The Legacy of the ‘Stolen Generations’: Chronic Depression, Cultural Alienation, Incarceration and Disruption of Individuals, Families and Communities

This paper describes research which examined the association between Australian Aboriginal children having been “taken away” (from their family of origin) & mental health & well-being in later life. A 3-year follow-up study of the mental health of a random sample of Aboriginal adults attending a general practitioner at an Aboriginal medical service found that one-third of the sample had been separated from their families under government assimilation policies. Those who had been separated differed markedly from other respondents on a range of study variables, including suicide attempts. (23 refs.)