Mental Illness in Australian Aboriginal Communities in the Northern Territory - Literature review Example

INDIVIDUAL PROJECT REPORT By Name Course Instructor Institution City/State Date The impact of Mental illness in Australian Aboriginal Communities in the Northern Territory Process Diary Date - 2015 Activities 13th September All group members received emails concerning the topic of the assignment so that all members start reflecting on it 18th September We deliberated about the topic through emails, whereby members suggested some broad topics to work on. Eventually, all ideas were disregarded after releasing that the suggested topic was exceedingly broad. 26th September The group members deliberated on the suitable day to hold a physical meeting so as to reflect on the main question and also the key topic questions. We all agreed to meet at Muse 29th September We convened at Muse, to deliberate on the main topic, whereby the main questions were put forward. Identifying a question that focus on incarceration, but not too broad was not easy. The circumstances compelled us to broaden the topic question by including the Aboriginal community. As a result, we collectively agreed that including Aboriginal community in our research will offers us the ability to provide a comprehensive analysis with regard to our research question. 13th October The suggested question was “How has the assimilation policy influenced/ affected the social control and social order in Aboriginal communities?” and all group members were in support of the question. Having established the research question, we had to determine our presentation slides; therefore, we agreed to use Google slides because of its convenience. On the same day, the key points as well as ideas to be covered in the presentation were identified: Background, hypothesis, approach, key questions, methodology, sample question as well as ethics. After the meeting I headed straight to the library to enlighten myself more about social order and social control. In this case I read a number of books, but focused more on Innes (2003) book “Understanding Social Control” 20th October Choosing a research question since the first meeting was undeniably a challenging task considering that there are a few studies on the topic and the group members needed adequate time to discuss about the presentation. After brainstorming we decided to drop incarceration as part of the research question, but rather decided to focus on Aboriginal communities’ mental health. In view of this, the research question that covers every main question and feasible for our presentation was formulated: “What is the impact of Mental Health in Aboriginal Communities?” 22nd October On this date, we deliberated on the main question, and we concluded the ethics slides. Without a doubt, covering our research topic on just five slides was very challenging. With one slide remaining, we agreed on the date for the next meeting, and every member was expected to research on a particular topic prior to the next meeting. 23rd October It was the last day of group meeting, whereby we finalized the remaining part of the presentation. Besides that, we focused much of efforts on formatting od slides, flow of information and developing hypothesis. Above all, we ensured that the presentation was brief, clear and direct to the point. After ensuring the presentation was satisfactory, every member was asked to prepare their speech transcript and practiced the speech the speech incessantly until all members were satisfied. 27th October It was presentation day and before making the presentation we met at the Muse at 2pm with the intention of practicing the speech. The goal of the meeting was to make sure the presentation is made with the required time (five minutes). The presentation had been summited the previous day. Reflection on One Theoretical Aspect of the Project In this reflection, I will focus on Social disorganization theory in an attempt to understand how mental health leads to deviance within the aboriginal community in the Northern Territory. According to AIHW (2014), the Northern Territory population has almost 30 per cent of Indigenous Australians while Indigenous people in the majority of the other jurisdictions are below 5 per cent of the population. During out group project, I realised that the number of studies addressing the Aboriginal Australians’ mental health, particularly in the Northern Territory were exceedingly few. This was mainly attributed to the setbacks involved in evaluating issues associated with mental health in consideration of the fact that Aboriginal Australians populations are culturally different. I observed during the group project that mental health amongst Aboriginal Australians has a number of effects such as psychological distress, anxiety, depression as well as suicide. I think that all deviant Aboriginals Australians the Northern Territory should not be considered mentally ill, but all mentally ill Aboriginal Australians should be considered deviant given that mental disorder cannot be regarded as ‘normal’. As pointed out by Zubrick et al. (2013, p.77), optimal wellbeing on aboriginal young people and children are constrained mainly by overwhelming and accumulative stress, social inequality, discrimination resulting in social exclusion as well as chaos. We all know that Aboriginal Australians, especially women are more likely to experience different forms of violence as compared to the white Australians. In the Northern Territory, it has been acknowledged that causes of violence in Aboriginal populations are many, but the violent behaviours are caused by, or are related to, a number of variables, which operate at different levels within the environment. For this reason, the violence risk factors has been divided by Australian Institute of Criminology (2010) into three groups: situational factors either at the personal, family or community level resulting in poverty as well as unemployment; triggering causes, whereby a particular happening or a series of happenings generate a certain incident; and underlying factors, which involves an historical disruption pattern on Aboriginal system of morals, authority as well as law. All these result in widespread psychological as well as social issues which have been passed from one generation to another. Besides that, neglected children find themselves joining gangs as a way of surviving, simply because their parents were also in gangs (Ferrell & Hamm, 1998, p. 46). The social disorganization theory main focus is the widespread diversity of urban as well as environmental conditions, which have an effect on the rates of crimes. The theory as mentioned by Finley (2007, p.256) also concentrates on how high-crime communities are developed; particularly those related to the collapse of the conventional values norms because of high urbanisation, industrialisation as well as immigration. Social disorganization theory stemmed from the social change process and therefore, I associate it with the fact that Aboriginal Australians exist in a society distinguished by rapid social change, different value conflicts, scores of subcultures and heterogeneity. I agree with Cloward and Ohli (1988, p.130) that social disorganization at times comes about when Aboriginals try to utilise traditional rules so as to deal with the new social conditions. They subsequently, experience confusion as well as frustration for the reason that the traditional guidelines are no more applicable of effective or no longer apply. Crime as stated by Xiong (2015, p.4) is examined by social disorganization theory through analysis of social disorganization brought about by social change. In the Northern Territory, social disorganization is brought about by excess disorder in relation to social order. Attributes of the disorder are physical traits (social isolation) and social traits (specifically, family violence, child removals and racism). In view of this, I will use social disorganization theory so as to explain the Northern Territory context of mental disorders such as depression amongst the Aboriginal Australians. According to Hiday (1997, p.412), mental illness may be caused by a number of neurobiological factors, but still, its manifestations, course as well as association with violence is affected by the social factors. As argued by Spicer et al. (2011, p.319), being exposed to stressful events results in depressive issues amongst the Aboriginal adolescents. In view of this, psychological as well as structural factors that have an effect on the Aboriginal depression in the Northern territory include; social and economic disadvantage, going through stressful even in life as well as feeble social relationships. A number of studies as cited by Ross (2000) have noted that the levels of depression are exceedingly high amongst aboriginals because of low income and education, as well as unemployment. In view of this, I agree that Aboriginals Australians have high depression rates than the white Australians. With Aboriginals accounting for 30% of Northern Territory population, I think social disorder, violence, lack of employment and discrimination have resulted in high levels of depression. Besides that, because of lack of social support as well as enduring strain, depression prevalence has become higher. Even though, there is gap in research on relationship between mental disorder and crime, existing studies as cited by Holcombe (2008, p.20) have proved that mental illness amongst aboriginals result in homicides. Holcombe (2008, p.20) argues that there is a connection between mental disorder and violation of laws amongst aboriginals. This is mainly attributed to economic disadvantage which leaves most of the Aboriginal youths exposed to traumatic life events resulting in symptoms of mental disorder and violation of the laws. I agree with Holcombe (2008, p.21) that there is symbiotic relationship between mental illness and law violation. Most children from poor families cannot access good education or job opportunities, leading to high rates in early pregnancies and increased crime (Hechter & Horne, 2003, p. 131). According to Nalah and Ishaya (2013, p.3), when the society recognises mental illness, it succeeds in sustaining values associated with the conforming behaviour. In view of this, I think mentally ill Aboriginal Australians in the Northern Territory should not be considered as sick people, but rather as victims of social responses to their conduct. Definitely, Aboriginal women in the Northern Territory experience higher rates of mental illness as compared to their white counterparts. Regrettably, Aboriginals who are mentally ill can hardly access medical care because they are poor; therefore, mental illness as well as social status relationship has resulted in deviant behaviour. Living in a violent atmosphere has contributed to higher rates of mental illness amongst the Aboriginals. When an Aboriginal person behaves aggressively we see them as mentally ill, but when white person show the same behaviour we blame the day-to-day activities. This form of discrimination results in social deviance especially amongst the Aboriginal women coerced by circumstances to live in unhappy marriages, poverty as well as to endure sexual and physical abuse. Besides that, the stress aboriginal women go through while rearing children and doing house chores have resulted in higher rates of mental illness amongst the Aboriginal community in the Northern Territory. As I have indicated in this reflection, higher levels of violence amongst aboriginals are accounted by the social disorganisation theory. To sum up, I have indicated that crime is more likely to occur in the Aboriginal communities living in the Northern Territory because of being economically disadvantaged and most importantly violence amongst married couples. Such factors have undeniably lessened the community willingness or ability of to successfully exercise social control. The high crime rate in Northern Territory is normally attributed to unemployment and lack of ability to help others effectively. Most Aboriginal Australians are poor and struggle daily with family responsibilities. References AIHW, 2014. Indigenous health. [Online] Available at: HYPERLINK "http://www.aihw.gov.au/australias-health/2014/indigenous-health/" http://www.aihw.gov.au/australias-health/2014/indigenous-health/ [Accessed 5 November 2015]. Australian Institute of Criminology, A., 2010. Identifying risk factors for Indigenous violence: Some conceptual issues. [Online] Available at: HYPERLINK "http://www.aic.gov.au/publications/current%20series/rpp/100-120/rpp105/04.html" http://www.aic.gov.au/publications/current%20series/rpp/100-120/rpp105/04.html [Accessed 5 November 2015]. Cloward, R.A. & Ohli, d.L.E., 1988. Sociological Theories I: Social-Structural Explanations for Criminal Behavior. In Delinquency and Opportunity: A Theory of Delinquent Gangs. Oxford: Pearson. pp.129-53. Ferrell, J. & Hamm, M., 1998. Ethnography at the Edge: Crime, Deviance, and Field Research. Texas : North Eastern University Press. Finley, L.L., 2007. Encyclopedia of Juvenile Violence. Santa Barbara, California : Greenwood Publishing Group. Hechter, M. & Horne, C., 2003. Theories of Social Order: A Reader. Stanford: Stanford University Press. Hiday, V.A., 1997. Understanding the Connection Between Mental Illness and Violence. International Journal of Law and Psychiatry, vol. 20, no. 4, pp.399-417. Holcombe, B.D., 2008. Neighborhood Crime, Depression, And Social Disorganization Theory. Dissertation. Florida: University of Florida. Innes, M., 2003. Understanding Social Control: Crime and Social Order in Late Modernity. Glasgow: Open University Press. Nalah, A.B. & Ishaya, L.D., 2013. A Conceptual Overview of Deviance and Its Implication to Mental Health: a Bio psychosocial Perspective. International Journal of Humanities and Social Science Invention, vol. 2, no. 12, pp.1-9. Ross, C., 2000. Neighborhood Disadvantage and Adult Depression. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, vol. 41, no. 2, pp.177-87. Spicer, P., Farrell, P., Sarche, M.C. & Fitzgerald, H.E., 2011. American Indian and Alaska Native Children and Mental Health: Development, Context, Prevention, and Treatment: Development, Context, Prevention, and Treatment. ‎Santa Barbara: ABC-CLIO. Xiong, H., 2015. Urban Crime and Social Disorganization in China: A Case Study of Three Communities in Guangzhou. New York: Springer. Zubrick, S.R. et al., 2013. Social Determinants of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social and Emotional Wellbeing. In Dudgeon, P., Milroy, H. & Walker, R. Working Together: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Mental Health and Wellbeing Principles and Practice. Subiaco, Western Australia: Telethon Institute for Child Health Research. pp.75-90. Read More