About this session

Saturday, 8:30 AM - 10:00 AM

Culture, Families, and Communities: The Grounding Stone Facilitating and Supporting Indigenous Child Development and Well-being

Indigenous communities have abundant strengths. Research overwhelmingly demonstrates the importance of cultural responsiveness in effective prevention and intervention efforts for Indigenous youth. Still there is a gap in our knowledge of how to draw upon and integrate such strengths into prevention and intervention efforts that support Indigenous children’s and youth’s well-being. To fill the gap, this symposium presents four interdisciplinary projects, with the first two setting the stage for understanding the links between cultural connectedness and youth well-being, and the second two take a step further to illustrate how Indigenous scholars and allies can work together to develop culturally responsive measures and intervention programs.

In paper 1, the authors explored the relationship between Yaakwdáat (Yakutat) Lingít child-rearing practices and resilience. In paper 2, the research team explored cultural connectedness as a moderator of stressful life events and perceived discrimination in relation to executive function difficulties mediating mental health outcomes among urban American Indian youth. Drawing on strengths of Indigenous communities, paper 3 showcased the process of creating a culturally grounded measure of early relational well-being; paper 4 explained the process of co-adapting a culturally responsive social-emotional intervention program to young Indigenous children.

Taken together, this symposium deepens our understanding of the significance of Indigenous cultural practices, values, and connectedness. The four different types of community-engaged research include both urban and Tribal Nations, demonstrating the broad range, potential, and impact of community-engaged research to build connections, translate Indigenous knowledge into evidence-based practices, and produce impactful changes on Indigenous children's and family's well-being.

Paper #1
Title	Raising Resilient Lingít Children: The Significance of Kinship and Culture in Fostering Well Adjusted People
Presenting author	Sharnel Vale-Jones, University of Alaska Anchorage, United States

Paper #2
Title	CultureXEnvironment Interactions Influencing Cognitive Pathways to Positive Mental Health among Urban American Indian Youth
Presenting author	Monica M. Tsethlikai, Ph.D., Arizona State University, United States

Paper #3
Title	Co-creating a Culturally Grounded Measure of Early Relational Wellbeing among Young Indigenous Children
Presenting author	Nancy L. Asdigian, Tribal Early Childhood Research Center, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, United States

Paper #4
Title	Pathways to Wellness: Co-Adapting Culturally Responsive Social-Emotional Learning for Young Indigenous Children
Presenting author	Jingjing Sun, PhD, University of Montana, United States

View all paper details

Session chair
Dr. Jingjing Sun, University of Montana, United States

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