Preventing Substance Abuse Among American Indian and Alaska Native Youth

Research on the prevention of substance abuse among American Indian and Alaska Native youth offers challenges and demands careful methods. This paper describes such challenges in terms of philosophical, political, and cultural issues surmundiig substance abuse prevention research with American Indian and Alaska Native people. The authors suggest how social work researchers can address these issues through strategies of community 'collaboration, goal sening, and cultural sensitivity. The paper discusses the limits, implications, and future applications of the described strategies for research on the prevention of alcohol and drug abuse among American Indian and Alaska Native youth.     

Native American and non-Indian newspaper coverage of land and resource issues in the self-determination era

Media analysis can be used to track trends over time. In this research, 1,969 articles covering Native American land and resource issues were studied for the period 1970–1994. The articles came from three mainstream newspapers and three Native American-controlled newspapers representing three different regions: the Southwest, the Northern Plains, and the Northeast. The analysis indicated that there were important differences between native and nonnative media. It also indicated that the federal policy of “self-determination” for Native Americans has not been implemented in the area of control of land and natural resources.     

Effects of the war on marriage relationships 1

Abstract

This article discusses the major themes that emerged from a Smith College School for Social Work student's Master's thesis, “Communication Styles in Wind River Native American Clients and the Therapeutic Responses of their Clinicians”. The project explores differences in communication styles between Wind River native people and Anglo‐Americans. Secondly, it seeks to discover therapeutic approaches and styles that are effective with Wind River native people.

Semi‐structured, exploratory interviews were conducted with ten clinicians who worked with Native American clients on the Wind River Reservation in Wyoming. The participants included mental health care professionals and paraprofessionals from the following professions: psychology, social work, counseling, nursing, and community action.

The findings of the research revealed the importance of understanding cultural differences in human interaction and meaning making as conveyed in communication style. As clinicians, these complex and often subtle differences play a crucial role in our ability to establish a therapeutic alliance and conduct sensitive, effective therapy. Many theoretical models, such as psychodynamic, cognitive and behavioral, family systems, ecological, constructionist, and narrative theories support the successful approaches discussed in the article.     

The militarization of Native America: Historical process and cultural perception

Native Americans have experienced widespread militarization as the result of a number of factors. First, many Mative nations militarized in reaction to the weaponry and threats presented by invading Europeans. Secondly, the Europeans and later the Americans used Native Americans as auxiliaries and allies in their wars against other Native nations. Finally, militarization came to several tribes by way of the U.S. policy of assimilating American Indians into mainstream American society. Militarization, in short, became a way of legitimating Native citizenship. Many Indians, however, look upon their military service in a different way. Native American militarization resembles that of the Nepalese Gurkha veterans of the British Army.     

Developing nation models for American Indian nation building-Educating the young leaders of our internal developing nations

American Indian Nations share many common issues with nations in the non-Western world which are developing contemporary economic and political systems after a period of colonialization by Western European countries. Native American students can gain greater understanding of the historical process of nation building in which they are engaged and insight into strategies for integrating the contemporary economics and technology with traditional values and practices from the experiences of some of these non-Western nations. College level courses on American Indian government should utilize nation building examples from the non-Western world in addition to examples from contemporary native nations in North America to broaden students' understanding of tribal government development as part of the process of national regeneration being undertaken by formerly colonized peoples throughout the world.     

A Tale of Two Communities: Refugee Relocation in Australia

Refugees are forced to leave their homes and countries to start anew in a different place. This paper outlines the key challenges and issues facing those Australian regional communities focussing on refugee relocation projects as a labour and population renewal strategy. This discussion arises from a two year evaluation project which examined two refugee relocation projects in the communities of Swan Hill and Warrnambool situated in different regional areas of Victoria, Australia. The project was supported with funds from VicHealth, a statutory body funded by the Victorian State Government with a particular focus on groups in society who are likely to be at greater risk. Refugee communities have a higher risk of mental health problems and higher rates of unemployment and as such, the importance of relocation programs is commensurate with the opportunity and risk they present. Governments, communities and service providers all need to acknowledge the potential benefits refugee relocation programs may bring as well as recognising that the consequences of failure can be ominous for all concerned.     

Native American Stepfamilies: Children’s Expectations Concerning Their Residential Stepparents’ Behavior

Abstract

This study examined how a Native American stepchild’s expectations for their stepparents’ behavior associated with the stepfamily quality. The responses of Native Americans and multiracial Native Americans were compared to the general population in order to identify cultural differences that affect stepfamily quality. Data came from the Stepfamily Experience Project (STEP). Findings suggest that Native Americans differed from other races concerning stepfamily quality, stress from the stepfamily forming, a child’s expectation for a stepparent’s control behaviors, and a child’s relationship with their biological parent. For practical use, clinicians should consider Native American stepchildren’s expectations regarding their stepparent’s behaviors in order to better assess stepfamily quality and provide more effective services.     

Rethinking Authorship in the Era of Collaborative Research

The size and complexity of research teams continues to grow, especially within the realms of science and engineering. This has intensified already existing concerns about relying on traditional authorship schemes as the way to allocate credit for a contribution to a research project. In this paper, we examine current authorship problems plaguing research communities and provide suggestions for how those problems could potentially be mitigated. We recommend that research communities, especially those involved in large scale collaborations, revisit the contributor model and embrace it as means for allocating credit more authentically and transparently.     

Dialogic Pedagogy for Youth Participatory Action Research: Facilitation of an Intergroup Empowerment Program

This article describes the pedagogical and facilitation approach of a yearlong youth empowerment program that engaged a group of adolescents who were racially and socioeconomically diverse in participatory action research. Nine adolescents from inner-city neighborhoods and suburban communities across the metropolitan Detroit, Michigan, region completed a Photovoice project. As part of the project, the youth documented racial segregation to inform community-based advocacy efforts. Pedagogical principles from intergroup dialogues were used to help facilitate participants’ understanding of differences across race and socioeconomic status. The article outlines the four-stage curricular design used to organize group activities. Those stages are (1) group formation, (2) exploration of differences and commonalities, (3) discussion of controversial issues, and (4) action planning. This article illustrates how facilitation of a diverse group in participatory action research may require a dialogic approach that addresses cross-cultural differences and builds positive intergroup collaboration skills.     

Working Between Worlds: Qualitative Methods and Social Psychology

We invite social psychologists in the United States to join with psychologists in other countries and with researchers in other disciplines to include qualitative approaches in their research repertory. Several classic studies in social psychology used field-based qualitative approaches, yet in recent decades, these ways of working have been on the margins of American social psychology. We explore what a qualitative stance offers and entails, giving examples from our own and others' research. The relentless attention that qualitative workers have given to issues of bias, subjectivity, and research ethics prompts us to consider how such issues are always present in research, regardless of its methods.     

Agency-Family Partnerships

This paper describes a research and demonstration project in which partnerships are formed between agency social workers and family members of elderly clients. While the social worker retains responsibility for counseling and provision of support to the elderly client, the family member is taught by the social worker to assume responsibility for the case management of services provided to his/her elderly relative. Practice issues which have emerged during the first year of this three-year project include: the generalizability of findings in light of the special characteristics of agency clients, the definition of the agency-family partnership, confidentiality in the context of this partnership, exceptions to family involvement, clients without families, and our experiences with research-practice collaboration. Each of these issues is discussed in this paper.     

Spiritual Histories and Native Americans: A Mixed Method Validation Study

ABSTRACT

Although spirituality plays a central role in health and wellness for many Native Americans, surprisingly few spiritual assessment tools have been validated with this population. This mixed-method study modifies an existing spiritual assessment tool—spiritual histories—that may be particularly congruent with Native American culture. Using a sample of recognized experts in Native culture (N = 50), the study identifies: (a) the degree of cultural consistency, strengths, and limitations of the tool, conceptually, and (b) a culturally valid question protocol to operationalize the concept for use with Native clients. The findings are discussed in light of recent accrediting requirements mandating the administration of spiritual assessments in numerous settings and suggestions are provided to administer the assessment in a culturally competent manner.     

American Indian/Alaska Native Elders: A Growing Demographic that Is Changing How We View Aging

Today, AIAN Elders are more actively engaged in their families and communities, encouraging the development of intergenerational programs, language and cultural revitalization, being stewards in research conducted in their communities, as well passing on their knowledge and experiences on how to live as healthy Native people. Elders have traditionally been quiet and observant of their environment, but the current and future cohorts of Elders are advocates, leaders, and culture bearers for their families and communities and they are now in positions of leadership. Western society acknowledges the value of traditional knowledge and AIAN Elders are viewed as exemplars of healthy aging and their lessons and experiences can be attributed to our own lives. This commentary highlights the paradigm shift in how society views older adults, specifically AIAN Elders and their role in health and wellbeing.     

Indian policy as an emergent property of the American policy making process

This paper argues that we can improve our understanding of American Indian policy if we think about it as an emergent behavior of the American policy making process. It is what the political system does and does not do that relates to Native nations. From a perspective guided by complexity theory, Indian policy appears to be about assimilating Indian land and natural resources and not about assimilating Indians into the larger American society. After suggesting that the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act of 1988 is only the most recent in a long history of assimilation policies to emerge from the American political system, this article concludes that Indian gaming revenues brighten, and paradoxically, threaten the future of American Indian tribes.     

RESEARCHING GAMBLING WITH ABORIGINAL PEOPLE

Socio-economic impact studies can present methodological problems, especially when the focus complex or value-laden. As well, the context of such studies can also influence their complexity, for example if they involve research among young people or particular cultural groups. These problems are compounded when the research methods used are themselves culturally-based or impose cultural assumptions and practices on the research. This paper is intended to offer some reflections about researching gambling among Aboriginal communities in the Northern Territory of Australia. It is not reporting any findings about this research, as it is still ongoing and will not be completed until 1998. But at this stage, the researchers are in a position to offer some observations about the strengths and limitations of research methodologies for a project such as this. We conclude that lessons arising from such observations and reflections are worth considering in other research projects, whether about gambling of other activities among different cultural groups.     

Reaching Men who have Sex with Men in Australia. An Overview of AIDS Education: Community Intervention and Community Attachment Strategies

This paper outlines the principles underlying the Australian AIDS strategy and offers an explanation for its success in reducing the spread of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) among homosexual and bisexual men in Australia's gay communities. A brief outline of the AIDS education activities offered by the gay-community AIDS organisations is followed by results from the Social Aspects of the Prevention of AIDS (SAPA) research project based at Macquarie University. This research confirms the importance of the community-intervention strategies utilised by gay AIDS organisations. The paper then assesses progress in the development of community-attachment strategies for men who have sex with men but who are not attached to organised gay communities.     

Indigenous Elder Insights About Conventional Care Services in Alaska: Culturally Charged Spaces

Indigenous peoples around the world endure health and social disparities. In the United States, such disparities are typically ameliorated through conventional care services and organizations. Purpose: To examine points of tension that characterize culturally pluralistic care services in the United States, specifically Alaska, within context of Indigenous colonial histories. Design and Methods: The research design is ethnographic and multisited, comprising 12 months of fieldwork across urban, rural and remote village sites in Alaska. A conceptual lens that accounts for culturally diverse social spaces where relations of power are at stake frames research presented here. This work incorporates relational and participatory action research principles with Alaska Native Elders. Ethnographic evidence was collected through multiple methods, including field notes, documents, and interviews, with ethnographic analysis involving atlas.ti. Findings: Alaska Native Elders describe salient points of tension characterizing Alaska’s conventional care services through the following insights: generational curses-—a pain, prejudice on both sides—wounded, and value-systems clash—fighting. Conclusion: This article concludes with discussion about collective anxieties and implications for care services.     

Grandparents Responsible for Grandchildren in Native‐American Families*

Objectives. The primary goal of this article is to examine factors associated with grandparent care giving within the American Indian/Alaska Native (AIAN) population. Methods. Data from the 2000 Census of Population, 5% Public Use Microdata Sample, are used to evaluate a multivariate logistic regression model focusing on living with and caring for grandchildren. Particular emphasis is placed on characteristics that may reflect culturally‐based ideas about grandparents' responsibility for the care of their grandchildren. Results. Indicators related to Native‐American identity—specifically, reporting race as AIAN only rather than mixed race, reporting tribal membership, and living in a nonmetropolitan area of an “Indian” state—increase the likelihood of being responsible for a grandchild among Native‐American singles and couples aged 45 and over. Conclusions. Cultural and resource characteristics combine to produce high levels of grandparent care giving within the AIAN population. Inasmuch as those with lower educational and economic resources are especially likely to have responsibility for a grandchild, special attention should be directed toward ensuring adequate support for these caregivers.     

The Black Regulars: Buffalo Soldiers during the Indian war era as crime fighters and peacekeepers on the Western frontier, 1866–1892

The purpose of this review of the Buffalo Soldier is to explore their peacekeeping and crime fighting duties on the Western frontier during the period of 1866–1892. The Army was called upon to play a role in a number of controversial areas of American life and society: Southern Reconstruction fighting against the Native Americans, strikebreakers; and finally the railroad strikes of 1877. Following the Civil War, while performing some of these roles, the Army faced a great deal of hostility. It is one of the ironies of American History, as historians Foner [Foner, J. D. (1970). The United States soldier between two wars: Army life and reforms, 1865–1898. New York: Humanities Press] and Jackson and Katz [Jackson, S. D., & Katz, W. L. (1969). Preface of the Arno edition in under fire with the tenth U.S. cavalry. New York: Arno Press] have noted, that the Buffalo Soldier to earn their esteemed reputation as honorable fighting men, had to assist in the suppression of the Native American people and to act as strikebreakers. However, the literature shows that they also brought peace and civilization to the West through their law enforcement and other peacekeeping duties.