) the process of policy and program development and implementation and the role of other policies; (ii) the influence of Aboriginal community characteristics; and (iii) advocacy for Aboriginal health and wellbeing. Underpinning these factors was that local government is 'working together (in partnership and through collaboration) towards reconciliation'. Victorian local governments that participated in this study appear to prioritise Aboriginal health and wellbeing, especially where collaboration with the Aboriginal community is strong. The effect of policies and their subsequent programs on the health of Aboriginal peoples warrants further exploration.

Acceptability of an Aboriginal Wellbeing Intervention for Supporters of People Using Methamphetamines

ABSTRACTFamilies and workers often suffer significant stress while supporting people who are experiencing problems related to methamphetamine use yet there is little evidence on how best to help. Small pilot studies can provide valuable information about potential ways to intervene. This paper presents a pilot study of an Aboriginal family wellbeing intervention with workers in an Aboriginal health service. The pilot indicated that participation in the intervention improved the psychosocial empowerment and wellbeing of workers, that these workers perceived the program as relevant to families, and that this was an intervention they felt they could deliver to clients themselves.IMPLICATIONSAn Aboriginal family wellbeing intervention was piloted and found to improve the empowerment and wellbeing of workers. Participants regarded it as highly relevant for families supporting people using methamphetamines and other drugs.This research has added to our knowledge about how to assist those supporting Aboriginal people using methamphetamines and other drugs.

Using Culturally Appropriate Approaches to the Development of KidsMatter Resources to Support the Social and Emotional Wellbeing of Aboriginal Children

ObjectiveKidsMatter identified a need for resources to support the social and emotional wellbeing of Aboriginal children. This case study describes the intercultural processes underpinning the development of the KidsMatter Aboriginal Project.MethodThe project was guided by the principles of participatory action, narrative therapy, and critically reflective practice and aimed to define Aboriginal social and emotional wellbeing from the perspective of Aboriginal peoples. Workshops were held with Aboriginal cultural consultants across two phases. The consultants worked collaboratively with the project team to develop a series of animations and supporting resources for Aboriginal families, and early childhood and primary school educators. Workshop outcomes and themes were provided to Indigenous psychologists for comment and comparison with the available literature. Separate consultations were held with school, early childhood, and health and community professionals, and Aboriginal family group members to consider use of the resources in professional settings.ResultsThe project resulted in the development of a suite of culturally relevant and professional learning tools to support the social and emotional wellbeing of Aboriginal children. The tools are designed for use by Aboriginal families, schools, early childhood, and health and community services and are reflective of key themes raised by relevant literature and community representatives.ConclusionThe principles of participatory action, narrative therapy, and critically reflective practice can guide culturally safe practice and project outcomes when working with Aboriginal social and emotional wellbeing. The combination of first‐hand community knowledge and evidence‐based literature assists align projects with National Practice Standards in Mental Health.

Promoting Twenty-first-century Student Competencies: A Wellbeing Approach

ABSTRACTIn Australia and internationally, universities are preparing students for the twenty-first century through building the competencies fundamental for both social sustainability and wellbeing. However, there is little evidence on how these competencies can be fostered in curricula. This article presents the findings of a mixed-methods pilot of an Aboriginal wellbeing intervention that seeks to build such attributes when integrated into an undergraduate social work curriculum. A questionnaire incorporating the validated Growth and Empowerment Measure, the Australian Unity Personal Wellbeing Index, and open-ended qualitative questions was administrated to 64 first-year social work students before and after the intervention. Significant changes on both measures suggest that the intervention is highly relevant for student wellbeing, particularly for those who rated themselves as below the median at baseline. The qualitative findings highlight the relevance of the program for promoting social competencies that enable people to problem-solve and adapt in a complex world.

The potential of current legal structures to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander interests in the Australian bush food industry

There are complex connections between Australia’s native plants and first peoples, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. The maintenance of these connections is central to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture and well-being and the tangible realisation of Australian policy commitments. Diverse cultural connections combine with other motivations to underpin an array of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander interests in the commercial development of traditional plant foods (‘bush foods’). Despite nation-wide policy support for these interests, there is no national legal framework to support them. This fortifies the popular call for a new (sui generis) law that transforms the interests of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples into enforceable legal rights. It is unclear the extent to which a single sui generis law might help Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples realise their diverse interests in the development of gourmet bush food products and new bush food varieties. It is also unlikely that Australia will implement such a law in the near future. This paper offers a preliminary study of the capacity of current legal structures to support some key Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander interests that might arise in these two development contexts. The study can inform the future development of practical legal strategies to support the diverse interests of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in the bush food industry.

Decolonising Australian Psychology: Discourses, Strategies, and Practice

Colonisation in Australia has had a devastating and lasting impact on the wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in Australia (herein referred to as Indigenous Australians). This paper discusses the role of psychology in Australia and the negative impact that certain disciplinary theories and practices have had on Indigenous Australians. The impact has been further exacerbated by the failure of mainstream policy makers and mental health practitioners to recognise the key, distinctive cultural and social determinants that contribute to Aboriginal health and wellbeing. There is a growing response by Aboriginal psychologists, critical social theorists, and their allies to decolonise psychological theory and practice to redress this situation. This paper outlines key decolonising strategies that have been effective in interrupting those aspects of psychology that are inimical to Aboriginal wellbeing.

Is history good medicine?

Australian historians tend to assume that history is good medicine for the wider community, offering beneficial results for the social well-being of a nation, if not the globe. This article calls for this claim to be tested. It examines the pain of history lessons for Indigenous Australians, and, looking beyond the National Apology of 2008, it considers the role that historians might play in developing collaborative approaches to address the crisis of Aboriginal health and social well-being.

Social, cultural, and land use determinants of the health and well-being of Aboriginal peoples of Canada: A path analysis

We explored the contributions of social, cultural, and land use (SCLU) factors to Aboriginal well-being and health using path analysis and data collected from 2 of 614 First Nations in Canada. Information gathered from a structured questionnaire with questions related to seven domains of well-being and contributing factors led to key findings: (i) the SCLU domain is the most important; (ii) the most important SCLU factors are the percentage of household meals of traditional diets and the impact of government regulations on land use; (iii) the most important Health domain factors are the prevalence of mental and psychological problems and the quality of health services; and (iv) the SCLU factors of access to cultural sites, the freedom to participate in spiritual activities, and the impact of government regulations on social and cultural life have a profound effect on mental health. Improving Aboriginal well-being and health may depend on incorporating SCLU factors into new, holistic policies.

Aboriginal perspectives of child health and wellbeing in an urban setting: Developing a conceptual framework

Health and wellbeing is defined internationally as a multi-dimensional and holistic concept, particularly within Indigenous worldviews. However, in Australia there is a lack of detailed frameworks supporting such definitions that are founded on Aboriginal knowledges. This study aimed to explore Aboriginal perspectives of child health and wellbeing in an urban setting. Qualitative interviews with 25 care-givers of Aboriginal children living in Melbourne, Australia were conducted. Aboriginal people and community controlled organisations were collaborative partners in all stages of the research. A conceptual framework of Aboriginal child health and wellbeing in an urban setting was developed comprising four main themes: Strong Culture; Strong Child; Strong Environment; and Strengths and Challenges. Aboriginal conceptions of culture are considered central to Aboriginal child health and wellbeing in an urban context. A holistic framework that privileges Aboriginal knowledge of child health and wellbeing has not previously been available. Further exploration of socio-ecological models within Aboriginal child health and wellbeing contexts is needed. This study identifies dimensions for further exploration in research, policy and practice.