Getting heard: the development of culturally-relevant measures for Australian farming families

With the number of farming families in Australia steadily declining, it seems that farming is being forgotten. As farming is a primary industry in Australia, these statistics are alarming and raise the question as to why this is occurring. Farming families are faced with many unique challenges; however one that is of particular interest is the impact the business and home environment has on farming families' mental health. Farming as a business is unlike most others as farmers live and work in the same geographical location and often with the same people. This results in blurred roles, relationships and boundaries that can lead to an increased risk of conflict. Previous research conducted by the authors in 2007 established that there was a unique work-home interface present for farmers and that there was a relationship between this environment, major stressors, and psychological distress. However, it was clear there were limitations associated with the measures used as they had not been validated for use with farmers in Australia. The current investigation aims to develop measures relevant to the unique work-home environment of farming families, the issues of main concern, and effective coping strategies. This presentation will report on qualitative data from interviews with farming families