title: Promoting identities and mental health via cultural/community activities among racially/ethnically mixed urban American Indians.
abstract: This qualitative, focus group study explored the role of cultural/community activities in potentially promoting identities and mental health among urban American Indians who have mixed racial/ethnic heritages (e.g., African, Hispanic, and Caucasian) including those with mental illness in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (n = 25). The study identified a variety of unique benefits of cultural/community activities including its role in nurturing identity, belongingness, spiritual wakening and renewal, and mental health. Overall, these activity-induced benefits helped urban American Indians gain a feeling of oneness to experience peace of mind and harmony within oneself and with other people and the environment/nature.
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, College of Health Professions & Social Work, Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19121, USA. yiwasaki@temple.edu
authors.forename: Yoshitaka
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Iwasaki
authors.forename: Namorah G
authors.initials: NG
authors.lastname: Byrd
authors.forename: Tetsuya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Onda
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D018864:Cultural Diversity; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D007198:Indians, North American / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health; D008875:Middle Aged; D008913:Minority Groups / Q000523:psychology*; D010414:Pennsylvania; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012931:Social Environment; D012933:Social Identification; D014505:Urban Population; D055815:Young Adult