The Development of Self-Identity in Australian Indigenous Adolescents
An adolescent strives to have one main desire. This desire is in fact to “fit in” within a certain group or
society, to find comfort within a group (Dudgeon et al., 2014; Pfiefer & Berkman, 2018). The thought of
being alone, alienated or singled out is one that crosses an adolescent’s mind often and an idea that does
not wreak beneficial circumstances. The colour of one’s skin and the culture that belongs to an individual
can amount to the plateau, regression or prevention of further development of an individual’s identity
and autonomy during adolescence (Dudgeon et al., 2014) . This idea evidently shown in cases stemming
from marginalisation and disproportionate incarceration of First Nations Peoples, in particular the
Aboriginal people of the land we live on today. The Stolen Generation instigated the dislocated lives that
Aboriginal people still live and face today(Dudgeon et al., 2014). Taken away from brothers, sisters,
fathers and mothers not only affected children and adolescents, however the trauma to the whole family
combined.
Self-Identity is the belief of having value in one’s own life, to be seen in a certain way and essentially
fit in to a community or group (Dudgeon et al., 2014; Pfiefer & Berkman, 2018) . Establishing a selfidentity is the main task of adolescence and tends to lead in two directions (Dudgeon et al., 2014).
Firstly, resolving the crisis of a coherent self-identity or secondly remaining in a state of identity
confusion leading to diffusion (Dudgeon et al., 2014). Remaining in this stage results in not being
able to move into the intimacy vs isolation phase in early adulthood (Dudgeon et al., 2014). This is
evidently seen in the separation of young children in the Stolen Generation, going through
adolescence without the help of close peers, family or community (Dudgeon et al., 2014). Most
aboriginal adolescents taken away had the idea that their parents and family “didn’t want them” and
didn’t love them alongside missing out on strong relationships and participating in sports teams
characteristic of that family. Alongside this, cultural and societal factors and the acts of identity
foreclosure, left not only Aboriginal adolescents confused about their own identity but forced them
into a new Western Society identity where they knew they didn’t fit in (Dudgeon et al., 2014).
Western cultural factors reduced the development of adolescent Aboriginal teenager’s spiritual
identity where the learning of language and Aboriginal cultural traditions were thrown under the rug
forcing a unidimensional approach to learning of language and white cultural traditions (Prilleltensky
& Nelson, 2002). An ontological belonging and relationship with the land was diminished. In a
society where your culture is strong and dominant it is easy to fit in and form a positive identity
feeling like you belong to the community, however Aboriginal adolescent’s identity development
formed a more negative view as this society was not their own and the people in it were not like
them (Dudgeon et al., 2014; Prilleltensky & Nelson, 2002). This made it in turn difficult to fit in with
other children the same age, as they were different, couldn’t speak English as well, looked down
upon and often alienated from the different cultural expectations.
The Working Together text promotes that social groups are a necessity for adolescents to form ideas
about possible roles and activities in identity exploration and thus grow in belief of fitting in,
however, Aboriginal adolescents struggled to find this basis to work on (Dudgeon et al., 2014. The
loss of identity drove some Aboriginal people into becoming an alcoholic or getting into trouble,
sparked from the idea of not fitting in and conforming to the white Western society (Shepherd et al.,
2017). A recent study in 2017 found that the correlation between Aboriginal people and the higher
level of their culture engaged with (identity development) directly correlated to not reoffending in
crime related activity (Shepherd et al., 2017). Adolescents find comfort in groups and therefore
many turn to street drinking where members of the street would become their “family”. There was
an absence in conditions required for these Aboriginal adolescents to form valuable and meaningful
identities (Dudgeon et al., 2014; Prilleltensky & Nelson, 2002). Aboriginal adolescents can experience
identity foreclosure, whilst being forced to take the ‘White Australian” life by the external authority
(Dudgeon et al., 2014; Prilleltensky & Nelson, 2002). Their identity to be like every other white
Australian without the going through the process of exploration and resolution of dialectical crisis,
similar to the Hitler Youth of 1940’s .
Question 1:
How does the development of cultures that are not Westernised experience similar
consequences to developing adolescent Aboriginal identity in Australia today? Are they
forced to seek this White Westernised culture forsaking their ontological belonging?
Question 2:
How has identity foreclosure influenced the development of Aboriginal adolescent’s identity
changed from the stolen generation to developing an identity in today’s society?
Question 3:
What are the limitations to the studies conducted on identity development of adolescent
Aboriginal Australians. Are there any gaps in the research, if so how could these gaps be
mitigated in future research?
References
Dudgeon, P., Milroy, H., & Walker, R. (2014). Working together: Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander mental health and wellbeing principles and practice. Australian Institute of
Health and Welfare.
https://findit.library.nd.edu.au/permalink/61UONDA_INST/188c8qt/alma99100098
1159706416
Pfeifer, J. H., & Berkman, E. T. (2018). The Development of Self and Identity in Adolescence:
Neural Evidence and Implications for a Value‐Based Choice Perspective on
Motivated Behavior. Child Development Perspectives, 12(3), 158–164.
https://doi.org/10.1111/cdep.12279
Prilleltensky, I., & Nelson, G. (2002). Doing Psychology Critically Making a Difference in
Diverse Settings. Macmillan Education UK. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-40391462-0
Shepherd, S. M., Delgado, R. H., Sherwood, J., & Paradies, Y. (2017). The impact of
indigenous cultural identity and cultural engagement on violent offending. BMC
Public Health, 18(1), 50–50. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-017-4603-2