title: A Cautionary Tale: Examining the Interplay of Culturally Specific Risk and Resilience Factors in Indigenous Communities.
abstract: Efforts to build empirical evidence for the protective effects of Indigenous cultural factors on psychological health have yielded mixed findings. We examine the interplay of previously hypothesized culturally relevant risk (discrimination, historical loss) and protective (spiritual activities) factors among Indigenous people. The sample includes 569 Indigenous adolescents (M age = 17.23, SD = 0.88; 51.0% girls) and 563 Indigenous adult caregivers (M age = 44.66, SD = 9.18; 77.4% women). Our central finding was that indigenous spirituality was associated with poorer psychological outcomes across several domains (depressive symptoms, anger, anxiety, somatization and interpersonal difficulties), but observed effects were attenuated once perceived discrimination and historical losses were added to statistical models. Thus, consideration of relevant stressors drastically changed our conclusions, underscoring the uncertain dynamics through which specific Indigenous cultural factors impact mental health. Researchers should work in collaboration with Indigenous communities to improve measurement and empirical investigation of these complex constructs.
authors.affiliation: University of Minnesota Medical School-Duluth 1035 University Drive 235 SMed Duluth, MN 55812 218-726-8367 (telephone) 218-726-7559 (fax).
authors.forename: Melissa L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Walls
authors.affiliation: University of Nebraska-Lincoln 711 Oldfather Hall Lincoln, NE 68588-0324.
authors.forename: Les
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Whitbeck
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychological Sciences, 200 S. 7th Street, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211.
authors.forename: Brian
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Armenta
keywords: American Indians; Culture and Mental Health; Psychological Stress; Risk Factors; Sociocultural Factors