The interactive effects of Indigenous identity and lateral violence on youth adjustment in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children

Taylor-Jai McAlister, Kris Rogers, Robert Brockman, Gawaian Bodkin-Andrews, John McAloon*

*Corresponding author for this work

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

    51 Downloads (Pure)

    Abstract

    Objectives
    Lateral violence is the potential for members of a group to engage in practices that are harmful to other members of their own group. Evidence indicates that lateral violence can affect Aboriginal children’s social and emotional wellbeing (SEWB); however, little is known about the potential for ethnic-racial identity (ERI) to protect against harmful effects of lateral violence.

    Methods
    We investigated whether ERI affirmation moderated the relationship between exposure to lateral violence and Aboriginal children’s SEWB. Children (n = 360) from the K-Cohort of the Longitudinal Study of Indigenous Children were included in this analysis. Children’s ERI was dichotomised into high versus low affirmation, and General Linear Models were used to examine the effects of lateral violence on SEWB and the potentially moderating effect of ERI on that relationship.

    Results
    Increased exposure to lateral violence was associated with increased difficulties in all Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire domains. ERI was also shown to moderate the relationship between exposure to lateral violence and peer difficulties, with children in the high ERI affirmation group showing greater vulnerability than those in the low group.

    Conclusions
    The findings of this study are discussed in relation to their potential to inform policy and clinical practice.
    Original languageEnglish
    Article number2341699
    Pages (from-to)1-13
    Number of pages13
    JournalAustralian Journal of Psychology
    Volume76
    Issue number1
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - May 2024

    Bibliographical note

    Copyright the Author(s) 2024. Version archived for private and non-commercial use with the permission of the author/s and according to publisher conditions. For further rights please contact the publisher.

    Keywords

    • Aboriginal
    • Indigenous
    • First Nations
    • lateral violence
    • social and emotional wellbeing
    • ethnic-racial identity

    Fingerprint

    Dive into the research topics of 'The interactive effects of Indigenous identity and lateral violence on youth adjustment in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

    Cite this