Virtues, Resilience, and Well-Being of Indigenous Youth in Peru

Abigail R.L Bullock,Kelly B.T Chang,B Cameron Stumpf

doi:10.7202/1077720ar

Abigail R.L Bullock, Kelly B.T Chang + Show 1 more

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https://doi.org/10.7202/1077720ar

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Abstract

Objectives: The objective of this study was to observe the relation of Values In Action (VIA) virtues, well-being, and resilience within a unique, non-Western population of Indigenous youth in the Peruvian Amazon.Methods: Data were collected from students (n = 172, age range: 11-16 years) attending a rural village school via self-report surveys to assess relationships using the VIA Youth-96 (VIA-Y-96) Assessment, Personal Wellbeing Index (PWI-A), and the Child and Youth Resilience Measure (CYRM-28).Results: The factor analysis of the CYRM-28 yielded a 3-factor breakdown (Social Engagement, Cultural Citizenship, and Guidance) instead of eight. Different VIA virtues predicted each of the three factors of the revised 3-factor CYRM-21-Peru model (CYRM-21-P); Transcendence, Humanity, and Wisdom were predictors of well-being; and higher reported resilience leads to higher well-being. Most participants scored very high on the PWI-A.Implications: Research presented in this paper involved a unique population of Indigenous youth residing in the Peruvian Amazon, and found that (a) VIA virtues were differentially associated with well-being, (b) Humanity was a significant predictor across Cultural Citizenship and Social Engagement in the revised CYRM-21-P, and (c) higher resilience was correlated with higher well-being. Implications of this research can be used to inspire future research of Indigenous populations in a Latin American context to develop youth development programs that teach students from a strength-based perspective to improve vocational, academic, psychological, and social well-being.

Highlights

Positive psychology, pioneered by Martin Seligman (2002), has been a growing field for research and literature that encourages areas which contribute to living the “good life,” such as well-being, happiness, life satisfaction, and virtues (McGrath, 2015a; Proctor et al, 2011; Seligman & Csikszentmihalyi, 2000)
Our study examined Values In Action (VIA) virtues, resilience, and wellbeing in a Latin American population, incorporating data from Indigenous populations in the Peruvian Amazon
The current study investigates the relationship between virtues, resilience, and well-being for a sample of Indigenous youth in the Peruvian Amazon

Summary

Introduction

Positive psychology, pioneered by Martin Seligman (2002), has been a growing field for research and literature that encourages areas which contribute to living the “good life,” such as well-being, happiness, life satisfaction, and virtues (McGrath, 2015a; Proctor et al, 2011; Seligman & Csikszentmihalyi, 2000). Peru is a South American country best known for its tourism. It is rich in culture and traditions, with several Indigenous tribes scattered throughout the Amazon and surrounding regions. We investigated the relationships between these constructs and examined the factor structure of the Child and Youth Resilience Measure (CYRM-28; Ungar & Liebenberg, 2011)

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