Rumination and Quality of Life among Northern Plains Indians

Native Americans (NAs) share unique risk factors for poor mental health. In response, mental health providers must address barriers to treatment while making the most of low resource situations. One way to increase usefulness of treatment is to address the mechanisms underlying multiple mental health disorders. Rumination is a style of thinking marked by repeated thoughts about distress and is well-recognized as a diagnostic factor for underlying disorders in the general population. Secondary data from the Mood Disorder Assessment Validation with Northern Plains Indians (NPI) pilot study was used to examine the relationship between rumination and anxiety, depression, and substance abuse, as well as overall quality of life. Results indicated that as rumination increased, significant increases occurred in severity of symptoms reported for both women and men- but lower perceived quality of life only occurred in the presence of depressive symptoms. Significant differences arose between NPI women and men, with women reporting higher rumination, anxiety, and depression and men reporting higher substance abuse. Based on these results, rumination is useful as a transdiagnostic factor for NPI by uncovering the nature of maladaptive coping mechanisms. In addition, quality of life assessments are culturally-relevant ways to target maladaptive coping and replace unhealthy coping with more adaptive coping via culturally congruent methods

Together, Our Voices Will Strengthen the Weaving: Using Autoethnography and Narrative Inquiry to Indigenize Sense of Belonging in Higher Education

Native American students in higher education are often asked to find a sense of belonging in places and spaces that do not reflect their cultures or worldviews. This can lead to isolation and a feeling of having to choose between themselves and their identities as Indigenous peoples. This contributes to poorer mental health, loss of well-being, and decreased academic success. The purpose of this study was to ask seven Native American participants how they defined sense of belonging from their own worldviews. Participants were also asked about spaces and places in higher education that helped or did not help them belong, and how this affected their mental health, well-being, and ability to succeed in the university setting. Using a metaphor of a Cherokee double-walled basket, we drew from our collective stories to define belonging in the following ways: connection, safety, acknowledgment, respect, presence, purpose, and growth. These themes became a model of Indigenized belonging called “Having the Spirit in the Circle”. Two other key themes that affected belonging were gatekeepers and way-makers. Gatekeepers in higher education created barriers to success and way-makers decreased barriers. What we learned together will be used to inform universities about ways they can change current academic success structures to promote belonging that aligns with Indigenous ways of knowing and being and to help Native American students succeed

Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW): Bringing Awareness through the Power of Student Activism

Students are often an underutilized resource for advocacy and activism. Students have a unique positionality as members of academia who greatly understand the power and privilege higher education can bring- particularly when they have intersectional identities as women, minorities, and members of marginalized groups. This article tells the stories of two such Native American women who are using their power and privilege as it intersects with lived experience to bring awareness to the epidemic of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW). The article brings light to what drives them to promote social justice movements and how they work to institute positive change. Through their experiences, they share suggestions for how advanced professionals and professional organizations can aid students in engaging in social justice movements through empowerment, connection, and support. With students as the feet on the ground and the voice for the voiceless, we hope to promote awareness of MMIW and institute lasting change to protect our Native American women and girls

Culturally Disruptive Research: A Critical (Re)Engagement with Research Processes and Teaching Practices

Purpose As scholars, educators and policymakers recognize the impact of partnership-based research, there is a growing need for more in-depth understanding of how to conduct this work, especially with and in diverse project teams. The purpose of this paper is to provide a critical examination of adopting a culturally disruptive approach in a research–practice partnership (RPP) that includes Indigenous and non-Indigenous researchers, designers and educators who worked together to collaboratively design culturally situated experiences for sixth graders. Design/methodology/approach Following a design-based implementation research methodology, data from design and implementation are presented as two case studies to illustrate key findings. Findings Leveraging the frame of culturally disruptive pedagogy, key tensions, disruptions, self-discoveries and resulting pedagogical innovations are outlined. While the authors experienced multiple forms of disruptions as researchers, designers and educators, they focused on tracing two powerful cases of how culturally disruptive research directly and immediately resulted in pedagogical innovations. Together the cases illustrate a broader shift toward interdependence that the team experienced over the course of the school year. Research limitations/implications A new frame for conducting culturally disruptive research is presented. Both the theoretical application and practical implementation of this frame demonstrate its usefulness in conceptualizing culturally situated research through cultivating an uncomfortable yet generative interdependence. Practical implications Findings include examples and strategies for how to practically conduct multi-sector, interdisciplinary research and teaching. Scholars and educators share their stories which illustrate the practical impact of this work. Originality/value Critical insights presented in this paper build on and contribute to the growing body of work around RPPs, community-based research and other critical partnership methods

Promoting Cultural Integrity through Education: Indigenous Faces and Spaces as Expressions of Sovereignty

Brief discussion of the relationship between Native American students and education will transition to a Talking Circle where topics for increasing Native American student retention and engagement will be explored