Empirical findings from psychotherapy research with indigenous populations: A systematic review

Although the dire mental health needs of Indigenous communities are well established in the literature, the empirical evidence for psychotherapeutic treatment for these populations is perceived to be scant. This review is intended to determine gaps in the literature for this population by asking how much empirical work has been published, what types of research are being conducted, which topics are most prevalent among the existing literature, and what can be concluded about psychotherapy with Indigenous populations based on this literature.

A systematic review of empirical psychotherapy research on Indigenous clients of Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United States was conducted across 10 databases.

A total of 44 studies were found, with just 2 examples of controlled outcome trials. The most common research topic was treatment evaluation, but only 4 treatment evaluation studies examined individual psychotherapy with adults. Looking across all topics, treatment for substance use disorders comprised the majority of studies on specific mental health problems.

Moving forward, it will be important for researchers to examine individual psychotherapy for Indigenous clients and to consider treatment for disorders unrelated to substance use. A preference for the inclusion of cultural practices and education in psychotherapy was clear across the literature, but the limited inferences that can be drawn from the existing research make it impossible to come to any conclusions about the specific roles or effects of cultural practices. Overall, empirical research is badly needed for psychotherapy with Indigenous populations at this time. (PsycINFO Database Record