Darnett Emily, Peters Andrew, Thielking Monica
Department of Psychological Sciences, Swinburne University of Technology, Melbourne, Australia.
School of Psychology and Counseling, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia.
Aust J Psychol. 2025 Mar 12;77(1):2474546. doi: 10.1080/00049530.2025.2474546. eCollection 2025.
Psychology course regulatory standards for Australian universities have evolved in that universities are required to include cultural responsiveness in psychology curriculum and demonstrate graduate competencies for working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander clients.
This study aimed to explore psychologists' perspectives about the higher education (HE) psychology curriculum in relation to their preparedness to practice with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander clients and share their suggestions for improving cultural responsiveness and preparedness.
Psychologists (=108, Female 83.2%, Male 16.8%, Aboriginal 13.9%, non-Indigenous 86.1%, age range 22-83) responded to an electronic mixed-method survey.
The majority of participants (91.43%, including all Aboriginal psychologists) reported that their psychology HE training did not adequately prepare them to work with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander clients. Moreover, 87.5% (Group 3 =16) reported apprehensions about working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander clients for the first time. Limited understanding of culture, concerns for their competence, or worry about perpetuating harm underpinned psychologists' apprehensions. Most participants (90.5%, =85) indicated they plan to increase their knowledge in this area. Non-Indigenous participants suggested that the psychology curriculum should incorporate increased exposure to lived experiences (28%), Indigenous-specific information (e.g. the impact of intergenerational trauma; 24%), more practical exercises (20%), and guidelines for adapting existing clinical interventions (28%). The study also revealed indicators of racially motivated biases in some participants' responses.
All Aboriginal and the majority of non-Indigenous participants reported that HE psychology training did not adequately prepare them to work with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander clients.
澳大利亚大学心理学课程监管标准不断演变，要求大学在心理学课程中纳入文化响应能力，并展示与原住民和托雷斯海峡岛民客户合作的毕业生能力。
本研究旨在探讨心理学家对高等教育（HE）心理学课程的看法，涉及他们为与原住民和托雷斯海峡岛民客户开展实践做准备的情况，并分享他们对提高文化响应能力和准备情况的建议。
心理学家（n = 108，女性占83.2%，男性占16.8%，原住民占13.9%，非原住民占86.1%，年龄范围22 - 83岁）对一项电子混合方法调查做出回应。
大多数参与者（91.43%，包括所有原住民心理学家）报告称，他们的高等教育心理学培训没有让他们充分准备好与原住民和托雷斯海峡岛民客户合作。此外，87.5%（第3组 = 16）报告首次与原住民和托雷斯海峡岛民客户合作时感到担忧。对文化的有限理解、对自身能力的担忧或对持续造成伤害的担心是心理学家担忧的根源。大多数参与者（90.5%，n = 85）表示他们计划增加这方面的知识。非原住民参与者建议心理学课程应增加对生活经历的接触（28%）、特定于原住民的信息（例如代际创伤的影响；24%）、更多实践练习（20%）以及调整现有临床干预措施的指南（(28%）。该研究还揭示了一些参与者回答中存在种族动机偏见的指标。
所有原住民和大多数非原住民参与者都报告称，高等教育心理学培训没有让他们充分准备好与原住民和托雷斯海峡岛民客户合作。
