Assessment of Awareness of Connectedness as a Culturally-Based Protective Factor for Alaska Native Youth

Nathaniel V. Mohatt, Carlotta Ching Ting Fok, Rebekah Burket, David Henry, James Allen

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

119 Scopus citations

Abstract

Research with Native Americans has identified connectedness as a culturally based protective factor against substance abuse and suicide. Connectedness refers to the interrelated welfare of the individual, one's family, one's community, and the natural environment. We developed an 18-item quantitative assessment of awareness of connectedness and tested it with 284 Alaska Native youth. Evaluation with confirmatory factor analysis and item response theory identified a 12-item subset that functions satisfactorily in a second-order four-factor model. The proposed Awareness of Connectedness Scale (ACS) displays good convergent and discriminant validity, and correlates positively with hypothesized protective factors such as reasons for living and communal mastery. The measure has utility in the study of culture-specific protective factors and as an outcomes measure for behavioral health programs with Native American youth.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)444-455
Number of pages12
JournalCultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology
Volume17
Issue number4
DOIs
StatePublished - Oct 2011

Keywords

  • Alaska Native youth
  • American Indian youth
  • Assessment
  • Indigenous psychology

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