IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v19y2022i7p4078-d782657.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Understanding Aboriginal Models of Selfhood: The National Empowerment Project’s Cultural, Social, and Emotional Wellbeing Program in Western Australia

Author

Listed:
  • Pat Dudgeon

    (Poche Centre for Indigenous Health, School of Indigenous Studies, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia)

  • Kate L. Derry

    (Poche Centre for Indigenous Health, School of Indigenous Studies, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia)

  • Carolyn Mascall

    (Relationships Australia WA, West Leederville, WA 6007, Australia; Langford Aboriginal Association, Langford, WA 6147, Australia)

  • Angela Ryder

    (Relationships Australia WA, West Leederville, WA 6007, Australia; Langford Aboriginal Association, Langford, WA 6147, Australia)

Abstract

Culturally safe and responsive interventions that acknowledge Aboriginal models of selfhood are needed. Such interventions empower Aboriginal peoples and communities by increasing self-determination over individual and community social and emotional wellbeing (SEWB). In response to this need, the National Empowerment Project developed the Cultural, Social, and Emotional Wellbeing Program (CSEWB). The CSEWB aims to strengthen SEWB and cultural identity and subsequently reduce psychological distress in Aboriginal peoples. An Aboriginal Participatory Action Research approach ensured community ownership and engagement. Seven research questions and a culturally modified adaption of the Most Significant Change technique informed a thematic analysis of the evaluation content. Aboriginal adults ( n = 49; 53% ≥50 years, 66% female, 34% male) from three Western Australian urban communities participated in the program evaluation workshops. Participants reported the benefits of enhanced SEWB and reduced psychological distress. This research reaffirms the need for culturally safe programs that acknowledge social determinants of health and are guided by the SEWB framework. Long-term commitment from the government is needed to support such programs.

Suggested Citation

  • Pat Dudgeon & Kate L. Derry & Carolyn Mascall & Angela Ryder, 2022. "Understanding Aboriginal Models of Selfhood: The National Empowerment Project’s Cultural, Social, and Emotional Wellbeing Program in Western Australia," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(7), pages 1-17, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:7:p:4078-:d:782657
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/7/4078/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/7/4078/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Kalinda Griffiths & Clare Coleman & Vanessa Lee & Richard Madden, 2016. "How colonisation determines social justice and Indigenous health—a review of the literature," Journal of Population Research, Springer, vol. 33(1), pages 9-30, March.
    2. Le Grande, M. & Ski, C.F. & Thompson, D.R. & Scuffham, P. & Kularatna, S. & Jackson, A.C. & Brown, A., 2017. "Social and emotional wellbeing assessment instruments for use with Indigenous Australians: A critical review," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 187(C), pages 164-173.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Lavrencic, Louise M. & Donovan, Terrence & Moffatt, Lindy & Keiller, Tamara & Allan, Wendy & Delbaere, Kim & Radford, Kylie, 2021. "Ngarraanga Giinganay (‘thinking peacefully’): Co-design and pilot study of a culturally-grounded mindfulness-based stress reduction program with older First Nations Australians," Evaluation and Program Planning, Elsevier, vol. 87(C).
    2. Sarah Liew & Josephine Gwynn & Janice Smith & Natalie A. Johnson & Ronald Plotnikoff & Erica L. James & Nicole Turner, 2022. "The Barriers and Facilitators of Sport and Physical Activity Participation for Aboriginal Children in Rural New South Wales, Australia: A Photovoice Project," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(4), pages 1-15, February.
    3. Kaley Butten & Peter A. Newcombe & Anne B. Chang & Jeanie K. Sheffield & Kerry-Ann F. O’Grady & Newell W. Johnson & Neil King & Maree Toombs, 2021. "Concepts of Health-Related Quality of Life of Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children: Parent Perceptions," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 16(4), pages 1653-1671, August.
    4. Kalinda E. Griffiths & Jessica Blain & Claire M. Vajdic & Louisa Jorm, 2021. "Indigenous and Tribal Peoples Data Governance in Health Research: A Systematic Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(19), pages 1-22, September.
    5. Davies, Kate & Ross, Nicola & Cocks, Jessica & Foote, Wendy, 2023. "Family inclusion in child protection: Knowledge, power and resistance," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 147(C).
    6. Astghik Mavisakalyan & Yashar Tarverdi, 2023. "Identity and support for policies towards Indigenous people: evidence from Australia," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 167(1), pages 535-570, June.
    7. Md Irteja Islam & Lisa Sharwood & Verity Chadwick & Tuguy Esgin & Alexandra Martiniuk, 2022. "Protective Factors against Self-Harm and Suicidality among Australian Indigenous Adolescents: A Strengths-Based Analysis of the Longitudinal Study of Indigenous Children," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(15), pages 1-17, July.
    8. Patricia Cullen & Tamara Mackean & Faye Worner & Cleone Wellington & Hayley Longbottom & Julieann Coombes & Keziah Bennett-Brook & Kathleen Clapham & Rebecca Ivers & Maree Hackett & Marlene Longbottom, 2020. "Trauma and Violence Informed Care Through Decolonising Interagency Partnerships: A Complexity Case Study of Waminda’s Model of Systemic Decolonisation," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(20), pages 1-21, October.
    9. Ella Gorman & Brody Heritage & Carrington C. J. Shepherd & Rhonda Marriott, 2021. "Measuring Social and Emotional Wellbeing in Aboriginal Youth Using Strong Souls: A Rasch Measurement Approach," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(16), pages 1-18, August.
    10. Kalinda Griffiths & Abbey Diaz & Lisa J. Whop & Joan Cunningham, 2021. "The Health and Wellbeing of Indigenous and Tribal Peoples around the Globe: Ensuring and Promoting Best Practice in Research," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(1), pages 1-9, December.
    11. Christopher D. McKay & Eamon O’Bryan & Lina Gubhaju & Bridgette McNamara & Alison J. Gibberd & Peter Azzopardi & Sandra Eades, 2022. "Potential Determinants of Cardio-Metabolic Risk among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children and Adolescents: A Systematic Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(15), pages 1-32, July.
    12. Boyd Potts & Christopher M. Doran & Stephen Begg, 2024. "The Utility of Data Collected as Part of Australia’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Framework," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 21(3), pages 1-11, March.
    13. Paul Saunders & Aunty Kerrie Doyle, 2022. "Cultural Proficiency in First Nations Health Research: A Mixed-Methods, Cross-Cultural Evaluation of a Novel Resource," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(1), pages 1-17, December.
    14. Evans, John Robert & Wilson, Rachel & Coleman, Clare & Man, Wing Young Nicola & Olds, Tim, 2018. "Physical activity among indigenous Australian children and youth in remote and non-remote areas," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 206(C), pages 93-99.
    15. Elaina Elder-Robinson & Abbey Diaz & Kirsten Howard & Darshit Rajeshkumar Parikh & Giam Kar & Gail Garvey, 2021. "Quality of Life in the First Year of Cancer Diagnosis among Aboriginal and Non-Aboriginal People Living in Regional and Remote Areas of Australia," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(1), pages 1-10, December.
    16. Courtney Ryder & Jacqueline H. Stephens & Shahid Ullah & Julieann Coombes & Nayia Cominos & Patrick Sharpe & Shane D’Angelo & Darryl Cameron & Colleen Hayes & Keziah Bennett-Brook & Tamara Mackean, 2022. "Community Engagement and Psychometric Methods in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Patient-Reported Outcome Measures and Surveys—A Scoping Review and Critical Analysis," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(16), pages 1-13, August.
    17. Alyson Wright & Mandy Yap & Roxanne Jones & Alice Richardson & Vanessa Davis & Raymond Lovett, 2021. "Examining the Associations between Indigenous Rangers, Culture and Wellbeing in Australia, 2018–2020," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(6), pages 1-20, March.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:7:p:4078-:d:782657. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.