A culturally informed approach to American Indian/Alaska Native youth suicide prevention.

2016 ◽  
pp. 223-245 ◽  
Author(s):  
Teresa D. LaFromboise ◽  
Saima S. Malik
Keyword(s):  
American Indian ◽  
Suicide Prevention ◽  
Alaska Native ◽  
Youth Suicide ◽  
Culturally Informed ◽  
Native Youth

scholarly journals Strengths-Based Assessment for Suicide Prevention: Reasons for Life as a Protective Factor From Yup’ik Alaska Native Youth Suicide

Assessment ◽  
2019 ◽  
pp. 107319111987578 ◽  
Author(s):  
James Allen ◽  
Stacy M. Rasmus ◽  
Carlotta Ching Ting Fok ◽  
Billy Charles ◽  
Joseph Trimble ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Protective Factors ◽  
American Indian ◽  
Suicide Prevention ◽  
Cause Of Death ◽  
Alaska Native ◽  
Suicide Risk ◽  
Protective Factor ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Health Crisis ◽  
Native Youth

Suicide is the second leading cause of death among American Indian and Alaska Native youth, and within the Alaska Native youth subpopulation, the leading cause of death. In response to this public health crisis, American Indian and Alaska Native communities have created strategies to protect their young people by building resilience using localized Indigenous well-being frameworks and cultural strengths. These approaches to suicide prevention emphasize promotion of protective factors over risk reduction. A measure of culturally based protective factors from suicide risk has potential to assess outcomes from these strengths-based, culturally grounded suicide prevention efforts, and can potentially address several substantive concerns regarding direct assessment of suicide risk. We report on the Reasons for Life (RFL) scale, a measure of protective factors from suicide, testing psychometric properties including internal structure with 302 rural Alaska Native Yup’ik youth. Confirmatory factor analyses revealed the RFL is best described through three distinct first-order factors organized under one higher second-order factor. Item response theory analyses identified 11 satisfactorily functioning items. The RFL correlates with other measures of more general protective factors. Implications of these findings are described, including generalizability to other American Indian and Alaska Native, other Indigenous, and other culturally distinct suicide disparities groups.

Understanding Indigenous Suicide Through a Theoretical Lens: A Review of General, Culturally-Based, and Indigenous Frameworks

2018 ◽  
Vol 55 (6) ◽  
pp. 775-799 ◽  
Author(s):  
Victoria M. O’Keefe ◽  
Raymond P. Tucker ◽  
Ashley B. Cole ◽  
David W. Hollingsworth ◽  
LaRicka R. Wingate
Keyword(s):  
North America ◽  
American Indian ◽  
Suicide Prevention ◽  
Alaska Native ◽  
Theoretical Frameworks ◽  
Prevention And Intervention ◽  
Culturally Informed ◽  
Culturally Based ◽  
Potential Applicability ◽  
Indigenous Perspective

Many American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) communities throughout North America continue to experience the devastating impact of suicide. Theoretical explanations of suicide from a psychological, sociological, cultural, and Indigenous perspective all differ in focus and applicability to AI/AN communities. These diverse theoretical frameworks and models are presented herein to examine the potential applicability, strengths, and limitations in understanding AI/AN suicide. In providing these perspectives, continued discussions and empirical examinations of AI/AN suicide can guide informative, culturally-informed suicide prevention and intervention efforts.

scholarly journals A Pilot Evaluation of Culture Camps to Increase Alaska Native Youth Wellness

2019 ◽  
Vol 21 (3) ◽  
pp. 363-371
Author(s):  
Jodi D. Barnett ◽  
Tara C. Schmidt ◽  
Bridie Trainor ◽  
Lisa Wexler
Keyword(s):  
Suicide Prevention ◽  
Alaska Native ◽  
Evaluation Research ◽  
Historical Trauma ◽  
Emotional States ◽  
Cultural Approach ◽  
Native Youth ◽  
And Coping ◽  
Subsistence Activities ◽  
Significant Health

Suicide is a significant health disparity among Alaska Native youth, which is linked to cultural disruptions brought about by colonialism and historical trauma. Many Indigenous suicide prevention efforts center on revitalizing and connecting youth to their culture to promote mental health and resilience. A common cultural approach to improve psychosocial outcomes is youth culture camps, but there has been little evaluation research to test this association. Here, we conduct a pilot evaluation of a 5-day culture camp developed in two remote regions of Alaska. The camps bring together Alaska Native youth from villages in these regions to take part in subsistence activities, develop new relationships, develop life skills, and learn traditional knowledge and values. This pilot evaluation of the culture camps uses a quantitative pre/post design to examine the outcomes of self-esteem, emotional states, belongingness, mattering to others, and coping skills among participants. Results indicate that culture camps can significantly increase positive mood, feelings of belongingness, and perceived coping of participants. Culture camps are a common suicide prevention effort in Indigenous circumpolar communities, and although limited in scope and design, this pilot evaluation offers some evidence to support culture camps as a health promotion intervention that can reduce suicide risk.

scholarly journals Suicide Attempts Among American Indian and Alaska Native Youth

1999 ◽  
Vol 153 (6) ◽  
Author(s):  
Iris Wagman Borowsky ◽  
Michael D. Resnick ◽  
Marjorie Ireland ◽  
Robert W. Blum
Keyword(s):  
American Indian ◽  
Alaska Native ◽  
Suicide Attempts ◽  
Native Youth

scholarly journals Advancing Suicide Prevention Research With Rural American Indian and Alaska Native Populations

2015 ◽  
Vol 105 (5) ◽  
pp. 891-899 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lisa Wexler ◽  
Michael Chandler ◽  
Joseph P. Gone ◽  
Mary Cwik ◽  
Laurence J. Kirmayer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
American Indian ◽  
Suicide Prevention ◽  
Alaska Native ◽  
Prevention Research ◽  
Native Populations

Preventing Substance Abuse in American Indian and Alaska Native Youth: Promising Strategies for Healthier Communities.

2004 ◽  
Vol 130 (2) ◽  
pp. 304-323 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizabeth H. Hawkins ◽  
Lillian H. Cummins ◽  
G. Alan Marlatt
Keyword(s):  
Substance Abuse ◽  
American Indian ◽  
Alaska Native ◽  
Native Youth
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