title: Cultural Identity Among Urban American Indian/Alaska Native Youth: Implications for Alcohol and Drug Use.
abstract: American Indian / Alaska Native (AI/AN) youth exhibit high rates of alcohol and other drug (AOD) use, which is often linked to the social and cultural upheaval experienced by AI/ANs during the colonization of North America. Urban AI/AN youth may face unique challenges, including increased acculturative stress due to lower concentrations of AI/AN populations in urban areas. Few existing studies have explored cultural identity among urban AI/AN youth and its association with AOD use. This study used systematic qualitative methods with AI/AN communities in two urban areas within California to shed light on how urban AI/AN youth construct cultural identity and how this relates to AOD use and risk behaviors. We conducted 10 focus groups with a total of 70 youth, parents, providers, and Community Advisory Board members and used team-based structured thematic analysis in the Dedoose software platform. We identified 12 themes: intergenerational stressors, cultural disconnection, AI/AN identity as protective, pan-tribal identity, mixed racial-ethnic identity, rural vs. urban environments, the importance of AI/AN institutions, stereotypes and harassment, cultural pride, developmental trajectories, risks of being AI/AN, and mainstream culture clash. Overall, youth voiced curiosity about their AI/AN roots and expressed interest in deepening their involvement in cultural activities. Adults described the myriad ways in which involvement in cultural activities provides therapeutic benefits for AI/AN youth. Interventions that provide urban AI/AN youth with an opportunity to engage in cultural activities and connect with positive and healthy constructs in AI/AN culture may provide added impact to existing interventions.
authors.affiliation: RAND Corporation, 1776 Main St., PO Box 2138, Santa Monica, CA, 90407-2138, USA. rbrown@rand.org.
authors.forename: Ryan A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.affiliation: UCLA Integrated Substance Abuse Programs, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, David Geffen School of Medicine, 1640 Sepulveda Blvd., Suite 200, Los Angeles, CA, 90025, USA.
authors.forename: Daniel L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Dickerson
authors.affiliation: RAND Corporation, 1776 Main St., PO Box 2138, Santa Monica, CA, 90407-2138, USA.
authors.forename: Elizabeth J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: D'Amico
mesh_terms: D000069:Acculturation; D000293:Adolescent; D000072957:Alaska Natives / Q000523:psychology*; D002140:California; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D006801:Humans; D007198:Indians, North American / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D012933:Social Identification; D013315:Stress, Psychological; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders
keywords: Acculturative stress; Alcohol and drug use; Cultural identity; Native American; Qualitative methods