Pilot Test of a Cultural Intervention to Enhance Alaska Native Students' Behavioral Health

This project aims to enhance AN university students' behavioral health by supporting their cultural identity development. While the connection between cultural identity and behavioral health is becoming clearer, comparably less research has explored methods of enhancing identity development. Consequently, the investigators will pilot a cultural identity development program for AN students at the University of Alaska Anchorage (UAA). This intervention is based on extant scientific literature, local findings from focus group with AN students, and traditional wisdom from AN Elders. The eight-week Elder-facilitated program incorporates storytelling, experiential learning, connection, exploration, and sharing of identity, cultural strengths, life paths, and rootedness in who they are in order to remain grounded when they face changes and challenges. Approximately 40 to 50 AN university students will be recruited for the intervention. Participants will be randomized, with half the participants receiving the intervention in the Fall 2020 semester and half the students receiving the intervention in the Spring 2021 semester. We hypothesize that engaging in this intervention will strengthen AN students' cultural identities, strengths, and sense of community; improve their behavioral health, as evidenced in higher self-reported wellbeing, and lower substance use, depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation symptoms; and support their academic persistence and achievement. Outcomes will be tested via mixed design analyses of covariance. Moreover, program feasibility will be examined through a process evaluation, which will entail thematic analyses of six focus groups with program participants (n=40-50) and with the Elders who facilitated the program (n=5).

Multigroup Ethnic Identity Measure (Roberts et al., 1999), a 12-item self-report measure developed for diverse groups that has been validated with Native people (e.g., Moran et al., 1999) to measure cultural identity. Range = 6-30, higher scores indicate greater identification with cultural identity

Change in Baseline Degree of Identification with Cultural Identity Immediately Following Intervention

Multigroup Ethnic Identity Measure (Roberts et al., 1999), a 12-item self-report measure developed for diverse groups that has been validated with Native people (e.g., Moran et al., 1999) to measure cultural identity. Range = 6-30, higher scores indicate greater identification with cultural identity

Multigroup Ethnic Identity Measure (Roberts et al., 1999), a 12-item self-report measure developed for diverse groups that has been validated with Native people (e.g., Moran et al., 1999) to measure cultural identity. Range = 6-30, higher scores indicate greater identification with cultural identity

Native Cultural Health Assessment Tool (White Shield, 2013), a 10-item self-report measure of cultural strengths in given time period (past month for project) that was developed for Native people to measure cultural strengths. Range = 10-50, higher scores indicate greater identification with cultural strengths.

Change in Baseline Degree of Identification with Cultural Strengths Immediately Following Intervention

Native Cultural Health Assessment Tool (White Shield, 2013), a 10-item self-report measure of cultural strengths in given time period (past month for project) that was developed for Native people to measure cultural strengths. Range = 10-50, higher scores indicate greater identification with cultural strengths.

Native Cultural Health Assessment Tool (White Shield, 2013), a 10-item self-report measure of cultural strengths in given time period (past month for project) that was developed for Native people to measure cultural strengths. Range = 10-50, higher scores indicate greater identification with cultural strengths.

Sense of Community Index, Second Edition (Chavis et al., 2008), a 24-item self-report measure of membership in, shared emotional connection with, fulfillment of needs from, and mutual influence on a given community (e.g., Alaska Native community at UAA) that has been used with diverse populations. Range = 0-72, higher scores indicate greater sense of community.

Change in Baseline Strength of Sense of Community with Alaska Native People at University Immediately Following Intervention

Sense of Community Index, Second Edition (Chavis et al., 2008), a 24-item self-report measure of membership in, shared emotional connection with, fulfillment of needs from, and mutual influence on a given community (e.g., Alaska Native community at UAA) that has been used with diverse populations. Range = 0-72, higher scores indicate greater sense of community.

Change in Post-Intervention Strength of Sense of Community with Alaska Native People at University at 6-Month Follow-Up

Sense of Community Index, Second Edition (Chavis et al., 2008), a 24-item self-report measure of membership in, shared emotional connection with, fulfillment of needs from, and mutual influence on a given community (e.g., Alaska Native community at UAA) that has been used with diverse populations. Range = 0-72, higher scores indicate greater sense of community.

Wellbeing scale of the Mental Health Inventory (Veit & Ware, 1983). Converted scores range from 0-100, higher scores indicate greater wellbeing.

Wellbeing scale of the Mental Health Inventory (Veit & Ware, 1983). Converted scores range from 0-100, higher scores indicate greater wellbeing.

Wellbeing scale of the Mental Health Inventory (Veit & Ware, 1983). Converted scores range from 0-100, higher scores indicate greater wellbeing.

Anxiety scale of the Mental Health Inventory (Veit & Ware, 1983). Converted scores range from 0-100, higher scores indicate more anxiety.

Anxiety scale of the Mental Health Inventory (Veit & Ware, 1983). Converted scores range from 0-100, higher scores indicate more anxiety.

Anxiety scale of the Mental Health Inventory (Veit & Ware, 1983). Converted scores range from 0-100, higher scores indicate more anxiety.

Depression scale of the Mental Health Inventory (Veit & Ware, 1983). Converted scores range from 0-100, higher scores indicate more depression.

Depression scale of the Mental Health Inventory (Veit & Ware, 1983). Converted scores range from 0-100, higher scores indicate more depression.

Depression scale of the Mental Health Inventory (Veit & Ware, 1983). Converted scores range from 0-100, higher scores indicate more depression.

Suicidality scale of the Mental Health Inventory (Veit & Ware, 1983). Converted scores range from 0-100, higher scores indicate more suicidality.

Suicidality scale of the Mental Health Inventory (Veit & Ware, 1983). Converted scores range from 0-100, higher scores indicate more suicidality.

Suicidality scale of the Mental Health Inventory (Veit & Ware, 1983). Converted scores range from 0-100, higher scores indicate more suicidality.

Items from the Monitoring the Future Survey (U. Michigan), a 9-item self-report measure of tobacco, alcohol, cannabis, cocaine, amphetamine-type stimulants, inhalants, sedatives, hallucinogens, and opioid use in past 30 days. Higher scores indicate greater substance use.

Items from the Monitoring the Future Survey (U. Michigan), a 9-item self-report measure of tobacco, alcohol, cannabis, cocaine, amphetamine-type stimulants, inhalants, sedatives, hallucinogens, and opioid use in past 30 days. Higher scores indicate greater substance use.

Items from the Monitoring the Future Survey (U. Michigan), a 9-item self-report measure of tobacco, alcohol, cannabis, cocaine, amphetamine-type stimulants, inhalants, sedatives, hallucinogens, and opioid use in past 30 days. Higher scores indicate greater substance use.

Inclusion Criteria: self-identify as Alaska Native, are registered as an undergraduate student at UAA, are at least 18 years old, speak English Exclusion Criteria: -