Violence and Resilience: A Scoping Review of Treatment of Mental Health Problems for Indigenous Youth

Abstract

Indigenous communities have sustained multiple layers of trauma across generations in their lands and social ecology. Considering services utilization as a potential resilience process and cultural as a resilience resource, Western mental health approaches have been modified and applied to Indigenous youth. A scoping review framework was utilized to explore the available research evidence regarding mental health treatment for Indigenous youth; eight articles were reviewed. The majority of interventions were based in a Cognitive Behavioural Therapy model. These interventions were effective and perceived as culturally acceptable. The results support incorporating traditional cultural activities in the treatment of mental health concerns. Development of traditional and cultural applications, especially those that may serve to bolster resilience, and measuring resilience as an outcome, is needed.