Native American Youth Research Articles

Who am I? Who do you think I am? Stability of racial/ethnic self-identification among youth in foster care and concordance with agency categorization

While it has been well documented that racial and ethnic disparities exist for children of color in child welfare, the accuracy of the race and ethnicity information collected by agencies has not been examined, nor has the concordance of this information with youth self-report. This article addresses a major gap in the literature by examining 1) the racial and ethnic self-identification of youth in foster care, and the rate of agreement with child welfare and school categorizations; 2) the level of concordance between different agencies (school and child welfare); and 3) the stability of racial and ethnic self-identification among youth in foster care over time. Results reveal that almost 1 in 5 youth change their racial identification over a one-year period, high rates of discordance exist between the youth self-report of Native American, Hispanic and multiracial youth and how agencies categorize them, and a greater tendency for the child welfare system to classify a youth as White, as compared to school and youth themselves. Information from the study could be used to guide agencies towards a more youth-centered and flexible approach in regard to identifying, reporting and affirming youth's evolving racial and ethnic identity.

Kids' Cooking Camps Promote Exercise and Nutrition Knowledge Among Native American Youth

Kids' Cooking Camps Promote Exercise and Nutrition Knowledge Among Native American Youth

“Not at the Expense of Their Culture”: Graduating Native American Youth from High School

What kinds of challenges do educators face in increasing Native American high school graduation rates, and what kinds of adaptations to a traditional high school are understood as necessary to achieve this outcome? This case study explored these questions as part of a larger multiple case study that investigated practices and processes related to high school graduation rates. It focused on educators’ attempts to increase Native American student graduation rates in a high school with typical gaps in graduation rates between Native American students and white students. Data collected included teacher and administrator interviews and documentary evidence. Framed by socioecological theory that focuses on relationships between district, school, and classroom processes and practices, study findings revealed that adaptations to improve Native youth graduation rates included (1) offering personally-relevant, real-world, experiential, and interdisciplinary learning experiences aligned to students’ own learning goals; (2) adapting school schedules to students’ lives outside of school; (3) prioritizing developing students’ sense of worth in contributing to their communities and societies; (4) providing flexibility regarding absences, (5) offering effective supports that emphasize connecting to an adult; and (6) partnering with families and other community members. Implications for future research and practice are discussed in light of the findings.

Communication About Sexually Transmitted Infections Among Rural and Urban Native American Youth

This study explored an underserved population, Native American youth, regarding health communication about sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and HIV/AIDS. Determining communication patterns of these youth, who markedly differ from the general population on access to health facilities and information, will inform public policy about lessening Native youth STI and HIV/AIDs morbidity, potentially leading to a reduction in health and human costs associated with these illnesses. Using information channel complementarity theory, this study examined sexual health information use by rural and urban Native American youth. Semistructured interviews in a community-participatory based research approach (CPBR) facilitated understanding these youth in their cultural contexts. Findings showed they preferred pamphlets as their sexual health information source. They trusted interpersonal more than mediated sources, yet noted a lack of confidentiality from health officials. Although knowledgeable about types of STIs and HIV/AIDS, participants did not demonstrate knowledge about symptoms and treatments and exhibited a false awareness of self-knowledge. They showed a strong sense of community, interested in helping younger people in health prevention. They engaged in sexual behaviors, frequently along with alcohol and drugs. Rural females associated alcohol with sex and violence more than rural males, although this was not found among urban females or males.

Native American childhood obesity prevention interventions: a systematic review

Native American populations are at higher risk for becoming obese and suffering from obesity-related illness compared with other populations. Concurrently, prevention methods have not been successful with this group, especially intervention attempts aimed at children, which have been few and ineffective. The purpose of this systematic review was to evaluate the effectiveness and methodologies of childhood obesity prevention interventions targeting Native American youth, and to make recommendations to future researchers and practitioners. Seven databases (Medline, Academic Search Premier, CINAHL, ERIC, Health Source Nursing, PsychINFO, and Sport Discus) were utilized to retrieve articles, using four sets of keywords; 1. Children AND Obesity AND Native American AND Program; 2. Children AND Obesity AND Native American AND Intervention; 3. Children AND Obesity AND Indian AND Program; and 4. Children AND Obesity AND Indian AND Intervention. Overall, six articles were found and evaluated for salient findings and key methodological issues such as use of theory, intervention duration, research design, outcome measures, process evaluation, and validated measures. Results indicated that theory was seldom used in planning the interventions, process evaluations were used some of the time, and half of the interventions were smaller pilot studies. This review suggests that there have been few interventions targeting obesity prevention among Native American youth over the past decade. Recommendations for enhancing such programs are discussed.

Stacey L. Smith. Freedom's Frontier: California and the Struggle over Unfree Labor, Emancipation, and Reconstruction.

For the hundreds of millions of people around the world who have dreamed the American dream, the United States is the land of freedom. Meanwhile, for many Americans who have harbored what historian Kevin Starr has characterized as “the California Dream,” the Golden State has stood as a symbol of freedom from its birth. In Freedom's Frontier: California and the Struggle over Unfree Labor, Emancipation, and Reconstruction, Stacey L. Smith reveals the “unfreedom” (p. 6) beneath California's often gloried past from the late 1840s through Reconstruction. The diverse but intertwined experiences of California's bound groups mirror national debates and contests over the meaning of freedom at the time. This book is well organized and perceptively conceptualized. Chapter 1 discusses the different racial groups that constituted the labor force of California on the verge of the Gold Rush: Native Americans under the rancho system, Sonorans and Chileans, Hawaiian and Chinese workers, and slaves brought from the South by their masters. In the remaining six chapters the author offers thoughtful and detailed analysis of these groups. Smith examines the exploitation of the labor of Native American and African American youths working as wards and apprentices, as well as the trafficking of minority women and the role of the various players, ranging from Indian men to the government, in such activity.

Meeting the Transition Needs of Urban American Indian/Alaska Native Youth through Culturally Based Services.

This article reports findings from three qualitative studies exploring supports for positive transitions of American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) youth to adulthood. Community-based participatory methods were employed through a research partnership involving a culturally based community agency, the Native American Youth and Family Center (NAYA), the National Indian Child Welfare Association, and Portland State University. Studies utilized a Relational Worldview (RWV) framework, where well-being is understood as a balance among the domains of mind, body, spirit, and context. Collectively, findings demonstrate that NAYA employs culturally grounded interventions to overcome the traumatic histories and current oppressive conditions affecting low-income urban AI/AN youth with mental health challenges and to support their well-being and transition to adulthood. In addition, addressing the mental health and well-being of AI/AN youth in culturally appropriate ways involves consideration of all RWV domains. Recommendations for behavioral health practice are to connect AI/AN youth to culturally specific services whenever possible, utilize cultural consultants, and implement holistic and positive approaches to mental health.

Ethnic/racial disparities in adolescents' home food environments and linkages to dietary intake and weight status

Research is needed to confirm that public health recommendations for home/family food environments are equally relevant for diverse populations. This study examined ethnic/racial differences in the home/family environments of adolescents and associations with dietary intake and weight status. The sample included 2374 ethnically/racially diverse adolescents and their parents enrolled in coordinated studies, EAT 2010 (Eating and Activity in Teens) and Project F-EAT (Families and Eating and Activity in Teens), in the Minneapolis/St. Paul metropolitan area. Adolescents and parents completed surveys and adolescents completed anthropometric measurements in 2009–2010. Nearly all home/family environment variables (n=7 of 8 examined) were found to vary significantly across the ethnic/racial groups. Several of the home/family food environment variables were significantly associated with one or more adolescent outcome in expected directions. For example, parental modeling of healthy food choices was inversely associated with BMI z-score (p=0.03) and positively associated with fruit/vegetable consumption (p<0.001). Most observed associations were applicable across ethnic/racial groups; however; eight relationships were found to differ by ethnicity/race. For example, parental encouragement for healthy eating was associated with lower intake of sugar-sweetened beverages only among youth representing the White, African American, Asian, and mixed/other ethnic/racial groups and was unrelated to intake among East African, Hispanic, and Native American youth. Food and nutrition professionals along with other providers of health programs and services for adolescents should encourage ethnically/racially diverse parents to follow existing recommendations to promote healthy eating such as modeling nutrient-dense food choices, but also recognize the need for cultural sensitivity in providing such guidance.

Sustainable Construction in Indian Country: Expanding Affordability with Modular Multifamily Infill Housing

Kah San Chako Haws (East House in Chinook) is the first multistory, multifamily modular building in Portland, OR. The three-building development houses nine low-income families in studio, one- and two-bedroom units. In an increasingly expensive housing market, the Native American Youth and Family Center (NAYA) developed this prototype to demonstrate the cost and time savings that could be achieved in affordable housing while providing a unit superior to and greener than most conventional, affordable housing.

Connecting Culture, Land, and Family to Health: Reflections on a Workshop: Advancing Health Equity for Native American Youth

Connecting Culture, Land, and Family to Health: Reflections on a Workshop: Advancing Health Equity for Native American Youth

Negotiating Sociolinguistic Borderlands—Native Youth Language Practices in Space, Time, and Place

Drawing on the work of Philip Deloria (2004) and recent explorations of “American Indian languages in unexpected places” (Webster & Peterson, 2011a), this article challenges received expectations of Native American languages and language users as “rural” and physically distant and of “urban” Indigenous language practices as anomalous. With a focus on Native American youth, I develop the notion of sociolinguistic borderlands—spatial, temporal, and ideological spaces of sociolinguistic hybridity and diversity—as a lens into the grounded realities of language in the lives of contemporary Native youth. The article first contextualizes the current situation of Native American languages and language users within dynamic linguistic ecologies, then presents 4 ethnographic vignettes that illustrate the ways in which youth use their knowledge and claims to heritage languages to negotiate, cross, and occupy sociolinguistic borderlands. I conclude by suggesting the ways in which language planners and educators can reorganize received expectations about youth language practices and ideologies, thereby opening new possibilities for Indigenous language reclamation and youth self-empowerment.

Racial differences in academic achievement among juvenile offenders

Racial differences were examined in academic achievement among a large, diverse juvenile delinquent population in the Southwestern United States. Participant data were collected from the University of Arizona Juvenile Delinquency Project (UAJDP) database. Academic measures included school absences; grade point average; standardized reading, writing, and math achievement scores; and, special education placement. Results showed significant differences among racial groups on all measures of academic achievement. Whites had higher passage rates on standardized tests in math, reading, and writing, as well as higher GPA, compared to all racial minorities except for Asians. Native-American youth performed lower on most academic measures compared to other racial groups and had significantly more absences than any other racial group. Moreover, Whites had the highest rates of special education whereas Asians had the lowest. Implications of these findings are discussed in terms of future research and public policy issues.

Exploration of the structural and convergent validity of the Social Problem-Solving Inventory-Revised with Native American youth.

The structural invariance and concurrent validity of the Social Problem-Solving Inventory-Revised (SPSI-R) (D'Zurilla, Nezu, & Maydeu-Olivares, 2002) were explored with a sample of 699 rural Native American youth (mean age 15.9 years; 51.7% female) from the south central United States. Using confirmatory factor analysis, it was concluded that the structural integrity of the SPSI-R was largely upheld; however, differences with prior research emerged in response to one item, which may reflect cultural influences. Construct validity of the SPSI-R scales was supported through correlations with the Hope Scale (Snyder, Harris, Anderson, Holleran, Irving, Sigmon,... Harney, 1991) in directions consistent with problem-solving theory and prior empirical research. Relationships between SPSI-R scales and acculturation also were examined. Implications are discussed regarding further research on social problem solving with diverse cultural groups.

Secular trends in fast-food restaurant use among adolescents and maternal caregivers from 1999 to 2010.

We examined trends from 1999 to 2010 in adolescents' self-reported fast-food restaurant use alongside maternal reports of fast-food consumption and purchasing from restaurants for family meals. Middle- and high-school student participants from Minneapolis-St Paul, Minnesota, represented diverse ethnic/racial and socioeconomic backgrounds. Adolescents completed classroom-administered surveys and maternal caregivers responded by phone or mail. The overall prevalence of frequent fast-food consumption, defined as 3 or more times per week, decreased from 1999 to 2010 among adolescents (1999: 25%; 2010: 19%; P < .001) and maternal caregivers (1999: 17%; 2010: 11%; P < .001), but sociodemographic disparities were apparent. For example, the prevalence of frequent fast-food consumption remained highest and did not significantly decrease among Black or Native American youths. The overall prevalence of frequent fast-food purchases for family meals did not significantly decrease; large decreases were observed only among Hispanic families (1999: 18%; 2010: 6%; P < .001). In light of previous findings linking frequent fast-food consumption to greater weight gain and poor nutrition, the observed decreases in consumption are encouraging and interventions are needed to address observed disparities.

Prevention Trial in the Cherokee Nation: Design of a Randomized Community Trial

Despite advances in prevention science and practice in recent decades, the U.S. continues to struggle with significant alcohol-related risks and consequences among youth, especially among vulnerable rural and Native American youth. The Prevention Trial in the Cherokee Nation is a partnership between prevention scientists and Cherokee Nation Behavioral Health to create, implement, and evaluate a new, integrated community-level intervention designed to prevent underage drinking and associated negative consequences among Native American and other youth living in rural high-risk underserved communities. The intervention builds directly on results of multiple previous trials of two conceptually distinct approaches. The first is an updated version of CMCA, an established community environmental change intervention, and the second is CONNECT, our newly developed population-wide intervention based on screening, brief intervention, and referral to treatment (SBIRT) research. CMCA direct-action community organizing is used to engage local citizens to address community norms and practices related to alcohol use and commercial and social access to alcohol among adolescents. The new CONNECT intervention expands traditional SBIRT to be implemented universally within schools. Six key research design elements optimize causal inference and experimental evaluation of intervention effects, including a controlled interrupted time-series design, purposive selection of towns, random assignment to study condition, nested cohorts as well as repeated cross-sectional observations, a factorial design crossing two conceptually distinct interventions, and multiple comparison groups. The purpose of this paper is to describe the strong partnership between prevention scientists and behavioral health leaders within the Cherokee Nation, and the intervention and research design of this new community trial.

The Influence of Parental, Peer, and School Factors on Marijuana Use Among Native American Adolescents

ABSTRACT Marijuana use among Native American (NA) adolescents continues to be an ongoing concern and is often cited as the most critical health issue facing this population. Despite this recognition, few studies have examined the roles played by parental monitoring and school relationships among NA youth. This cross-sectional study used secondary data from the 2010 National Survey in Drug Use and Health to examine the combined influence of parental, peer, and school indicators on marijuana use among NA adolescents aged 12 to 17 years old (N = 287). The results of structural equation modeling suggest that peer factors and parental monitoring were significantly associated with marijuana use. In fact, the peer network was the most influential predictor. However, a significant relationship was not found between school relationships and marijuana use. Given the insignificance of school relationships, further research should examine the influence of peer interactions on marijuana use and the development of family-based prevention and intervention programs.

Prevalence of diabetes in U.S. youth in 2009: the SEARCH for diabetes in youth study.

OBJECTIVETo estimate the prevalence of diabetes in U.S. youth aged <20 years in 2009 and to estimate the total number of youth with diabetes in the U.S. by age, race/ethnicity, and diabetes type.RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODSTo address one of its primary aims, the SEARCH for Diabetes in Youth Study identified youth aged <20 years on 31 December 2009 with physician-diagnosed diabetes in selected areas of Colorado, Ohio, South Carolina, and Washington, among health plan members of Kaiser Permanente Southern California and among American Indians living on reservations in Arizona and New Mexico. Diabetes was classified as type 1, type 2, or other. Race/ethnicity was by self-report.RESULTSFrom a population of 3,458,974 youth aged <20 years, 7,695 youth with diabetes were identified (2.22/1,000): 6,668 with type 1 diabetes (1.93/1,000), 837 with type 2 diabetes (0.24/1,000), and 190 (0.05/1,000) with other diabetes types. Prevalence increased with age, was slightly higher in females than males, and was most prevalent in non-Hispanic White and least prevalent in Asian/Pacific Islanders, with Native American and black youth having the highest prevalence of type 2 diabetes. An estimated 191,986 U.S. youth aged <20 years have diabetes; 166,984 type 1 diabetes, 20,262 type 2 diabetes, and 4,740 other types.CONCLUSIONSDiabetes, one of the leading chronic diseases in childhood, affects >190,000 (1 of 433) youth aged <20 years in the U.S., with racial and ethnic disparities seen in diabetes prevalence, overall and by diabetes type.

Dietary patterns of Akwesasne Mohawk adolescents

Background: Native American youth have greater rates of overweight/obesity than same-aged youth from the general population. Even though dietary shifts are suspected, surprisingly little information exists concerning the dietary patterns of contemporary Native American adolescents.Aim: This study examines the dietary composition of Native American adolescents residing in upstate New York at the Akwesasne Mohawk Nation. The goal of this investigation is to assess the food patterns of Akwesasne adolescents via a total diet approach.Participants/setting and methods: The sample is comprised of 246 Mohawk adolescents between the ages of 10–16.9 years of age residing at the Akwesasne Mohawk Nation. Food frequency data was collected from adolescents via interview during a cross-sectional study investigating their exposure to environmental pollutants.Results and conclusion: Nutrient-dilute but energy-dense foods characterize most of the top 10 dietary sources of energy, carbohydrates, and fat. Although micronutrient intakes are by and large adequate in the sample, micronutrients are most often derived from highly fortified food sources. Adolescent diets contain few naturally-occurring sources of many micronutrients, especially folate and iron. A narrow variety of foods dominate the top dietary sources across both macronutrient and micronutrients, strongly suggesting the need for increased dietary diversity within this age group.

Examining the Theory of Historical Trauma Among Native Americans

The theory of historical trauma was developed to explain the current problems facing many Native Americans. This theory purports that some Native Americans are experiencing historical loss symptoms (e.g., depression, substance dependence, diabetes, dysfunctional parenting, unemployment) as result of the cross-generational transmission of trauma from historical losses (e.g., loss of population, land, and culture). However, there has been skepticism by mental health professionals about the validity of this concept. The purpose of this article is to systematically examine the theoretical underpinnings of historical trauma among Native Americans. The author seeks to add clarity to this theory to assist professional counselors in understanding how traumas that occurred decades ago continue to impact Native American clients today.Keywords: historical trauma, Native Americans, American Indian, historical losses, cross-generational trauma, historical loss symptomsCompared with all other racial groups, non-Hispanic Native American adults are at greater risk of experiencing feelings of psychological distress and more likely to have poorer overall physical and mental health and unmet medical and psychological needs (Barnes, Adams, & Powell-Griner, 2010). Suicide rates for Native American adults and youth are higher than the national average, with suicide being the second leading cause of death for Native Americans from 10-34 years of age (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2007). Given that there are approximately 566 federally recognized tribes located in 35 states, and 60% of Native Americans in the United States reside in urban areas (Indian Health Services, 2009), there is much diversity within the Native American population. Therefore, it is difficult to make overall generalizations regarding this population (Gone, 2009), and it is important to not stereotype all Native American people. Still, Native American individuals are reported as having the lowest income, least education, and highest poverty level of any group-minority or majority-in the United States (Denny, Holtzman, Goins, & Croft, 2005) and the lowest life expectancy of any other population in the United States (CDC, 2010).To explain why some Native American individuals are subjected to substantial difficulties, Brave Heart and Debruyn (1998) utilized the literature on Jewish Holocaust survivors and their decedents and pioneered the concept of historical trauma. The current problems facing the Native American people may be the result of a legacy of chronic trauma and unresolved grief across enacted on them by the European dominant culture (Brave Heart & DeBruyn, 1998, p. 60). The primary feature of historical trauma is that the trauma is transferred to subsequent generations through biological, psychological, environmental, and social means, resulting in cross-generational cycle of trauma (Sotero, 2006). The theory of historical trauma has been considered clinically applicable to Native American individuals by counselors, psychologists, and psychiatrists (Brave Heart, Chase, Elkins, & Altschul, 2011; Goodkind, LaNoue, Lee, Freeland, & Freund, 2012; Myhra, 2011). However, there has been uncertainty about the validity of this theory due to the ambiguity of some of the concepts with little empirical evidence (Evans-Campbell, 2008; Gone, 2009). Specifically, there has been lack of research about how the past atrocities suffered by the Native American people are connected with the current problems in the Native American community. The intent of this article is to examine the theoretical framework of historical trauma and apply recent research regarding the impact of trauma on an individual's physiological functioning and cross-generational transmission of trauma. Through this analysis, the author seeks to assist professional counselors in their clinical practice and future research.Core Concepts of Historical TraumaSotero (2006) provided conceptual framework of historical trauma that includes three successive phases. …

Invited Commentary: Fostering Resilience Among Native American Youth Through Therapeutic Intervention

This article offers a comprehensive overview and understanding of the needs of Native American Youth for researchers, educators, and practitioners based on current research and practice. Strengths and protective factors are discussed in terms of Native strengths in context, the strengths and resilience of Native ways, Indigenous ways of knowing, the relationship between cultural identity and the tribal nation, the importance of family, the roles of the wisdom keepers, spiritual ways, and communication styles. Contextual influences are explored in terms of the relationship between history and healing from intergenerational grief and trauma, the influence of acculturation, as well as current social, economic, and political issues that affect Native youth. Implications for research and therapeutic intervention are explored in terms of healing from historical trauma and oppression. The authors offer an overview of common presenting issues and recommendations, practical tribally-specific interventions, and reflections on what it means to work from a social justice and client/community advocacy perspective with a focus on providing effective therapeutic, culturally-based interventions with Native children and adolescents that promote resilience and foster positive development with this population.