Examining the Relationship between Attachment Styles and Resilience Levels among Aboriginal Adolescents in Canada

Abstract

The history of colonization in Canada has a traumatic intergenerational impact on young Aboriginal people's health, which is evidenced by the wide health disparities (Adelson, 2005; Health Council of Canada, 2012). However, extant research shows that, through resilience, many Aboriginal adolescents overcome adverse situations and develop into healthy adults (Andersson & Ledogar, 2008). Knowledge of the ways and extent to which Aboriginal youth seek support to cope with stressful events may be improved by examining the distribution of attachment styles and their relationship with resilience. The data (n = 136) used for this study were obtained from the British Columbia Adolescent Substance Use Survey. Findings indicate resiliency was significantly associated with attachment style (p < .01). The study findings provide support for tailoring resilience mental health promotion and intervention resources according to attachment style to foster long-term engagement in programming that helps Aboriginal youth live a healthy and holistically balanced life.