RESILIENCE THROUGH THE WORLDVIEW OF URBAN AMERICAN INDIAN ELDERS: COMMUNITY TO INDIVIDUAL LEVEL FACTORS FOR STRENGTHENING FAMILY AND PARENTING PRACTICES Carmella Kahn-Thornbrugh Agnes Attakai Kerstin Reinschmidt Shannon Whitewater Tara Chico Nicolette Teufel-Shone

Background  Role of American Indian (AI) elders  Keepers and transmitters of knowledge (Garrett et al., 2014)  Endured many adversities (Grandbois & Sanders, 2009)  Life stories hold life lessons and foundational knowledge to better understand resilience  Youth in today’s society  Disconnect between elders and youth (Wexler, 2011)  Urban AI youth face greater challenges connecting with elders (Stumblingbear-Riddle, 2012)  Previous research acknowledges that ties to culture and other variables (i.e. social support) may be protective and lead to resilient outcomes for positive youth development (LaFromboise et al., 2006; Wexler, 2011)

Protective intergenerational strategies  Spirituality  Tribal identity  Elders  Ceremonies and rituals  Humor  Oral tradition  Family  Support networks (HeavyRunner and Morris, 1997)  What protective strategies can elders offer to enhance resilience factors for parenting among urban American Indian families?

Methods: Literature review  (1) Peer-reviewed English based articles in PubMed  (2) Published from January 1, 1980 to November 15, 2014  (3) AIAN and Hawaiian elders as the target population  (4) Non-clinical based  (5) Key words and terms for American Indian/Alaska Native/Native Hawaiian Resilience  (6) 171 articles identified. Ten articles were included

Key words and terms used in literature review

Results: Literature review  Individual Sacredness of children Sense of belonging and identity Spirituality Culture: values and expectations Responsibility/accountability Attain education/employment

Results: Literature review  Family Elders as wisdom keepers Intergenerational relationships Language/stories/wisdom Protectors/mentors/teachers/support givers Ancestral survival through generations Overcome stereotypes and hostile groups Kin networks Family/community/collective connectedness Parenting skills Involvement, confidence, supervision, positive parenting, discipline Health: Family centered models

Results: Literature review  Community Resources Indigenous Wellness Centers, cultural/language immersion school, programs to promote youth development and resilience Traditions, customs, activities Health services—take into consideration historical markers and resiliency factors

Methods: Pilot research project Documenting and Promoting Resilience in Urban American Indians (Co-PIs: Agnes Attakai, Kerstin Reinschmidt)  CBPR approach; partnership with Tucson Indian Center  Defining resilience from the perspective of urban American Indian elders.  Qualitative methods: focus groups and individual interviews with 13 urban American Indian elders  Utilized thematic analysis  Digital stories and a curriculum for a youth program

Results: Pilot Research Project  Elder’s worldview of resilience  Individual—personal responsibility (bounce back, don’t give up)  Family—healing families, strength, behind us, how strong our ancestors were “they can do it, I can do it”  Community—connection with community, community cultural activities, language

Results: Pilot Research Project  Revealed various levels of resilience factors for parenting Individual -Being strong -Being responsible -Practicing spirituality -Participate/volunteer -Identity/roots/history -Activities -Education -Connection with elders

Results: Pilot Research Project  Revealed various levels of resilience factors for parenting Individual -Being strong -Being responsible -Practicing spirituality -Participate/volunteer -Identity/roots/history -activities -education -connection with elders Growing up in hard conditions (i.e. poverty) taught values of working hard, staying in school, furthering education, and getting a job

Results: Pilot Research Project Family -Teach younger generation -Positive family relationships -Family members as role models -Safe environment for kids

Results: Pilot Research Project Family -Teach younger generation -Positive family relationships -Family members as role models -Safe environment for kids Ancestors as role models (how to do things, being strong, being healthy, being mentally sharp, being an inspiration); elders as role models

Results: Pilot Research Project Community -Culture, language, traditions, Sharing stories -Traditional use of land (i.e. gardening, take care of mother earth) -Tucson Indian Center and other community resources (i.e. school)

Results: Pilot Research Project Community -Culture, language, traditions, Sharing stories -Traditional use of land (i.e. gardening, take care of mother earth) -Tucson Indian Center and other community resources (i.e. school) Farming with grandparents; knowing traditional roles; know history Farming with grandparents; knowing traditional roles; know history

Discussion  Literature search and qualitative data from elder’s narratives helped identify key resiliency factors uniquely specific for urban AI parenting practices  Cultural based solutions at all levels  Strengths in knowing history and roots  Adults and elders views on culture were different from youth  Oppressive policies have disrupted the relationship between youth, parents, and elders

Recommendations  Strategies for enhancing resilience factors for parenting  intergenerational communication (stories about historical trauma and elder resilience)  Teach youth how culture can be a sustaining force and how it is linked to strengths (personal to collective) to overcome challenges  Develop local community-based solutions Urban centers—parenting curriculum, youth curriculum Identify family strengths Communication with child Guiding behavior effectively (bridge those gaps)

Thank you Carmella Kahn-Thornbrugh This work was supported by the Center for American Indian Resilience (CAIR) a NIH-NIMHD P20 Exploratory Center of Excellence (1P20MD006872) awarded to Northern Arizona University with subcontracts to University of Arizona and Dine College

References  Browne, Mokuau, & Braun. (2009). Adversity and resiliency in the lives of Native Hawaiian elders. Social Work, 54(3),  Gandbois, D. M., & Sanders, G. F. (2009). The resilience of Native American elders. Issues in Mental Health Nursing, 30,  Gandbois, D. M., & Sanders, G. F. (2012). Resilience and stereotyping: The experiences of Native American elders. Journal of Transcultural Nursing, 23(4),  Garrett, M. T., Parrish, M., Williams, C., Grayshield, L., Portman, T. A. A., Rivera, E. T., & Maynard E. (2014). Invited commentary: Fostering resilience among Native American youth through therapeutic intervention. Journal of Youth Adolescence, 43,  HeavyRunner, I., & Morris, J. S. (1997). Traditional Native culture and resilience. CAREI Research/Practice Newsletter, 5(1).  Kulis, S., Ayers, S. L., & Baker, T. (2014). Parenting in 2 worlds: Pilot results from a culturally adapted parenting program for urban American Indians. Journal of Primary Prevention, Online.  LaFromboise, T. D., Hoyt, D. R., Oliver, L., & Whitbeck, L. B. (2006). Family, community, and school influences on resilience among American Indian adolescents in the upper midwest. Journal of Community Psychology, 34(2),  Stumblingbear-Riddle, G., & Romans, J. S. C. (2012). Resilience among urban American Indian adolescents: Exploration into the role of culture, self-esteem, subjective well-being, and social support. American Indian and Alaska Mental Health Research, 19(2),  Wexler, L. (2011). Intergenerational dialogue exchange and action: Introducing a community-based participatory approach to connect youth, adults and elders in an Alaskan Native community. International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 10(3),  Wexler, L. (2013). Looking across three generations of Alaska Natives to explore how culture fosters indigenous resilience. Transcultural Psychiatry, 0(0), 1-20.