Family cohesion and conflict in an American Indian community.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the feasibility of using a portion of the Family Environment Scale (FES) with American Indian families and to describe the mean family profile exhibited by one Native community.


METHODS
The cohesion, expressiveness, conflict and active-recreational orientation subscales of the FES were administered to 130 adults, representing 65 families.


RESULTS
Mean responses reveal a pattern of average levels of cohesion and expressiveness, concurrent with high levels of family conflict.


CONCLUSIONS
Outcomes illustrate the feasibility and utility of this scale in assessing and guiding health promotion services within Native communities. Results suggest Native families have a distinctive family profile.
Teufel-Shone
Nicolette I
NI
Mel and Enid Zuckerman Arizona College of Public Health, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85724, USA. teufel@u.arizona.edu
Staten
Lisa K
LK
Irwin
Sandra
S
Rawiel
Ulrike
U
Bravo
Andrea B
AB
Waykayuta
Sharon
S
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003220:Conflict, Psychological; D005195:Family Relations; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007198:Indians, North American; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012931:Social Environment; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires