Search

Urban American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) youth represent a unique and growing population in the United States. Culture and participation in cultural activities is associated with resilience; however, urban AI/AN youth often report limited access to their culture. This paper presents results from a mixed-method feasibility evaluation of the Native Youth Leaders (NYL) program, a culturally-grounded youth program for urban AI youth. The NYL feasibility evaluation sought to answer two questions: (1) is the NYL program feasible and appropriate and (2) what are urban AI youth perspectives on the NYL program? Results indicate the NYL program was feasible and appropriate for urban AI youth. Recommendations may be useful to other tribal organizations as they design and implement culture-based programs for urban AI youth.

American Indian youth substance use is a major public health concern. To date, there has been limited evaluation of American Indian youth substance use prevention programs. Evaluation of prevention programs is necessary to understand the aspects of programming that are effective or not effective. This mixed-methods evaluation focuses on select outcomes of a 3-year culturally-based prevention program located in six American Indian communities in the Rocky Mountain Region. The goals of the prevention program are to reduce binge drinking by 30% and increase community readiness by 1-point over a 5- year period. In the first year of the program, community members worked with program staff to develop an evaluation plan that would measure the following outcomes: lowering substance use, increasing community readiness, and increasing the reach of prevention messaging through culturally based prevention. The primary research questions this outcome evaluation sought to answer were as follows: 1) Are there differences in American Indian youth who participate in culturally-based prevention activities compared with American Indian youth who do not participate in these activities? 2) Was the prevention program effective in increasing community readiness over a 3-year period? 3) Did community involvement in prevention activities increase overtime? Results from this evaluation indicate that substance use was similar among intervention (n = 200) and non-intervention youth (n = 369). This was somewhat surprising because Intervention youth reported higher levels of social support and community connections than non-intervention group youth. Community readiness decreased -.81 point from 2015 to 2017. The reach of prevention activities increased 365% from 2015 to 2017. We provide lessons learned that may help other communities as they document outcomes related to prevention efforts. Substance use is a multi-faceted problem facing our communities, families, schools, and nation. Innovative, effective, culturally-based prevention programs like the one highlighted in this paper underscore the need for primary prevention strategies.

Native American youth are placed at greater risk for suicide than any other age or ethnic population in the United States. Resilience has helped Native Americans overcome adversity. In this paper, authors provide an example of how intergenerational mentoring can moderate or reduce these risk factors. The Intergenerational Connection Project at Native PRIDE (ICP) works with advisory councils in four Native communities in Montana and South Dakota. To better understand resilience, this paper answers two questions: (1) how do communities define cultural resilience, and (2) how can cultural resilience be operationalized in a cultural context? The ICP team worked with community advisory councils to develop a cultural resilience scale that was administered at the beginning of the project and six months later, at the end of the Project. An independent samples t-test demonstrated a significant increase in all scale items from baseline and at six-month follow-up. Results indicate that all community definitions include terms related to adversity and the transfer of cultural knowledge through sharing, participation, and involvement. Community definitions also included conversations about spirituality, language, values, and interactions between elders and youth. Authors conclude with a strong message that strengths-based interventions like the ICP are needed to address suicide risk in Native communities.

Peer Recovery Support (PRS) is emerging as a key intervention for communities and individuals as they address high rates of substance abuse and limited recovery resources. American Indian populatio...

This paper shares lessons learned recruiting and engaging participants in the BRAVE study, a randomized controlled trial carried out by the Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board and the mHealth Impact Lab. The team recruited 2330 American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) teens and young adults nationwide (15&ndash, 24 years old) via social media channels and text message and enrolled 1030 to participate in the 9 month study. Teens and young adults who enrolled in this study received either: 8 weeks of BRAVE text messages designed to improve mental health, help-seeking skills, and promote cultural pride and resilience, or 8 weeks of Science Technology Engineering and Math (STEM) text messages, designed to elevate and re-affirm Native voices in science, technology, engineering, math and medicine, and then received the other set of messages. Results indicate that social media channels like Facebook and Instagram can be used to recruit AI/AN teens and young adults. Retention in this study was high, with 87% of participants completing both the BRAVE and STEM intervention arms. Lessons learned from this process may help teen and young adult-serving organizations, prevention programs, policy makers, researchers, and educators as they support the next generation of AI/AN change makers.

Aims Community management of youth with problematic sexual behavior (PSB) is complex. Public policies and service practices have historically utilized adult-focused approaches with limited research outcomes. This descriptive case study aimed to address this gap by documenting current PSB policies and policy reforms for community-based management systems. Method Semi-structured interviews with 219 professionals from eight urban and rural communities throughout the United States served as the primary data source for the study. The three-stage Framework Method was used to guide the data analysis process. Results This study covered three areas: context of policy development, attitudes, and perceptions of policy for youth with PSB, and existing policy and policy reform initiatives. Conclusion Findings support benefits of collaborative multidisciplinary teams that cross agency policies and procedures on management of cases involving youth with PSB. Implications for practitioners, policymakers, and community members are discussed.

Suicide is the leading cause of injury-related death in the United States, and between 1999 and 2009 the greatest increases in suicide were among American Indians and Alaska Natives. The present study highlights the efforts of 1 American Indian community to prevent suicide using the public health approach as a framework. A survey was developed and administered by the community between March 2014 and July 2014 at various community events. The sample included 100 participants with a mean age of 15.62 years. Questions related to stress, suicide ideation, anxiety, self-esteem, and antisocial behaviors. Results from this study indicate that depression and stressful life events are the strongest predictors of suicide ideation among tribal youth. (PsycINFO Database Record

Visual methods serve a unique purpose in that they help generate data that uncover experiences, knowledge, and contextual factors that lead to a greater shared understanding about a topic. We describe the process and results of one American Indian community-based organization's success using visual methods to prompt community conversations about mental health and substance abuse. We uncovered community members' mental health perspectives and experiences through visual vignettes. Our hope is that other communities and funding agencies see the value and promise of visual methods as a valid approach that promotes shared dialogue, decision making, and conversations for future generations.

Strength-based approaches that explore resilience and health among Native communities are needed. This report highlights the results from a sources of strength inventory reported over a 2-year period by participants (N = 48) from a Montana tribe who attended cultural camps. The authors found the sources of strength scale to be a reliable and valid measure for the population (N = 11 items, α = .945). The community plans to use the results of this study to inform and promote strength-based measures grounded in the resilience of youth, families, and culture.

Although there is a lack of research on instruction that aims at facilitating students’ use of questioning with peers, many early childhood social studies textbooks and resources, include activities and lessons recommending students conduct interviews with an explicit assumption that young students are capable of formulating and using questions in the context of an interview. In these instances, no suggestions or ideas are given to teachers regarding instruction that will encourage and facilitate students’ questioning. The purpose of this study was to determine if the levels of social studies interview questions second graders formulate and use can be increased with questioning instruction in terms of quality, which is defined as depth of response, and in terms of quantity. This study generated research hypotheses that could be investigated in future research on instruction aimed at increasing young children’s questioning abilities as demonstrated in social studies.

Peer recovery support (PRS) offers significant benefits for individuals in recovery from substance abuse disorders. This research describes the experiences of the first 12 months of a tribally led, American Indian community-based PRS project in two American Indian communities. An intrinsic qualitative case-study design was used to answer the research question, “What are some considerations for implementing PRS services in an American Indian reservation community?” Results showed PRS services fill a much-needed gap in American Indian communities where recovery support resources are limited and substance abuse is pervasive.

Purpose – Effective community-based suicide prevention strategies require culturally relevant contextually driven approaches, validated by community members. Existing literature, funding agencies, and polices do not adequately address the differences in community vs non-community definitions and approaches to suicide prevention. These differences and the process must be articulated to fully understand the complexities of effective American Indian community-based suicide prevention strategies. This paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach – This study uses a qualitative methodology to understand the process and meaning of an American Indian reservation's community-based approach to suicide prevention. Findings – Seven recommendations emerge. These include: expand the understanding of suicide; plan activities and outreach early; uphold cultural values; build administrative and community capacity; prepare and respond to community needs and situations; anticipate challenges and develop solutions; and recognize the spiritual aspects of the endeavor. Originality/value – This study provides new insight about the process in which American Indian communities define, develop and implement suicide prevention strategies that are culturally relevant and community driven. The process and recommendations may be useful for institutions, funding agencies, policy makers, and tribal leaders, and community-based prevention partners.

American Indian youth experience higher rates of substance use than non-American Indian youth. Researchers, clinicians, and treatment programs embrace evidence-based practices (EBPs) and practice based evidence (PBE) as a primary method for addressing substance abuse and advancing behavioral health. However, less is known about the use of tribal best practices (TBPs) and how they are implemented in American Indian substance use prevention contexts.The main objective of this systematic review was to determine how TBPs are implemented and shared in the context of tribal substance use prevention. The second objective was to document TBP examples from three tribal communities involved in a 5-year substance use prevention initiative.A systematic review of published and grey literature was conducted using funding agencies websites, EBSCO Host and national registries. Three tribal communities involved in the initiative documented current TBPs to highlight characteristics of TBPs, costs, and approval processes.TBPs are very limited in the literature. Despite tribal use for thousands of years, TBPs are underrepresented and misunderstood. This review found that the terminology used to describe TBPs is not consistent across agencies, publications, websites, or reports. There is also variation in how TBPs originate in substance use prevention contexts and there is not a primary resource or protocol for sharing TBPs. Continued efforts are needed to support the use and dissemination of TBPs in substance use prevention.

Purpose: In this article, we report a pilot study that tested the feasibility and initial efficacy of a culturally, linguistically, and developmentally tailored risky sex prevention intervention for middle school–age Latinas and their mothers. Design: We used a one-group pre-test, post-test, and 3-month post-intervention follow-up design. Data were collected at three points on aspects of the girls’ communication, beliefs, and behaviors. Results: Promising results included improvements in girl’s self-efficacy regarding condom communication and condom consistent use, and in mother–teen sexual risk communication. There were also trends in demonstration of fewer risky sex behaviors. Discussion: These findings suggest that the “Latina–Girls Empowered through Mind and Mission” (L-GEMM) intervention for young Latinas and their mothers is feasible and warrants further testing. Implications: Nurses are uniquely positioned to deliver risky sex preventive interventions to young Latinas. Including mothers and tailoring interventions to build on cultural strengths are important for success.

Introduction Autoethnography is a qualitative research method based on writing and reflection that allows researchers to explore personal experiences through social, cultural or political contexts. It works best when the researcher seeks to gain a cultural understanding of self and others (Chang, 2008). In this approach, the researcher is both the subject and the researcher. Autoethnographic research methods help answer research questions relating to an experience that is not well understood or lived by others. In the past, autoethnography was mainly used by disciplines such as anthropology, sociology, and education; yet today autoethnographic research approaches are emerging as a valid and meaningful research method by other disciplines including psychology, health sciences, and political science (Creswell, 2007; McIlveen, 2008). However, researchers from more positivist and empirical orientations feel autoethnographic approaches are not valid and therefore not an appropriate method for research within the academic institutions. Thus, the purpose of this paper is to demonstrate the use of autoethnography as a valid research method within the academy. The author uses feminist and constructivist perspectives to situate the meaning of the experience within a broader body of literature and through this, discovers the meaning of the doctoral comprehensive exam process. This paper provides an overview of autoethnography as a valid qualitative research method and takes the reader through a step-by-step process of the autoethnographic process. A reflexive narrative approach is used to construct and describe the doctoral comprehensive exam process. This creates a story. The author describes and interprets her experience, emotions, and encounters with self and with others during the exams. It is through this process the author finds meaning, history, and reflections for the future. This paper concludes with recommendations, both how doctoral committees can best support students, and the need for additional flexibility and supports for doctoral students with family responsibilities. Forms of Autoethnographies Autoethnography is based in theory and practice through various forms of critical inquiry (McIlveen, 2008). Multiple forms of autoethnography exist, for example, analytic, community, personal narratives, co-constructed narratives, and evocative (Ellis, Adams, & Bochner, 2011). Like other qualitative research methods (Carter & Little, 2007), autoethnographic forms serve different purposes. For example, the analytic form of autoethnography often seeks to establish objectivity whereas the evocative form aims to generate empathy from the reader (McIlveen, 2008). In comparison, community autoethnographies use the experiences of researchers working in partnership with a community to describe social and cultural context (Vande Berg & Trujillo, 2008). Of all autoethnographic forms, personal narratives are the most controversial. Some feel that researchers who write about themselves (personal narratives) are arrogant, self-absorbed, full of emotion, and lacking understanding about what constitutes research. However, others feel that personal narratives serve an important purpose because they allow researchers to be both authentic and vulnerable while connecting with others to share their reflection and experiences (Ellis, 1999). Similarities and differences between autoethnography, ethnography, biography, and autobiography must be recognized to fully realize the potential of autoethnography as a research method. Unlike ethnographic research, where researchers use observations and interviews to gain understanding of others, autoethnographic research uses the researcher's own experiences to gain understanding and make meaning of experiences (Polkinghorne, 1991). There are differences between each approach that can be answered by these questions: 'Who is the subject of research? …

What a Family! Every family has its own structure and unique characteristics. The family in this book has diversity and many of the nontraditional family groupings prevalent in society today. Created for kindergartners, this lesson celebrates individual likenesses and differences of families and students. It encourages both student and parent participation.

"All the stuff that happened before you were born is your own kind of Show Way." This Newberry Award winning book can be used for many different types of activities. In this lesson, Show Way is used to teach map symbols.

Objective To compare American-Indian and Caucasian mortality rates from diabetes among tribal Contract Health Service Delivery Areas (CHSDAs) in the Great Plains Region (GPR) and describe the disparities observed. Research design and methods Mortality data from the National Center for Vital Statistics and Seer*STAT were used to identify diabetes as the underlying cause of death for each decedent in the GPR from 2002 to 2010. Mortality data were abstracted and aggregated for American-Indians and Caucasians for 25 reservation CHSDAs in the GPR. Rate ratios (RR) with 95% CIs were used and SEER*Stat V.8.0.4 software calculated age-adjusted diabetes mortality rates. Results Age-adjusted mortality rates for American-Indians were significantly higher than those for Caucasians during the 8-year period. In the GPR, American-Indians were 3.44 times more likely to die from diabetes than Caucasians. South Dakota had the highest RR (5.47 times that of Caucasians), and Iowa had the lowest RR, (1.1). Reservation CHSDA RR ranged from 1.78 to 10.25. Conclusions American-Indians in the GPR have higher diabetes mortality rates than Caucasians in the GPR. Mortality rates among American-Indians persist despite special programs and initiatives aimed at reducing diabetes in these populations. Effective and immediate efforts are needed to address premature diabetes mortality among American-Indians in the GPR.

The aim of this study was to understand adolescent mothers’ childbirth experiences. Semistructured interviews were conducted with participants recruited from a community-based program for adolescent mothers. Fourteen mothers described their birth experiences. Using a narrative analytic approach, responses were reconstructed into birth stories. Stories, condensed into poetic form, were compared and contrasted. Four unique categories emerged: connected births, surreal births, disconnected births, and disempowered births. Categories differed by agency, support, and emotional tone. Positive support was found in stories that portrayed high agency and positive affect, whereas problematic support was apparent in stories that conveyed passivity, frustration, and disappointment. This study has implications for tailoring childbirth education for adolescent mothers and can inform health-care professionals working with this population.

Institutional review boards (IRBs) function to regulate research for the protection of human participants. We share lessons learned from the development of an intertribal IRB in the Rocky Mountain/Great Plains Tribal region of the United States. We describe the process through which a consortium of Tribes collaboratively developed an intertribal board to promote community-level protection and participation in the research process. In addition, we examine the challenges of research regulation from a Tribal perspective and explore the future of Tribally regulated research that honors indigenous knowledge and promotes community accountability and transparency. We offer recommendations for researchers, funding agencies, and Tribal communities to consider in the review and regulation of research.

Introduction: Training for new and existing researchers in community-based participatory research (CBPR) approaches requires flexibility and a departure from traditional research methods courses. The literature has not fully reported how universities teach CBPR or the impact of CBPR courses on students and researchers. Method: In this paper, I use a reflective, inquiry-based methodology to find meaning from my experience in a doctoral level CBPR course offered by a southeastern university. Results: Five recommendations, complementary to guiding CBPR principles emerge. These include: Know the inherent challenges, find meaning and purpose, seek to understand complexities, recognize the implications, and use CBPR as a means to redress power. Discussion: The reflection process and recommendations may be useful for institutions, funding agencies, policy makers, and community-engaged researchers.