Cultural determinants and resilience and recovery factors associated with trauma among Aboriginal help-seeking clients from an Aboriginal community-controlled counselling service

Abstract

In addition to resilience and resistance, collective and personal experiences of trauma are commonly cited within the context of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and other Indigenous First People’s experiences of colonisation. This study investigated whether a range of risk and protective factors, including cultural determinants of social and emotional wellbeing, were associated with posttraumatic stress outcomes among 81 Aboriginal help-seeking clients from an Aboriginal community-controlled counselling service in Melbourne, Australia. The study explored potential relationships between trauma exposure, child removal from natural family, experiences of racism, gender, and trauma symptom severity. The study also investigated whether personal, relationship, community and cultural strengths and determinants of wellbeing, as detailed in the Aboriginal Resilience and Recovery Questionnaire, moderated the relationship between trauma exposure and posttraumatic stress symptom severity. Participants commonly endorsed symptoms of distress consistent with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and cultural idioms of distress as documented in the Aboriginal Australian Version of the Harvard Trauma Questionnaire. Two generations of child removal from one’s natural family, experiences of racism, stressful life events experienced during the past 12 months, being male, and not having access to funds for basic living expenses were all associated with greater trauma symptom severity. Conversely, participants self-reported access to personal, relationship, community and cultural strengths was associated with lower trauma symptom severity. Regression analysis revealed that trauma exposure, stressful life events, access to basic living expenses, and personal, relationship, community, and cultural strengths were all important predictors of posttraumatic stress symptom severity. Participant access to strength and resources that included connections to community and culture, moderated the relationship between trauma exposure and trauma symptom severity.

Development of an Aboriginal Resilience and Recovery Questionnaire – a collaboration between practitioners and help-seeking clients of a Victorian Aboriginal community controlled health service

“…However, a stepwise approach may be required beginning with cross-sectional studies investigating the relationships between adversity, strengths, and distress, as well as studies investigating whether the ARRQ is sensitive to change. These kinds of initiatives have progressed since development of the ARRQ, though further research is required [ 65 , 66 ].…”

Resilience to Stress and Adversity: A Narrative Review of the Role of Positive Affect

“…Consistent with the ACE studies that suggested a buffering role of positive affect, both studies on adult trauma found significant effects of positive affect-related moderators. In a sample of 81 Aboriginal Australian community adults attending a family counselling service, Gee et al 79 found a moderating effect of resilience resources encompassing both personal and relational/cultural strengths (and including a measure of positive affect). Those who had experienced more potentially traumatic events in their lifetimes reported higher levels of posttraumatic stress symptoms, but this association was not significant among those with high levels of strengths.…”

“…78 Regarding PTEs in adulthood, positive affect may reduce the risks of posttraumatic stress and suicidality. 79,80 Similarly, in the context of stressful life events, positive affect may be protective against negative affect, depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation. [81][82][83][84] Indeed, when depression itself is the stressor, positive affect may be protective against suicidality.…”

The methods of improving cultural sensitivity of depression scales for use among global indigenous populations: a systematic scoping review

“…Other instruments have moved toward the assessment of more general factors that promote or hinder mental health in a broader sense (e.g., emotional wellness and empowerment) rather than standard clinical measures (Haswell et al, 2010). Moreover, some scales for Indigenous groups have moved away from assessing negative constructs of mental illness, and toward strengths and resources associated with resilience, healing, and recovery (Gee et al, 2023).…”