Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander social and emotional wellbeing measures

Social and emotional wellbeing (SEWB) is a holistic understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (First Nations) people’s health that centres a collective sense of self as defined by connections to body, mind & emotion, family, community, culture, Country, and spirituality. SEWB understands this collective sense of self as inherently impacted by context, namely historical, social, cultural, and political determinants.

Improving SEWB is specifically articulated as one of the socio-economic outcome areas in the National Agreement on Closing the Gap. Yet, the lack of focus on and use of available culturally relevant SEWB measures has hindered progress in understanding and improving First Nations people’s wellbeing. It is therefore imperative that means of measuring progress in building SEWB in First Nations communities continue to be developed and understood so that programs and services remain fit-for-purpose, and national policies properly reflect First Nations concepts of SEWB.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander SEWB measures project

The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander SEWB measures project originated in the first SEWB Gathering in 2021, and was undertaken by the First Nations Health and Welfare Group at the AIHW in collaboration with the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social and Emotional Wellbeing Measurement Consortium (the Consortium). This work endeavours to build understanding of the different types of SEWB measurement tools available by highlighting a range of instruments used for assessing the SEWB of First Nations people. 

This project has researched and collated dozens of SEWB measures and resulted in information on over 30 SEWB measures. The purposes of these measurement tools vary and include measures for health-related quality of life, mental health assessments, psychosocial assessments and measures assessing SEWB. The measures are classified under three categories: culturally derived, culturally informed, and culturally adapted. There are 17 culturally derived measures; 2 culturally informed measures; 16 culturally adapted measures.

The project has produced three documents with information on the measures – a summary list, a SEWB measures report and a SEWB measures inventory. 

These products include various information about the measures, for example, purpose, focus population, geography, development, use and validation. The summary list provides an overview of each of the measures. The SEWB measures report contains the details about the measures, focuses on each measure individually. The SEWB measures inventory is an excel file with details about the measures and allows for comparison across the measures and their various elements.  

This project and the materials available here, aim to:

• explore practical assessment tools for SEWB
• provide understanding of the range of measurement tools available for different population groups among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
• promote the use of tools that are specifically designed for assessing First Nations people where possible
• encourage further development and/or refinement of culturally appropriate tools to assess First Nations people’s SEWB
• provide understanding of the limitations of standard tools when used to assess First Nations people.