From Deficit to Strength-Based Aboriginal Health Research—Moving toward Flourishing

Abstract

Aboriginal Australians have a fundamental human right to opportunities that lead to healthy and flourishing lives. While the impact of trauma on Aboriginal Australians is well-documented, a pervasive deficit narrative that focuses on problems and pathology persists in research and policy discourse. This narrative risks further exacerbating Aboriginal disadvantage through a focus on ‘fixing what is wrong’ with Aboriginal Australians and the internalising of these narratives by Aboriginal Australians. While a growing body of research adopts strength-based models, limited research has sought to explore Aboriginal flourishing. This conceptual paper seeks to contribute to a burgeoning paradigm shift in Aboriginal research, seeking to understand what can be learned from Aboriginal people who flourish, how we best determine this, and in what contexts this can be impactful. Within, we argue the case for a new approach to exploring Aboriginal wellbeing that integrates salutogenic, positive psychology concepts with complex systems theory to understand and promote Aboriginal wellbeing and flourishing. While deeper work may be required to establish the parameters of a strength-based, culturally aligned Aboriginal conceptualisation of positive psychology, we suggest the integration of Aboriginal and Western methodologies offers a unique and potent means of shifting the dial on seemingly intractable problems.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community members’ experiences of care in an urban Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Service transforming to a Patient Centred Medical Home

“…Their role is consistent with a salutogenic model: the creation and maintenance of good health by strengthening the determinants of health rather than focusing on the causes of illness and disease (Lindström and Eriksson 2010). A strength-based approach provides a stronger basis than a deficit narrative for building meaningful health interventions, because it leverages Indigenous strengths, and ways of being, doing and knowing (Bullen et al 2023).…”

Strong culture, healthy lifestyles: a mixed methods feasibility study for a co-created afterschool cultural programme for Australian Aboriginal children

“…Despite recognition of the importance of culture on health and wellbeing [ 3 – 5 , 7 – 9 ], few programmes have been developed with culture at the core to enhance a person’s physical, SEWB and spiritual health [ 5 , 14 , 15 ]. Even though there is a growing body of literature on strength-based approaches and placing culture and Country centre to SEWB, mainstream approaches to programme development and evaluation for Aboriginal peoples still perpetuate the deficit discourse, focusing on isolated causes of illness, rather than protective factors and strength-based approaches [ 16 ]. Viewing health from a holistic and interconnected perspective is vital when including the cultural determinants of health [ 5 , 17 ].…”

Future-proofing genomic data and consent management: a comprehensive review of technology innovations

“…However, to achieve this diversity, it is essential to acknowledge that the sociocultural context of genomic data management extends beyond individual perspectives and involves collective experiences and histories that can shape attitudes toward genomic data sharing. This is especially pertinent for historical instances of discrimination, trauma, racism, stigma, and marginalization [ 25 ]. These collective experiences and cultural connotations significantly influence an individual’s or population’s perception of the risks associated with genomic data management, creating an intricate landscape that navigates the potential misuse of these data against the interests of certain groups or populations.…”