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About this paper symposium
| Panel information |
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| Panel 29. Solicited Content: Indigenous Children and Families |
| Paper #1 | |
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| Raising Resilient Lingít Children: The Significance of Kinship and Culture in Fostering Well Adjusted People | |
| Author information | Role |
| Sharnel Vale-Jones, University of Alaska Anchorage, United States | Presenting author |
| Maredyth Cheromiah Salazar, University of Alaska Anchorage, United States | Non-presenting author |
| Sara Buckingham, University of Alaska Anchorage, United States | Non-presenting author |
| Abstract | |
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Older Indigenous adults have exhibited remarkable resilience while navigating elevated levels of historical and ongoing psychosocial stressors, such as polyvictimization. Social support has been identified as a vital protective factor in this population, and child-rearing practices as key contributors to this social support. Both formal and informal child-rearing practices have been suggested to bolster resilience among high-risk youth. Still, most research on Indigenous people’s resilience has focused on general social influences or other ecological systems without adequately examining child-rearing practices. Common Lingít child-rearing practices often involve extensive kinship networks, storytelling, and hands-on learning through participation in community and cultural activities, as well as emphasize the intergenerational transmission of knowledge and values. How Lingít (Tlingit) child-rearing practices, past and current, contribute to resilience remains unexplored. This study investigates how Yaakwdáat (Yakutat) Lingít child-rearing practices contribute to resilience. Employing Critical Indigenous Research Methodology (CIRM) and transformative grounded theory, this research integrates Indigenous perspectives with resilience theories, exploring the family-level adaptive processes within Yaakwdáat Lingít child-rearing practices. The project uses a combination of individual interviews with culture bearers (n= 9, elders, kwáan leaders, or community-deemed bearers) and 4 Talking Circle interviews with Lingít adults (n = 23, who have had experience receiving and imparting child-rearing) to capture diverse experiences and perspectives. This paper will present the findings of this project, sharing how Yaakwdáat Lingít child-rearing practices are seen to foster resilience. The findings are expected to have practical implications, potentially guiding the development of culturally sensitive programs and interventions. By understanding these child-rearing practices, health professionals, educators, and policymakers can develop strategies that resonate with Indigenous values and experiences, thus enhancing their efficacy, particularly in mental health and youth development. |
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| Paper #2 | |
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| CultureXEnvironment Interactions Influencing Cognitive Pathways to Positive Mental Health among Urban American Indian Youth | |
| Author information | Role |
| Monica M. Tsethlikai, Ph.D., Arizona State University, United States | Presenting author |
| Lanli Jiang, Arizona State University, United States | Non-presenting author |
| Camryn Covarrubias, Arizona State University, United States | Non-presenting author |
| Abstract | |
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Introduction American Indian (AI) children grow up with disproportionately high levels of exposure to stressful life events and discrimination due to settler colonialism and the continuing pervasiveness of systemic racism. Research has repeatedly demonstrated that experiencing excessive levels of stress impairs the development of executive function and can lead to poorer mental health outcomes (Blair, 2010; Kim et al., 2022). We examined relations among youth reports of stressful life experiences, perceptions of discrimination, three indicators of executive function: working memory (the ability to hold information in mind to complete a task or respond appropriately); cognitive flexibility (ability to make transitions and solve problems flexibly); and inhibitory control (ability to control impulses and regulate behavior); and mental health outcomes. Given that culture is a potent protector of well-being among AI youth (Henson et al., 2017), we explored if high levels of cultural connectedness would moderate the hypothesized negative effects of stress and discrimination on executive functions mediating fewer reported symptoms of anxiety, depression, anger, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Method One hundred and seven urban AI youth between 11- and 17- years-old participated in the study (M = 12.80, SD = 1.70; 59 females). Average parental income reported was $39,402 with a range of $0 to $160,000. Stressful life events were calculated as the sum of yes responses on 17 events reported on by youth. Cultural connectedness was measured as the number of cultural and spiritual activities youth participated in and the number of items positively endorsed indicating connection to AI identity and history. Indicators of executive function were measured using youth self-reports on the Behavioral Rating Inventory of Executive Function (Guy, Isquith, & Gioia, 2004) with three subscales indicative of difficulties with working memory, cognitive flexibility, inhibitory control included. Youth self-reports of symptoms of anxiety, depression, anger, and PTSD were measured using the Trauma Symptom Checklist for Children (Briere, 1996). Higher scores mean more self-reported symptoms of anxiety, depression, anger, and PTSD. Results We found that more frequent exposure to stressful life events and discrimination were significantly related to increased difficulties in all aspects of executive function and more reported symptoms of anxiety, depression, anger, and PTSD. Using Conditional Process Models with the SPSS PROCESS plugin and excluding all missing data, we found that among youth with high participation in cultural activities, the relation between stressful life events and working memory difficulties was weakened. This suggests that as stressful life events increased, these youth reported fewer working memory-related difficulties, contributing to better mental health outcomes (see Figure 1 for a model of the moderating and mediating effects on PTSD). Additionally, we found higher levels of cultural and spiritual connectedness moderated the relation between perceived discrimination and increased difficulties with cognitive flexibility reducing the number of anxiety, depression, and PTSD symptoms reported. Enhancing cultural connectedness among urban American Indian youth can help mitigate the negative effects of stress and perceived discrimination by fostering positive executive function development, ultimately leading to improved mental health outcomes. |
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| Paper #3 | |
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| Co-creating a Culturally Grounded Measure of Early Relational Wellbeing among Young Indigenous Children | |
| Author information | Role |
| Nancy L. Asdigian, Tribal Early Childhood Research Center, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, United States | Presenting author |
| Chelsea A. Wesner, Tribal Early Childhood Research Center, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, United States | Non-presenting author |
| Jessica Barnes-Najor, Office for Public Engagement and Scholarship, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, United States | Non-presenting author |
| Deana Around Him, Child Trends, Inc., United States | Non-presenting author |
| Nancy Rumbaugh Whitesell, Tribal Early Childhood Research Center, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, United States | Non-presenting author |
| Early Relational Wellbeing Community of Learning, Tribal Early Childhood Research Center, United States | Non-presenting author |
| Abstract | |
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American Indian and Alaska Native (hereafter referred to as Indigenous) children are sacred gifts from the Creator who are nurtured with the values, beliefs, and cultural practices of their Tribal community (Day, 2014). Caregiving roles intentionally extend beyond family members to help foster a relational identity that connects Indigenous children to their relatives, culture, land, ancestors, and community (Ullrich, 2019). Existing measures of positive caregiving practices were developed from a Western perspective and value system that privileges dyadic parent-child interactions over more inclusive and relational practices that support early child development from an Indigenous worldview (Wesner et al, 2024). Such misalignment in worldviews, cultures, and contexts limits the utility of existing tools for accurately measuring the practices that support the early development of young Indigenous children (Sul, 2019). Culturally grounded measures developed with Tribal communities from an Indigenous worldview are needed to address this misalignment (Walls, 2015; Sul, 2019) and restore equity in measuring positive development and wellbeing among young Indigenous children (Wesner, 2024). This presentation describes the collaborative effort of a Community of Learning (CoL) to co-create a culturally grounded measure of practices that support early relational wellbeing (ERW) among Indigenous children from prenatal through age five. We used Group Concept Mapping (GCM) to begin our measure development work, a process that seeks multiple voices to provide input on a topic and then integrates that diverse knowledge into a systematic structure (Kane & Rosas, 2017). GCM was an appropriate tool for this work because it uses collective wisdom and experience to identify and organize practices that support the development of ERW among young Indigenous children. We first asked Indigenous and Indigenous-allied early childhood practitioners, researchers, and policymakers to brainstorm relational practices that involve family, community, and environment to support ERW among Indigenous children from the prenatal period through age five. We then asked participants to sort the 125 practices generated into mutually exclusive groups and provide a meaningful name for each group. In the final phase, we asked participants to rate the practices on two dimensions: presence in Indigenous communities and importance to promoting ERW among young Indigenous children. The data were then used in a hierarchical cluster analysis, which iteratively grouped individual relational practices into an optimal number of clusters, each of which reflect a common theme or concept. In conjunction with the CoL guiding this work, the practices within each cluster were reviewed based on importance and presence ratings, refined for clarity, and finalized for an initial measure of Indigenous ERW. The resulting measure consists of 82 items across seven dimensions of cultivating connections, including through Indigenous Foods, Natural Environments, Everyday Activities, Family and Community, Birth and Early Child Care Practices, Cultural and Spiritual Identity, and Cultural and Relational Knowledge. Next steps in the measure development process will be described, including partnering with a diverse array of Tribal early childhood programs to pretest and pilot test the measure and to learn how the measure can be used to inform early childhood practice, policy, and research. |
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| Paper #4 | |
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| Pathways to Wellness: Co-Adapting Culturally Responsive Social-Emotional Learning for Young Indigenous Children | |
| Author information | Role |
| Jingjing Sun, PhD, University of Montana, United States | Presenting author |
| Deborah Ith, University of Montana, United States | Non-presenting author |
| Sisilia Kusumaningsih, University of Montana, United States | Non-presenting author |
| Anisa Goforth, University of Montana, United States | Non-presenting author |
| Ronda Howlett, Arlee Elementary School, United States | Non-presenting author |
| Debbie Hogenson, Arlee Elementary School, United States | Non-presenting author |
| Kelsey Brown, Arlee Elementary School, United States | Non-presenting author |
| Kayla Dix, Arlee Elementary School, United States | Non-presenting author |
| Abstract | |
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Introduction Social-emotional learning (SEL) supports children’s academic success and well-being (Cipriano, 2023). Unfortunately, there are few SEL programs developed specifically for Indigenous children, and the majority of the SEL programs implemented in Indigenous communities focus primarily on substance use prevention or sexual and reproductive health for early adolescents (Smith et al., 2022). Thus, there is a gap in culturally relevant SEL programs for young Indigenous children. Filling this gap, our research team has been partnering with Indigenous community members and educators to co-develop a culturally-responsive and multi-layered SEL program called Pathways to Wellness for children, educators, and families through community-engaged research (Authors et al., 2023). In Pathways to Wellness, Q_̓ʷeyłmiš (‘do one’s best’ in the local Indigenous language) foregrounds the local values—Yoywals (resilience), Puteʔstxʷ (respect), Xʷc̓štwexʷ (reciprocity), Nputeʔtn (reverence), and Kʷše Olqʷšiʔit Esyaʔ (responsibility)—into the program. Involving Indigenous language speakers, community members translated the core values and ways of being, teaching students the values in daily life through place-based activities that also foster their social-emotional competencies. For example, honoring Xʷc̓štwexʷ, students learn about building relationships and giving back to oneself, others, and nature. Two rounds of pilot testing of the program with grades 3-6 showed a positive impact of the intervention on children’s well-being, resilience, and relationships (Authors et al., 2022), educators’ awareness of their own mental health and wellbeing (Authors et al., 2024), and enhanced community-school partnership (Authors et al., under review). Building upon these positive results, community members asked to expand Pathways to Wellness to grades K-2 as well. Responding to this request, the research team and community members participated in 27 meetings, each about 90 minutes long, to co-adapt the SEL lessons to be developmentally appropriate for the younger children. The current study examined the first stage of the co-adaptation process where the central goal was to figure out: What should SEL look like for young Indigenous children? Methods We conducted thematic analyses of the transcripts of the first eight meetings where the team went through an iterative process of defining SEL for Indigenous children. After reading each transcript and its accompanying meeting notes, we wrote memos to identify key ideas emerged in each meeting. To ensure trustworthiness, we engaged in critical reflexivity (Hsiung, 2008) and conducted peer debriefing to discuss the emerging themes, and then reach consensus on data interpretation through social moderation by collaboratively resolving areas of disagreement and refining the primary themes (Oshima, 2012). Findings and Implications We identified three major themes: 1) centering Indigenous cultural and physical landscapes, 2) integrating Indigenous language, stories and metaphors into SEL, and 3) balancing between physical and emotional well-being. These themes emphasized the integration of cultural strengths into the program adaptation while attending to the developmental needs for young Indigenous children. They also provided concrete recommendations for schools to integrate Indigenous strengths into the school’s physical environment and curriculum. This study adds further evidence to the pivotal role of community engagement in co-adapting SEL programs to be culturally responsive for Indigenous children. |
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Culture, Families, and Communities: The Grounding Stone Facilitating and Supporting Indigenous Child Development and Well-being
Submission Type
Paper Symposium
Description
| Session Title | Culture, Families, and Communities: The Grounding Stone Facilitating and Supporting Indigenous Child Development and Well-being |