American Indian and Alaska Native Mental Health

Abstract

In order to present an overview of American Indians and Alaska Natives mental health issues, the authors have purposefully avoided specific examples or generalizable guidelines that would mislead the readers due to the extreme cultural and historical differences that comprise the many American Indian and Alaska Native nations. It is also important to note that in the context of diversity, American Indian and Alaska Native identity is defined politically due to their collective history of being citizens of sovereign nations, not solely by racial, ethnic, or cultural terms. The chapter assesses the current knowledge available that describes mental health processes occurring among American Indians and Alaska Natives. The inquiry further clarifies the structure and function of mental health programs that have been established. We conclude that there is a need for a revision in a basic conceptualization of the research models and the types of data analysis that are or have been used, as well as their subsequent utilization.