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A study was conducted to examine the relationship between specific family variables and measures of cognitive abilities for preschool and young school-aged children of an American Indian ancestry. More specifically, the study used two cognitive measures, the Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children and the Embedded Figures Test, and examined the influence that 23 family variables and cultural background (acculturation) had on measures of spatial abilities. Past studies suggested that American Indian children, as a group, perform above the standardization sample on measures of visual-spatial skills, have higher simultaneous processing skills, and are more field independent. It was anticipated that at least 40% of the children tested in this study would have statistically significant discrepancy scores in favor of the Simultaneous Scale and have an effect size of .40 or above on subtests reported to measure visual-spatial skills. It was further hypothesized that the children of this study would be more field independent (reach an effect size of .67 or higher) and that the Embedded Figures Tests would have correlations of r = .50 or above with the total Simultaneous Scale, Magic Windows, Gestalt Closure, Triangles, and Spatial Memory. Results found that 40% of this sample did not obtain significant discrepancy scores, and only Gestalt Closure for the preschool children and Spatial Memory for the school-aged children reached an effect size of .40. In addition, only school-aged children were considered more field independent, and field independence was associated with the total Simultaneous Scale, the Mental processing Composite, the Achievement Scale, and the following subtests: Triangles, Arithmetic, and Reading/Understanding. A principal component analysis was conducted to determine the factor structure of the Acculturation Scale (the Rosebud Personal Opinion Survey). This analysis found that the survey lacked empirical support for the dimensions suggested by the authors and only the first component, Language-Ancestry, was a useful indicator of acculturation. Nine family variables and the Language-Ancestry component were used as independent variables and accounted for or predicted the visual-spatial scores of American Indian children. None of the variables used reached a significance level of p ≤ .0056

Suicide and accidents are the leading causes of death among American Indian (AI) adolescents. Engaging in health-compromising behaviors (HCB) is higher among AI youth than among multicultural, national samples of adolescents. These HCBs include: smoking, drinking alcohol, drug use, and delinquency. Studies that identify legitimate predictors of these behaviors among AI adolescents are needed to guide research and interventions. Primary socialization theory (PST) suggests that peer groups, family, and school are the only areas where adolescents are directly taught to accept or reject deviant or normative behavior. Gateway theory indicates that use of certain drugs by adolescents, such as cigarettes or alcohol leads to the use of additional illicit drugs. Both of these theories were investigated in the current study as possible guides to identifying risk factors for HCBs among AI adolescents. The behaviors investigated in this study were alcohol use, cigarette use, illicit drug use, delinquency, suicidality (i.e., ideation and behaviors), and self-protection (seatbelt and helmet use) at Time 2. Predictor variables included behaviors and intrapersonal factors at Time 1 (one year earlier). All variables came from measurements provided by the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health. Multiple linear regressions were calculated for all youth together, males only, and females only to determine which combination of predictors accounted for the most variance in the target behavior. Support was found for PST across behaviors in that variables measuring the primary socialization sources (i.e., peer groups, family members, and involvement with school) were significantly predictive ofHCBs one year later in all regressions calculated. Little support was found for gateway theory regarding substance use, as experimentation with alcohol and cigarettes at Time 1 was not predictive of illicit drug use at Time 2. There were 398 self-identified AI adolescents at Time 1, and 298 at Time 2, included in this study. There were 175 females and 123 males, ranging in age from 13 to 20 at Time 2. One limitation of this study is that all information was obtained via selfreport. Other limitations, implications for future research, and areas for prevention or intervention with AI youth are discussed.

AN ABSTRACT OF THE DISSERTATION OF Lisa Nelson-Majewski, for the Doctor of Philosophy degree in Education, presented on October 30, 2015, at Southern Illinois University Carbondale. TITLE: THE ASSOCIATION OF RESILIENCE WITH CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE AMONG MEMBERS OF THE COWLITZ INDIAN TRIBE MAJOR PROFESSOR: Dr. Dhitinut Ratnapradipa Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, and among the American Indian population (AHA, 2012; IHS, 2013). The concept of resilience is receiving increasing attention in chronic conditions. Resilience has been shown to play a protective role in patients with chronic disease conditions including osteoarthritis (Wright, Zautra, & Going, 2008), breast and ovarian cancer (Brix et.al., 2008; Costanzo et. Al., 2009) and diabetes (DeNisco, 2010; Yi, Vataliano, Smith, Yi, & Weinger, 2008; Yi-Frazier et al., 2010). This study follows the paradigm shift from research focusing on risk factors of cardiovascular disease, to explore if resilience is significantly different among study participants of the Cowlitz Indian Tribe without a diagnosis of cardiovascular disease versus tribal participants with heart disease. The purpose of this study was to explore the relationships between resilience and cardiovascular health status, as well the relationship between resilience and the top six modifiable risk factors for cardiovascular disease, within the members of the Cowlitz Indian Tribe. Method. Following IRB approval, enrolled tribal members of the Cowlitz Indian Tribe, over the age of 18 years completed two survey tools. The tool utilized measure resilience this study is the 10-item Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC). The second survey tool, including demographics and questions to assess cardiovascular risk factors, is the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS). The cardiovascular risk factor questions include the same BFRSS questions utilized from the 2009-2010 BRFSS tribal questionnaires. Results. Resilience and six selected cardiovascular disease risk factors were surveyed from a total of 201 enrolled members of the Cowlitz Indian Tribe after informed consent obtained. Statistical analysis, with an alpha level of .05, revealed statistical difference between resilience and members with CVD versus resilience of members without CVD, (F (1,199) = 16.563, p = .000, ) (Table 5). All constructs of resilience impact overall resilience, while the second construct of resilience (trust in one’s instincts, tolerance of negative affect and strengthening effects of stress, emotional/cognitive control under pressure), had the most impact on overall resilience for those without CVD (r =0.909) (Table 6). HTN and resilience versus no HTN and resilience and resilience scores between those with normal cholesterol versus resilience scores of those with hyperlipidemia were the only two risk factors for CVD significantly impacted by resilience p = .049 and p = .020 respectively (Table 11; Table 13). While there was not a statistically significant difference (t (657) = -0.985) between Cowlitz Indian (N=201) resilience scores and the general population (N=458) (Davidson, 2003) (Table 22). The Cowlitz Indians (N=201) overall resilience score was statistically lower (t(359) = -3.12) than another federally recognized tribe (N = 160) Goins, Gregg, and Fiske (2012) (Table 21). Conclusion. Resilience is significantly different in members of the Cowlitz Indian Tribe who have not been diagnosed with CVD versus resilience scores of those self-identified as having CVD. Trust in one’s instincts, tolerance of negative affect and strengthening effects of stress, and emotional/cognitive control under pressure, was the construct of resilience that has the most impact on overall Cowlitz Indian resilience scores. Cowlitz participants with hypertension and hyperlipidemia, two of the six risk CVD factors evaluated, had statistical significance between the resilience scores versus the participants without the presence of these CVD risk factors.

Lanier and Huff-Corzine's (2006) article "American Indian Homicide: A County-Level Analysis Utilizing Social Disorganization Theory" has been referred to as a highly influential piece of literature on American Indian homicide. The study looked at American Indian homicide victimization incidents by county between 1986 and 1992 in the continental United States using the framework of social disorganization theory. Despite the violent crime drop in the 1990s, little research exists that examines current dynamics of American Indian homicide. This study provides an updated replication of Lanier and Huff-Corzine (2006) by examining the impact of social disorganization on American Indian homicide victimization between 2006 and 2012. Results differ from Lanier and Huff-Corzine (2006). Reasons for the different outcomes are explored and implications for future research are discussed.

Using Indigenous epistemology blended with qualitative methodology, I spoke with forty-five Indigenous people about navigating the problematic processes for multiple American Indian identities within different contexts. I examined Indigenous identity as the product of out-group processes (being invisible in spite of the prevalence of overt racism), institutional constraints (being in the unique position where legal identification validates Indian race), and intra-ethnic othering (internalizing overt and institutionalized racism which results in authenticity policing). I find that overt racism becomes invisible when racist social discourse becomes legitimized. Discourse structures society within the interactions between institutions, individuals, and groups. Racist social discourse becomes legitimized through its normalization created within social institutions--like education, media, legislation, and family. Institutions shape social norms to make it seem right to enact racial violence against, and between, Indigenous Peoples, using stereotypes, racist labels, and laws that define "Indian" race by blood quanta. Ultimately, Indigenous Peoples can reproduce or contest the legitimized racism of Western social norms. Therefore, this work explores the dialectical and reciprocal relationship between notions of structure and agency as represented in negotiations of Indigenous identity.

The purpose of this study was to explore the postsecondary education transition experiences of graduates of Choctaw Central High School (CCHS) who received support from the Tribal Scholarship Program (TSP) to better understand the barriers to successful postsecondary completion and the means to overcoming those barriers. Successful transitions are key for students to persist to academic completion. Studies show that American Indian students have low rates of college completion and experience a variety of factors attributed to withdrawal from college. This study provided insight into college success experienced by American Indian students and an understanding of the opportunities for a college education their scholarship program provides. Suggestions for improving the preparation of students and operation of the scholarship program are offered. The participants in this study were CCHS graduates who received support from the TSP for postsecondary education. A case study with a survey component research design was used in this study. Data from a cross-sectional survey, interviews, and observations were collected. A total of 87 past and present TSP supported students participated as survey respondents. Purposeful sampling in the form of maximum variation was used to select 6 respondents for researcher conducted interviews. The findings of this study documented four themes that characterized the transition experience of respondents to postsecondary education. Additionally, within these themes three general barriers to successful postsecondary completion were revealed. The general barriers included: (a) racial conflict with peers or faculty, (b) being overwhelmed academically, and (c) having to care for a legal dependent. The themes and barriers are discussed in the context of three primary factors related to postsecondary completion for American Indian students: sociocultural, academic, and personal factors. Recommendations included: (a) assessing and addressing the unique needs of nontraditional students in the Tribal Scholarship program, (b) arranging for an after hour study and tutoring facility for Tribal Scholarship Program students who commute from the reservation to college, (c) beginning orientation to the Tribal Scholarship Program with 9th graders, (d) providing on-campus mentoring opportunities for Tribal Scholarship Program participants, and (e) expanding this research to public school graduates who participate in the Tribal Scholarship Program.

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