Psychology in the Public Interest

Drugs and alcohol

The use of psychoactive substances, in the form of alcohol and other drugs (AOD), is a common human behaviour. The vast majority of adults include some form of substance use in their lifestyle. There is, however, tremendous variation in the amount and type of substances that different people and groups consume at different times. Harmful substance use can have a major negative impact on the wellbeing of individuals, families and communities, and is a growing concern in Australia and internationally. There is considerable controversy regarding appropriate responses to harmful substance use of all kinds. 

As a profession and science, psychology has much to offer in terms of theory, research and practice in the AOD field. The APS is concerned about the recent shift in government policy and public discourse on illicit drugs from harm minimisation to zero tolerance, and from health and treatment issues to punitive ‘law and order’ responses. This change goes against the weight of expert advice and scientific evidence. 

Human rights

Indigenous Australians

Psychological knowledge and practice across all specialisations has much to offer to address the disadvantage experienced by our nation’s first people, who represent 2.4% of the Australian population. 

In addition to increasing the number of Indigenous psychologists, we need to help non-Indigenous psychologists to better understand the issues Indigenous people face every day, as well as the strengths that can be utilised. We need to work with indigenous Australians and be trained by them to ensure that we know what those issues are, and how they can be addressed in the most effective, appropriate and socially just ways. 

The Public Interest team is working with the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples and Psychology Interest Group, and with representatives of other areas such as science, training and standards, professional development and professional practice to enhance psychologists’ cultural competence and to promote Indigenous health, safety and wellbeing across urban, rural and remote communities.

» » Go to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples and Psychology Interest Group

Natural disasters

Disasters have far-reaching effects on people and communities, and these effects can last from months to years during the periods of recovery and rebuilding. 

Most people in Australia live in areas of threat from natural disaster, whether it be from cyclones, severe storms, bushfires, floods, droughts, or earthquakes. While individuals do cope differently with events, there are generally helpful strategies that can be used to prepare ourselves better so that injuries can be avoided and lives may be saved during natural disasters. 

Parenting

The Public Interest team recognises the essential role that parents play in providing stable and nurturing environments for their children, and provides many resources to assist parents in their task.  

Psychology and the environment

Australian psychologists are gravely concerned about the continuing and escalating threats to the natural environment and their implications for the future of the planet.  Fortunately, psychology can contribute substantially to addressing environmental problems and sustainability issues.  A priority for psychologists is to communicate psychological research findings about community perceptions and concerns regarding environmental challenges, and what have been shown to be the most effective strategies in fostering individual and collective behaviour change to reduce adverse environmental impacts.

Racism

Challenging prejudice and racism is an important focus for psychology, and for all levels of Australian society.  The APS position paper on racism and prejudice was first published in the Australian Psychologist (Sanson, Augoustinos, Gridley, Kyrios, Reser & Turner, 1998), at a time when ongoing public debates about ‘race’ and prejudice had gained new political salience in Australia.  While the focus of those debates has shifted to new targets, many psychologists remain concerned at the levels of racism that underpin much of the media discussion and institutional responses to issues such as terrorism, ‘border protection’ and child sexual abuse. A changing landscape has also appeared with respect to theory and research within psychology and other social science disciplines around prejudice and racism.  An update of the original position paper currently underway contains a summary of research and future directions for the community at large to tackle this problem.

Refugees and asylum seekers

The health and human rights of refugees and asylum seekers are of key concern. Refugees often have high levels of trauma prior to (and during) migration, with negative impacts on their mental health and wellbeing. What happens to asylum seekers whilst they are waiting for their refugee claims to be processed is also important. There is well-documented evidence about the deleterious effects of immigration detention on the mental health and well-being of asylum seekers, particularly those who are already vulnerable, such as children, or those with pre-existing trauma or mental illness.

APS members have involved themselves in a range of support and advocacy activities in relation to refugees over the past 10 years, and particularly since the Tampa crisis in 2001. The APS has contributed to several public inquiries into aspects of immigration detention, and is represented on the Detention Health Advisory Group that is developing evidence-based policies and procedures in regard to the health and wellbeing of detainees, particularly around suicide and self harm issues.  The APS welcomes the proposed changes to immigration detention policy that have been announced in 2008, and looks forward to their enactment in legislation.

• APS members around the country participated in consultations to develop an APS response to the plight of refugees and asylum-seekers, whether in detention or living in the community under extremely restrictive visa conditions. A literature review on The psychological wellbeing of refugees resettling in Australia has been completed, documenting the evidence available concerning refugee mental health and wellbeing in the Australian context. The review also summarises models of best practice for psychologists who work in this area.
  
  
• A working party of the APS Melbourne Branch has been set up to address concerns about inappropriate labelling of refugee children, and to work with similarly concerned colleagues in other States to develop appropriate non-discriminatory assessment processes when a question arises about a student's eligibility to access special needs services. See their report at: www.groups.psychology.org.au/melbourne/news/
  
  
• Researchers for Asylum Seekers (RAS) is a voluntary and non-profit group of predominantly psychologists concerned about the treatment of asylum seekers in Australia. Affiliated within the School of Behavioural Science, University of Melbourne, RAS aims to raise awareness of the plight of asylum seekers through forums, conferences, research and the distribution of information on asylum seeker issues.
  
  
• A recent initiative of RAS is the edited book Yearning to Breathe Free. The book's editors, psychologists Dean Lusher and Nick Haslam, aimed to present an overview of the historical, social and political contexts that have shaped Australia's recent treatment of asylum seekers, and its psychological and humanitarian consequences. Each section features introductory commentaries from prominent names such as Malcolm Fraser, Sir Gustav Nossal, and Lyn Allison. Of particular interest to psychologists would be the chapters on the effect of detention on brain function and mental health, and a chapter on the psychology of exclusion that examines attitudes towards asylum seekers. Copies in bookstores are hard to find, so the web is the best option: www.federationpress.com.au/bookstore/book.asp?isbn=9781862876569
  
  
• Psychologists wishing to support asylum seekers through volunteer counselling are in high demand. The Asylum Seeker Resource Centre (ASRC) in Victoria, for example, has a counselling program where asylum seekers who are unable to access any other mental health services can find support. ASRC provides training for volunteers who are experienced in trauma counselling.

Sexualisation of girls

Mental health professionals are increasingly concerned about the prevalence of sexualised images of children and early adolescents in the media. These images appear to be widely used in advertising, and represent children, including pre-pubertal children, in ways more congruent with adult sexuality. The values implicit in the images are that physical appearance and beauty are intrinsic to self-esteem and social worth, and that sexual attractiveness is a part of childhood experience.  Research has shown that the exploitation of children, particularly girls, as sexual objects has a detrimental effect on adolescent development, increasing the risk of depression, eating disorders and low self-esteem.  The unrealistic depiction of children in a sexualized manner is not only harmful to girls and women, but has wider consequences in the community.

Notice of Motion in the Senate

The APS worked together with The Australian Democrats to introduce a Notice of Motion to the Senate calling for an inquiry into the sexualisation of children in the media. The amended Motion was passed on the 13th August 2007.  Click here to view Notice of Motion

» » See also APA taskforce on the sexualisation of children

Torture

APS Declaration on Torture 

At the 2007 APS AGM, an APS declaration on torture was passed declaring the Society’s unequivocal condemnation of the use of torture or other inhumane or degrading procedures in all situations.

This resolution was developed in the context of the debate surrounding the APA’s policies on the involvement of psychologists in military and CIA interrogation techniques. 

The APS Board of Directors passed the following resolution on 24 September 2007:

The Australian Psychological Society, as a member of the International Union of Psychological Science, fully endorses the United Nations Declaration and Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment 1997.

The Australian Psychological Society regards all forms of torture, as defined in Article 1 of the United Nations Declaration and Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman, or Degrading Treatment or Punishment 1997, as breaches of the Society’s Code of Ethics (2003) General Principle III Propriety.

For further information providing a context to the APS resolution, and summary of the controversy surrounding the APA’s policies and positions on torture and treatment of detainees, go to: www.groups.psychology.org.au/pfp/resources/torture/

Violence and social justice

People are becoming increasingly concerned about problems of violence at all levels of society. Never before has there been such potential for violence, yet also such prospects for peace and justice. Improving people’s daily living conditions and contributing to the creation of a peaceful and just world depends on our ability to understand the issues, acknowledge and use our power and privilege in socially just rather than abusive ways, recognise and manage our feelings, confront our prejudices and develop new and creative solutions.