Decolonising Psychology: Validating Social and Emotional Wellbeing

Abstract

Objective: Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander social and emotional wellbeing (SEWB) is a multifaceted concept that acknowledges that a person's wellbeing is determined by a range of inter-related domains: body, mind and emotions, family and kinship, community, culture, Country, and spirituality. This paper explores the meaning of these seven domains of SEWB. Method: A thematic analysis of qualitative data obtained from the National Empowerment Project (NEP) was conducted, along with a literature review of each domain. Results: Findings from the NEP, together with relevant literature, indicate that implementing strategies that focus on strengthening SEWB is important for individual, family, and community wellbeing. Addressing the social determinants of Indigenous disadvantage is also shown to have an important role in strengthening the SEWB of individuals, families, and communities. Conclusion: It is important for all practitioners and policymakers involved with improving Indigenous health to recognise the seven interrelated domains of SEWB and to acknowledge and support people in addressing the social determinants of wellbeing.

Aboriginal perceptions of social and emotional wellbeing programs: A systematic review of literature assessing social and emotional wellbeing programs for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians perspectives

“…The National Strategic Framework for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples' Mental Health and Social and Emotional Wellbeing 2017–2023 (Commonwealth of Australia, ) argues for a new approach that prioritises Aboriginal leadership and partnership and incorporates social determinants of mental health, the need to address racism, building person‐centred, trauma‐informed, culturally and clinically appropriate healthcare systems. This systematic review, responds to calls to build an evidence‐base for Indigenous self‐determined (The United Nations General Assembly, ), person‐centred (Sayers, Cleary, Hunt, & Burmeister, ; Talerico, O'Brien, & Swafford, ), culturally responsive health‐care (Dudgeon, Bray, D'Costa, & Walker, ; Dudgeon, Calma, Brideson, & Holland, ; National Inquiry Concerning the Human Rights of People with Mental Illness, ) by analysing Aboriginal perspectives of SEWB programs.…”

Australian Indigenous Psychology

“…The importance of recognising the contributions of Indigenous concepts of SEWB is also the focus of Decolonising Psychology: Validating Social and Emotional Wellbeing (Dudgeon, Bray & D'Costa, Walker, 2017) which uses findings from the National Empowerment Project to explore the seven domains of SEWB, namely body, mind and emotions, family, community, culture, Country, and spirituality. In this article, Dudgeon, Bray, D'Costa, and Walker (2017) highlight how SEWB, (an emerging concept within Indigenous psychology), is important in holistically addressing the well being needs of Indigenous people.…”

Community Psychology and Indigenous Peoples

“…For example, Duran & Duran's () book “Native American Postcolonial Psychology” set a foundation for embracing an Indigenous psychology grounded in differing cosmologies—that is, a psychology that legitimatizes and engages with the unique and valid worldview of Indigenous peoples. More recently, in 2017, the “Australian Psychologist” published a special issue on “Australian Indigenous Psychology” (Dudgeon, ) that includes a number of articles focused on “closing the mental health gap” including understanding the Aboriginal concept of social and emotional well‐being (Calma, Dudgeon, & Bray, ) and the necessity of decolonizing psychology (Dudgeon, Bray, D'Costa, & Walker, ).…”