Culture, context and therapeutic processes: delivering a parent-child intervention in a remote Aboriginal community.
Affiliation(s)
(Mares) Menzies School of Health Research, Darwin, NT, Australia
(Robinson) Centre for Child Development and Education, Menzies School of Health Research, Darwin, NT, Australia
(Robinson) Centre for Child Development and Education, Menzies School of Health Research, Darwin, NT, Australia
Year
2012
Citation
Australasian Psychiatry. Vol.20(2), 2012, pp. 102-107.
Journal
Australasian Psychiatry
Conference name
Conference location
Grant information
This study was funded by the Cooperative Research Centre for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health, a virtual organisation hosted by the Lowitja Institute.
Abstract
Objective: Little is written about the process of delivering mainstream, evidence-based therapeutic interventions for Aboriginal children and families in remote communities. Patterns of interaction between parents and children and expectations about parenting and professional roles and responsibilities vary across cultural contexts. This can be a challenging experience for professionals accustomed to work in urban settings. Language is only a part of cultural difference, and the outsider in a therapeutic group in an Aboriginal community is outside not only in language but also in access to community relationships and a place within those relationships. Method: This paper uses examples from Let's Start, a therapeutic parent-child intervention to describe the impact of distance, culture and relationships in a remote Aboriginal community, on the therapeutic framework, group processes and relationships. Results: Cultural and contextual factors influence communication, relationships and group processes in a therapeutic group program for children and parents in a remote Aboriginal community. Group leaders from within and from outside the community, are likely to have complementary skills. Conclusions: Cultural and contextual factors influence communication, relationships and group processes in a therapeutic group program for children and parents in a remote Aboriginal community. Group leaders from within and from outside the community, are likely to have complementary skills. Program adaptation, evaluation and staff training and support need to take these factors into account to ensure cultural accessibility without loss of therapeutic fidelity and efficacy. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved)
PubMed ID
22452902
Type
Article
Study type
Review article (e.g. literature review, narrative review)
Subjects
Rural and remote health
Paediatrics
Paediatrics