ABSTRACT

Resilience is instrumental in understanding the wellbeing of Indigenous peoples in colonised countries. Investigator-driven, quantitative descriptive studies can limit capacity for Indigenous people to “talk back” to the research process with their own perspectives of wellbeing and resilience. A Human Development and Capabilities approach can elicit self-determining definitions of wellbeing. This study presents findings from qualitative life history interviews of the self-defined health trajectories from a group of 11 Indigenous adults living in an Australian urban setting. In contrast to the prevailing deficit discourse, interviewees spoke about their strength and resilience. Common areas of health and wellbeing discussion such as socioeconomic disadvantage, family dysfunction, stress, problematic alcohol use and mental illness became transformed into narratives of never being without, the opportunity for upwards social mobility, the importance of family as positive role models and social support, abstinence, learning from past experiences and coping through challenges. Historical context, intergenerational trauma and racism impact wellbeing, yet are often not measured in large quantitative studies. Findings support affirmative action initiatives to reduce socioeconomic disadvantage to improve wellbeing. Narrative-based capability approaches provide contextualisation to how Indigenous people navigate through significant life events to maintain wellbeing.

摘要

复原力有助于了解殖民地国家土著人民的福祉。调查员驱动的定量描述性研究可能会限制原住民以他们自己的福祉和复原力观点“回击”研究过程的能力。人类发展和能力方法可以引出自我决定的幸福定义。本研究展示了对居住在澳大利亚城市环境中的 11 名土著成年人的自定义健康轨迹进行定性生活史访谈的结果。与盛行的赤字话语相反，受访者谈到了他们的力量和韧性。健康和福祉讨论的共同领域，例如社会经济劣势、家庭功能障碍、压力、有问题的酒精使用和精神疾病变成了关于永不离开的叙述、向上社会流动的机会、家庭作为积极榜样和社会支持的重要性、禁欲、从过去的经验中学习和应对挑战。历史背景、代际创伤和种族主义会影响幸福感，但在大型定量研究中往往无法衡量。调查结果支持平权行动倡议，以减少社会经济劣势以改善福祉。基于叙事的能力方法为土著人民如何应对重大生活事件以保持福祉提供了情境化。从过去的经验中学习并应对挑战。历史背景、代际创伤和种族主义会影响幸福感，但在大型定量研究中往往无法衡量。调查结果支持平权行动倡议，以减少社会经济劣势以改善福祉。基于叙事的能力方法为土著人民如何应对重大生活事件以保持福祉提供了情境化。从过去的经验中学习并应对挑战。历史背景、代际创伤和种族主义会影响幸福感，但在大型定量研究中往往无法衡量。调查结果支持平权行动倡议，以减少社会经济劣势以改善福祉。基于叙事的能力方法为土著人民如何应对重大生活事件以保持福祉提供了情境化。