Decolonising tertiary psychology student support in Australia: empowering Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander psychology students

Objective

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, including psychologists, are actively leading and decolonising psychology. The focus of decolonising psychology is on epistemic justice for Indigenous knowledges and delivering culturally responsive services. Indigenous psychologists play a vital role in the decolonising process. Despite recommendations and initiatives aimed at decolonising psychology tertiary programs, such as increasing the representation of Indigenous peoples’ completing psychology tertiary education programs, completion rates remain below parity. This study explores the current strategies and initiatives within Australian psychology tertiary programs, which support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander psychology students.

Method

Aboriginal Participatory Action Research was foundational in this qualitative research, which included an online survey. Eighteen representatives from Australian psychology higher education providers participated in an online survey. Data was analysed using qualitative content analysis.

Results

Four key themes emerged: policies and structural support, partnerships with Indigenous communities, research and placement support, and processes supporting cultural safety.

Conclusions

Findings emphasise the need for multipronged and layered initiatives to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander psychology students. Implementing these strategies can enhance the recruitment, retention, and graduation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander psychology students, contributing to a more culturally responsive psychology workforce.