Open AccessIdentifying as American Indian/Alaska Native in Urban Areas: Implications for Adolescent Behavioral Health and Well-Being
Author(s) -
Ryan Brown,
Daniel Dickerson,
David J. Klein,
Denis Agniel,
Carrie L. Johnson,
Elizabeth J. D’Amico
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
youth and society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.969
H-Index - 66
eISSN - 1552-8499
pISSN - 0044-118X
DOI - 10.1177/0044118x19840048
Subject(s) - juvenile delinquency , mental health , ethnic group , happiness , adolescent health , psychology , suicide prevention , poison control , substance use , gerontology , environmental health , medicine , developmental psychology , clinical psychology , social psychology , psychiatry , sociology , nursing , anthropology
American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) youth exhibit multiple health disparities, including high rates of alcohol and other drug (AOD) use, violence and delinquency, and mental health problems. Approximately 70% of AI/AN youth reside in urban areas, where negative outcomes on behavioral health and well-being are often high. Identity development may be particularly complex in urban settings, where youth may face more fragmented and lower density AI/AN communities, as well as mixed racial-ethnic ancestry and decreased familiarity with AI/AN lifeways. This study examines racial-ethnic and cultural identity among AI/AN adolescents and associations with behavioral health and well-being by analyzing quantitative data collected from a baseline assessment of 185 AI/AN urban adolescents from California who were part of a substance use intervention study. Adolescents who identified as AI/AN on their survey reported better mental health, less alcohol and marijuana use, lower rates of delinquency, and increased happiness and spiritual health.