Maslow's hierarchy and social and emotional wellbeing

Gorman, Don (2010) Maslow's hierarchy and social and emotional wellbeing. Aboriginal and Islander Health Worker Journal, 34 (1). pp. 27-29. ISSN 1037-3403

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Abstract

Mental health, or more broadly, social and emotional wellbeing (SEWB) is dependent on many factors, both internal and external. The external factors such as socio economic disadvantage are fairly well documented and generally their link to SEWB are fairly easy to understand, although the degree of impact they have may be debated. The internal factors such as motivation are much more difficult to explain. One framework that is still used to explain motivation since it was first published in the 1940s is that of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. Put simply this framework suggests that people are motivated by different needs that can be classified in a hierarchy with the lower level needs having to be fulfilled before the higher level needs can be. Better understanding the link between cultural disconnection and SEWB may offer clear solutions to how it can be addressed.
This paper will argue that those higher level needs are closely linked to culture and that consequently any disconnection from culture can impede, if not make impossible, their attainment. If this link can be demonstrated it becomes possible to explain how the SEWB of people who have been disconnected from their culture such as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians is at greater risk of impairment.

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Item Type:	Article (Commonwealth Reporting Category C)
Refereed:	Yes
Item Status:	Live Archive
Additional Information:	Author's version deposited with permission of publisher.
Faculty / Department / School:	Historic - Faculty of Sciences - Department of Nursing
Date Deposited:	27 May 2010 09:16
Last Modified:	21 Aug 2014 04:29
Uncontrolled Keywords:	culture; mental health; motivation; needs; social and emotional wellbeing
Fields of Research :	11 Medical and Health Sciences > 1117 Public Health and Health Services > 111701 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health 11 Medical and Health Sciences > 1117 Public Health and Health Services > 111714 Mental Health 17 Psychology and Cognitive Sciences > 1701 Psychology > 170110 Psychological Methodology, Design and Analysis
Socio-Economic Objective:	C Society > 92 Health > 9203 Indigenous Health > 920301 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health - Determinants of Health
URI:	http://eprints.usq.edu.au/id/eprint/6830

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