Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #103635

Hiie Silmere, MSW, School of Social Work, Washington University in St. Louis, Campus Box 1196, One Brookings Drive, Saint Louis, MO 63130, 314-935-8173, hsilmere@wustl.edu and Arlene R. Stiffman, PhD, School of Social Work, Washington University, One Brookings Dr., Box 1196, St. Louis, MO 63130-4899.

American Indian youth are often characterized in terms of numerous problem behaviors. Much less attention has been devoted to youth who are relatively problem-free and function successfully. Little is known what environmental and family factors are associated with positive functioning among this group of adolescents. Based on ecological systems theory, this study examines such factors among a stratified random sample of 205 reservation and 196 urban American Indian youth living in Southwestern United States. The data were collected in 2001. Successfully functioning youth were friends with fewer alcohol and drug using peers (r=-.47, p<.0001), reported fewer negative neighborhood influences (r=-.33, p<.0001) and stressful events (r=-.37, p<.0001), were less likely to be physically or sexually abused (t=7.68, p<.0001), and reported higher satisfaction with their families (r=.34, p<.0001). Our findings provide important information for the planning and development of programs that strengthen youth in their growth, development, and ultimate outcomes.

Learning Objectives:

• To recognize and articulate strengths of American Indian youth.
• To identify factors associated with successful or positive functioning among American Indian youth and to evaluate the relative strength of these factors for successful functioning.
• To recognize these factors as important targets for the development of programs that strengthen American Indian youth in their development and ultimate outcomes.

Keywords: Adolescents, American Indians

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.