TY - JOUR
T1 - New solutions for addressing indigenous mental health : a call to counsellors to introduce the new positive psychology of success
AU - Craven, Rhonda
AU - Bodkin-Andrews, Gawaian
PY - 2006
Y1 - 2006
N2 - Australia's 'black' history has had and continues to have a pervasive and adverse impact on Indigenous Australians. In fact, Indigenous Australians are the most disadvantaged Australians based on all socioeconomic indicators that serve to drive life potential. There is also a dearth of scholarly research available, particularly in relation to Indigenous children in the schooling sector and mental health. However, recent research with both Indigenous and non-Indigenous populations offers new, potentially potent, solutions. In this article we provide (a) a rationale for Indigenous mental health being a significant social issue of our time, (b) a summary of some recent research findings pertaining to mental health of young Indigenous Australians, (c) outline why a positive psychology approach offers a new solution for intervention with specific reference to the importance of the self-concept construct for Indigenous students, and (d) call upon counsellors, practitioners, and policy makers to implement and evaluate the latter approach.
AB - Australia's 'black' history has had and continues to have a pervasive and adverse impact on Indigenous Australians. In fact, Indigenous Australians are the most disadvantaged Australians based on all socioeconomic indicators that serve to drive life potential. There is also a dearth of scholarly research available, particularly in relation to Indigenous children in the schooling sector and mental health. However, recent research with both Indigenous and non-Indigenous populations offers new, potentially potent, solutions. In this article we provide (a) a rationale for Indigenous mental health being a significant social issue of our time, (b) a summary of some recent research findings pertaining to mental health of young Indigenous Australians, (c) outline why a positive psychology approach offers a new solution for intervention with specific reference to the importance of the self-concept construct for Indigenous students, and (d) call upon counsellors, practitioners, and policy makers to implement and evaluate the latter approach.
KW - Aboriginal Australians
KW - Children, Aboriginal Australian
KW - Education
KW - Mental health
KW - Positive psychology
KW - Research
UR - http://handle.uws.edu.au:8081/1959.7/10041
UR - http://search.informit.com.au/fullText;dn=153832;res=AEIPT
M3 - Article
SN - 1037-2911
JO - Australian journal of guidance & counselling
JF - Australian journal of guidance & counselling
ER -