posted on 2022-10-06, 23:23authored byVictoria Gentile
The current thesis demonstrated that Government publications further perpetuate a deficits-based approach to AOD use among Indigenous Australians and often ignore the strength and resilience of Indigenous peoples (Paper 1). Regarding the empirical research, 66% of the sample reported experiencing interpersonal racism, with the highest proportion of reported experiences occurring in health settings, educational/academic settings and by staff of government agencies. This research indicated that racism is still frequently experienced by Aboriginal Australians and is directly associated with poorer mental health, and indirectly with substance use through poorer mental health (Paper 2). The findings also indicated that among Indigenous Australians cultural identity clarity may buffer against the negative effects of microaggressions, such as perceived racism, on psychological risk (Paper 3).