Running Head: EMOTIONAL WELLBEING OF INDIGENOUS CHILDREN
EMOTIONAL WELLBEING OF INDIGENOUS CHILDREN
Improving the Emotional Wellbeing of Indigenous Australian Children in Out of Home Care: Assessing the Effectiveness of a 10-Week Sand Play Therapy Program
Mary Salama (221458)
Australian College of Applied Psychology
Word count: 2200
Abstract
The proposed study is designed to close the gap in mental health between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians, by addressing the lack of effective and culturally appropriate therapeutic interventions for Indigenous Australians. The focus of the study is on the effectiveness of a culturally adapted 10-week program of sand play therapy that is designed to improve emotional wellbeing, specifically in Indigenous Australian children in the out of home care system. The proposed study will include eighty Indigenous Australian children in out of home care who presented with poor emotional wellbeing based on their scores on the Strong Soul's assessment, a reliable (ñ = .7),
valid and culturally appropriate measure for Indigenous children. It is expected that there will be an improvement in emotional wellbeing for Indigenous children participating in the 10-week sand play therapy program, compared to Indigenous children in the wait-list control condition. This study will provide a gateway for new therapy options for Indigenous Australian children and emphasise on the importance of culturally appropriate measures and interventions for the Indigenous community.
Improving the Emotional Wellbeing of Indigenous Australian Children in Out of Home Care: Assessing the Effectiveness of a 10-Week Sand Play Therapy Program
It has been identified that Indigenous Australians experience the effects of past welfare practices through multiple generations (AIHW, 2006). This includes ongoing intergenerational trauma stemming from past practices such as, the forced removal of children from their families, homes and culture. According to attachment theory (1970), the over representation of Indigenous children in the...