Australian Psychology Society This browser is not supported. Please upgrade your browser.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people

Key points

  • There are large disparities between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and other Australians across a number of health outcomes and social and emotional wellbeing domains. These disparities include higher rates of psychological distress, chronic disease, suicide and incarceration.
  • An understanding of Australia's historical background is essential to understanding the present day challenges to the wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, including the enduring and pervasive effects of colonisation.
  • A large number of factors affect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people's wellbeing, including discrimination and racism, social exclusion, economic disadvantage, incarceration, grief and loss, child removals and unresolved trauma, family violence, substance use and physical health problems1.
  • The APS ethical guidelines for the provision of psychological services for, and the conduct of research with, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples (4.1) state that psychologists should be sensitive to both cultural and contextual factors associated with Indigenous mental health, and social and emotional wellbeing, when providing psychological services to Indigenous clients.
  • Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander understanding of social and emotional wellbeing is a multifaceted and holistic concept. It 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 spirituality2.

Related pages

Search

Submit