How can mental wellbeing be understood holistically, and what protects it across biological, psychological, social and cultural domains?
ways of considering mental wellbeing, including levels of functioning and resilience, and social and emotional wellbeing (SEWB) as a multidimensional and holistic framework to wellbeing including protective factors and cultural determinants for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples
A focused answer to the VCE Psychology Unit 4 dot point on conceptualising mental wellbeing. Covers levels of functioning and resilience, the social and emotional wellbeing (SEWB) framework as a multidimensional and holistic model, its domains of connection, and protective factors and cultural determinants for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
Reviewed by: AI editorial process; not yet individually human-reviewed
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What this dot point is asking
VCAA wants you to describe several ways of considering mental wellbeing: a person's levels of functioning, their resilience, and the social and emotional wellbeing (SEWB) framework. You should explain SEWB as a multidimensional and holistic model of wellbeing, name its domains of connection, and explain the protective factors and cultural determinants that support the wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
The answer
Mental wellbeing can be understood in more than one way. Each lens captures a different aspect of how well a person is coping and thriving.
Levels of functioning
Levels of functioning describe how well a person operates in their daily life: their ability to carry out everyday tasks, meet responsibilities, maintain relationships and adapt to demands. High functioning means a person can independently manage daily life, work or study, and relationships. Low functioning means everyday tasks become difficult and the person may struggle to cope. Functioning can change over time and is one indicator of where a person sits on the mental wellbeing continuum.
Resilience
Resilience is the ability to cope with and adapt to stress and adversity, and to recover from setbacks and restore positive functioning. A resilient person is not free of stress; rather, they manage difficulty and bounce back from it. Resilience is supported by both internal resources (such as effective coping strategies and optimism) and external supports (such as strong relationships), and it protects mental wellbeing by buffering the impact of stressors.
Social and emotional wellbeing (SEWB)
Social and emotional wellbeing (SEWB) is a multidimensional and holistic framework for understanding wellbeing, used by and developed with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Where a narrowly Western model may focus on the individual mind, SEWB recognises that wellbeing arises from a person's connections across many domains and from their place within family, community, culture and Country.
SEWB is described through several domains of connection, which commonly include connection to:
- body (physical health),
- mind and emotions,
- family and kinship,
- community,
- Country (land and place),
- culture, and
- spirituality and ancestors.
Wellbeing is strong when these connections are strong and is harmed when they are disrupted. The framework is holistic because it treats the person as a whole embedded in their relationships and environment, not as an isolated individual, and multidimensional because wellbeing draws on all the domains together.
Protective factors and cultural determinants
Wellbeing within the SEWB framework is supported by protective factors across biological, psychological and social domains (such as good physical health, effective coping, and supportive relationships) and, crucially, by cultural determinants.
Cultural determinants are the broad, overarching cultural factors that strengthen the domains of connection. Key examples include:
- cultural continuity, the preservation and ongoing practice of traditions, language and identity across generations, which gives a sense of belonging to a thriving culture with a strong past and future; and
- self-determination, the right of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to make decisions about matters affecting their own lives and communities.
These cultural determinants act as powerful protective factors. When culture, connection to Country and self-determination are strong, they reinforce the SEWB domains and protect mental wellbeing; when they are eroded, wellbeing is undermined. Recognising cultural determinants is essential to understanding and supporting wellbeing for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in a way that the biopsychosocial model alone does not fully capture.
Exam-style practice questions
Practice questions written in the style of VCAA exam questions on this dot point, with worked answer explainers. The year tag is the paper they imitate, not the source.
2023 VCAA1 marksThe 2021 NAIDOC week theme was 'Heal Country'. According to the social and emotional wellbeing (SEWB) framework, the 2021 NAIDOC theme acknowledges the principle of A. physical health as a biological marker of health. B. connecting to Country as a way of healing body, mind and spirit. C. complex interactions between biological, psychological and social factors. D. spending time with Elders and developing healthy relationships with others.Show worked answer →
Answer: B. This is a 1 mark multiple-choice item.
The SEWB framework is a multidimensional, holistic model in which wellbeing flows from several domains of connection. A "Heal Country" theme directly reflects the domain of connection to Country, the idea that caring for and connecting with land heals body, mind and spirit. B states this domain correctly.
A reduces wellbeing to a single biological marker, which is not the holistic SEWB view. C describes the biopsychosocial model rather than a specific SEWB domain. D describes connection to community or relationships, which is a different SEWB domain from the one the "Heal Country" theme highlights.
2025 VCAA1 marksA culturally specific program to strengthen the social and emotional wellbeing (SEWB) of Aboriginal communities was led by Aboriginal researchers and used community consultations. Cultural determinants of wellbeing were represented in the program's development. In this way the program A. incorporates consultations but does not prioritise self-determination. B. limits cultural continuity by acknowledging different ways of knowing. C. aligns with cultural norms and values, addressing cultural determinants of kinship and community. D. empowers community members to take ownership through decision-making, supporting self-determination.Show worked answer →
Answer: D. This is a 1 mark multiple-choice item.
The program was led by Aboriginal researchers and used community consultations, so community members had genuine control over decisions affecting them. This is self-determination, a key cultural determinant of social and emotional wellbeing, so D is correct.
A contradicts the scenario, since being community-led does prioritise self-determination. B is wrong because acknowledging different ways of knowing supports, rather than limits, cultural continuity. C is a plausible distractor, but the feature most directly demonstrated by a community-led, decision-making program is self-determination (D).
2023 VCAA1 marksChen returned to study and felt he did not belong among younger students, resulting in worry and quickness to anger. Chen wants to increase his resilience. Which social protective factor would best achieve this? A. connecting with other mature-age university students B. enrolling in the course online to alter the environment he is in C. accepting that he cannot change other people's perceptions of him D. realising that it is too late to change his career and return to teachingShow worked answer →
Answer: A. This is a 1 mark multiple-choice item.
A social protective factor involves support from other people and a sense of belonging. Connecting with other mature-age university students provides social support and a peer group Chen can relate to, which would build his resilience, so A is correct.
B alters the environment rather than providing social connection. C is a psychological (cognitive) protective factor, not a social one. D is not a protective factor at all; giving up would reduce, not increase, resilience.