Despite low life expectancy, high suicide and homicide rates, and excessive levels of poverty and violence, American Indians continue to survive. However, few researchers have assessed the correlates of resilience among adult American Indians. Current researchers assessing American Indian resilience have focused primarily on adolescents and preadolescents, resulting in a definition of resilience that is more often than not defined by the lack of negative youth outcomes. In this quantitative survey study, data were collected from 103 American Indians living off-reservation in a northwestern state. Gender, age, education level, degree of enculturation (using the Multigroup Ethnic Identity Measure), level of stressful life events (using the Life Events Checklist) were tested using linear regression as potential predictors of resilience (measured with the Resilience Scale). Results suggested that higher enculturation was associated with higher resilience; other predictors were not statistically related to resilience. It was surprising that the data did not support a relationship between trauma and lowered resilience. Implications for positive social change include understanding more clearly the role of enculturation in resilience; such knowledge can be used to foster activities that value local culture and can have a positive impact on mental and physical health.

Based on a review of one tribal government's strong membership powers exercised in General Tribal Council (GTC) meetings, tribal leaders do not analyze or review the activities in those meetings on an ongoing basis to determine where or if improvements are needed or are effective when implemented. The purpose of this study was to bridge the gap in empirical studies and to identify a process by which tribes can review GTC meetings to implement continuous improvements. Based on the tenets of Habermas' deliberative democracy framework, this qualitative study used the Discourse Quality Index (DQI) to determine the level of participation and deliberation occurring in membership meetings. Through a content analysis of transcripts from a year of GTC meetings of a single tribe, findings provided insight on speaker interruptions, reasons underlying opinions, respect given to others, and community-based decisions. The findings also identified that GTC meetings score high in all elements except regarding respect for others. By focusing on improvements in deliberative forums, Tribal leaders can create a more inviting atmosphere to individuals to speak, improve community networking, and increase levels of respect for others. Implications for social change are the development of meetings that improve over time, resulting in the generation of a greater range of solutions to public issues and creation of networking relationships as members hear other solutions and positions.

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

This study includes two papers that aimed to provide insights into the experiences of high-achieving Latinx and Native American college students studying science. We wanted to better understand factors that influence these students’ ability to develop a sense of identity that weaves together their hoped-for careers as scientists as well as their cultural identities. We looked at how they feel about working with mentors in science fields who were like them in a variety of ways. We found that many students (especially those with a stronger sense of cultural identity) valued working with mentors who were similar to them in demographic characteristics; but overall, the whole group of students agreed that the most important areas of similarity in their opinions were their values and thoughts about how to interact with other people. Students who felt they were similar to their mentors on demographic characteristics were also more likely to believe they were similar in values and ways of interacting. We also examined identity development in three different aspects: ethnic identity, scientist identity, and combining the two into one identity that incorporates being a Native American scientist or a Latinx scientist. We found that the students in this study may find it difficult at times to develop a strong sense of their identity that weaves together both parts of themselves without favoring one over the other, and without seeing the two identities as separate or conflicting. At the same time, we found that when mentors do behave in ways that are more similar with students’ ways of interacting, those students develop a stronger sense of themselves as scientists, and when students have a stronger sense of themselves as scientists, they are more likely to commit to their education. We suggest that people working with Native American and Latinx college students studying science should work on understanding those students’ cultural backgrounds and find ways to relate with them, in order to make it more likely that those students will finish school and choose to continue with a career in science.

Mycorrhizae have been used in restoration for decades. However, studies assessing the use of mycorrhizae in Bromus tectorum-invaded areas of the Great Basin are limited. Two greenhouse pot experiments were conducted to assess the role of mycorrhizae in sagebrush restoration. The first objective (Chapter 2) was to determine the response of Pseudoroegneria spicatum, Elymus elymoides, and B. tectorum to mycorrhizal symbiosis by altering phosphorus, density, species, presence of mycorrhizae and water levels in a 5 factor design. To assess the mycorrhizal response, a variety of morphological and physiological traits were measured, such as tissue P concentration, specific root length, specific leaf area, carbon isotope discrimination, etc. The effects of the different treatment combinations were analyzed using ANOVA. The second objective (Chapter 3) was to determine the role of different inocula in competition between the three grasses. Species, density, and inoculum type were altered in a 3 factor design. Inoculum was cultured on Allium plants. The effect of locally cultured inoculum on the species was compared to the effect of commercial inoculum. The response of each species to mycorrhizae with different species compositions and densities was assessed. Morphological measurements were used to determine each species response to the different factor combinations. The effects of the different treatment combinations were analyzed using ANOVA. This research provides land managers with information regarding the efficacy of using local versus commercial inocula and whether they should use mycorrhizae in restoring their systems.

In industry, antioxidants are added to prevent changes that affect quality due to oxidation, such as the development of off flavors, unacceptable odors and discoloration. New resources that are familiar to consumers and may work as antioxidants should be studied. The changes in antioxidant activity were determined for four freeze-dried native wild berry powder species in Utah, including skunkbush (Rhus trilobata), chokecherry (Prunus virginiana), river hawthorn (Crataegus douglasii) and silver buffaloberry (Shepherdia argentea), during cold storage (-20 °C) for 6 months. The total antioxidant activity was stable in most of the berry powders during the six months of frozen storage. Overall the river hawthorn and buffaloberry contained the highest antioxidant activity values, which indicated that they would be more efficient for use as food antioxidants. The effectiveness of two different levels of native Utah river hawthorn and buffaloberry freeze-dried powders in maintaining the quality of ground poultry and ground beef was studied. Meat patties mixed with berry powders were held at 4 °C and analyzed every three days for two weeks. The river hawthorn berry and silver buffaloberry delayed the undesirable changes in flavor or color caused by the oxygen present in the air in both chicken and beef ground patties. However, the plant pigments in the silver buffaloberry increased the redness of chicken patties. Neither berry significantly changed the color of ground beef patties or changed the microbial growth in ground meats. Overall, both river hawthorn and buffaloberry are suitable for using in ground beef product as antioxidants. Milk mineral and sodium tripolyphosphate are antioxidants that could bind free metal ions into insoluble or inactive forms. They can delay the changes of the meat pigment and maintain color in meat products. The purpose of the third study was to examine the effect antioxidants on meat pigment.pH describes the amounts of acid in food. Slowed color changes in the poultry meat pigment with antioxidants was seen both at the pH of living poultry muscle (7.2) and the pH of raw poultry meat (pH 6.0). This suggested that addition of metal-binding antioxidants like milk mineral or sodium tripolyphosphate could help preserve poultry meat pigment and maintain the color of poultry products.

The knowledge base targeting internalizing symptomatology in Native American children is surprisingly limited. As yet, it is not clear if the process and symptoms of internalizing disorders are the same across cultures. The need for further investigation is heightened by the fact that, compared to the majority population, Native Americans are believed to be at greater risk for psychological problems because of impoverished conditions, high unemployment, and high numbers of traumatic events on the reservations. Additionally, the losses of traditional culture and language are considered risk factors for greater psychopathology. The negative ramifications of internalizing disorders (e.g., depression and anxiety) include academic failure, lowered social skills and self-esteem, and greater risk for substance abuse and suicide. Furthermore, evidence suggests that all children with mental disorders are at high risk for severe psychopathology when left unidentified or untreated. It seems clear that additional research is needed to better understand internalizing symptoms among members of this cultural group. To help meet this need, the present study focused on internalizing disorders among Native American children from the southwest, utilizing a portion of extant data from the Flower of Two Soils Project. This project was one of very few methodologically sound studies that have been successful in obtaining multisource. multimethod data on social, emotional, and behavioral functioning of Native American children. Data were collected using a modified version of the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL), Youth Self-Report (YSR), and Teacher's Report Form (TRF) assessment instruments for parents, teachers, and children. Findings with respect to elementary school-aged children found relatively high rates of depression, anxiety, somatization symptoms and, potentially, disorders. These findings are a cause for concern among parents, teachers, and all agencies responsible for children's mental health. Across all three informant groups a consistent pattern of negative correlations was observed between internalizing symptoms and child competencies. This finding is consistent with previous findings for the general population. However,. competitiveness and academic achievement were positively correlated with internalizing symptoms, perhaps indicating that an emphasis on competitiveness and individual achievement is stressful for children from a collectivistic Native American culture. This was a descriptive study providing broad exploratory information, but there remains a need for more focused research identifying multivariate relationships among relevant variables. These findings should be cautiously interpreted and with due consideration for the specific cultural and historical context of children and families. Recommendations are included for research and practice.

Screening populations for development into released plant materials can be done inexpensively and in a timely manner. A common approach has been to quantify the amount of shoot dry mass produced as a surrogate for competitiveness. Besides dry mass production , other morphological characteristics have been employed , but physiological parameters have received less emphasis. Dry mass production may be an important characteristic, but identifying the traits responsible can be just as imperative . Populations with greater drought tolerance may be less impacted by competition for water from weeds, which could lead to greater establishment of desirable grasses on disturbed landscapes. The objective for chapter 2 was to evaluate the effects of cheatgrass competition on the growth and water relations of three Snake River wheatgrass (Elymus wawawaiensis) populations and two bluebunch wheatgrass (Pseudoroegneria spicata) populations in the seedling stage in a greenhouse setting. The treatments were 1) containers with a single wheatgrass plant or 2) containers with one wheatgrass and one cheatgrass plant. Containers were watered gravimetrically to 11.5% soil-water content, regard less of treatment, every few days until harvested on day 35. Cheatgrass competition reduced root dry mass, shoot dry mass, leaf area, leaf number, tiller number, xylem pressure potential, and stomata} conductance. The bluebunch wheatgrass populations generally had more negative xylem pressure potential, higher stomata! conductance, and higher shoot dry mass, while the Snake River populations had higher specific leaf area and less negative xylem pressure potentials . The objective for chapter 3 was to evaluate the effects of planting density on the growth and water relations over a 2-year period among five Snake River wheatgrass populations, one thickspike wheatgrass (Elymus lanceolatus) population , and three interspecific hybrids. High (25 plants/m 2 ) and low-density (7.8 plants/m2) plots of each grass were transplanted to Millville, Utah in the spring of 2005 and 2006 intended to generate low and high resource availability environments, respectively. Thickspike wheatgrass had the highest shoot dry mass and least negative xylem pressure potential , the hybrids were intermediate, and the Snake River wheatgrasses were least productive and more water stressed. The primary benefit of this thesis will be through identifying the potential for developing these populations into improved plant materials and releasing them for commercial use in degraded rangelands across the Intermountain West. These new plant materials may also help transition damaged rangelands towards more desirable stable states composed of lower abundances of invasive annual grasses.

This is a creative thesis comprised of three short stories centered on the experiences of three Navajo protagonists living on the Navajo reservation. The short stories fit within the field of Native American Literature and highlight issues of mortality, sexuality, and ceremony. The stories illustrate the experiences of modern-day Navajo youth grappling to understand how to connect traditional knowledge with modernity. The three stories featured within this thesis are offered as a way to understand these challenges. Each protagonist is faced with an issue of morality, sexuality, or ceremony, and each reach differing conclusions about these topics within their lives. This collection is comprised of three short stories entitled “Dormant,” “Under the Porch Way,” and “The Missing Morningstar.” The first story, “Dormant,” is about a young female Navajo protagonist and her budding relationship with her math teacher. She has a pregnancy scare and considers the meaning of motherhood and her sexuality. The second story, “Under the Porch Way,” is about an adolescent Navajo boy who is being haunted by his father’s ghost, and has a traditional ceremony done, but it fails to work. Instead, after attempting to have sex with his girlfriend, Jenni, under the porch, he finds that his father’s ghost has left him. The final story “The Missing Morningstar,” is about a young two-spirit woman whose romantic interest is kidnapped and left for dead in a ditch. The protagonist considers her sexuality and traditional Navajo identity.

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / In the winter of 1832-1833, German scientist and aristocrat Prince Maximilian of Wied spent five months in the Indiana town of New Harmony during a two-year expedition to the interior of North America. Maximilian’s observations of Native Americans west of the Mississippi River have influenced European and white American perceptions of the Indigenous peoples of North America for nearly two centuries, but his time in New Harmony has gone understudied. This article explores his personal journal and his published travelogue to discover what Maximilian’s time in New Harmony reveals about his work. New Harmony exposed him to a wealth of information about Native Americans produced by educated white elites like himself. However, Maximilian missed opportunities to encounter Native Americans first-hand in and around New Harmony, which he wrongly thought required crossing the Mississippi River. Because of the biases and misperceptions caused by Maximilian’s racialized worldview and stereotypical expectations of Native American life, he overlooked the Indigenous communities and individuals living in Indiana.