Lessons learned from a community based participatory research initiative regarding a southwest Native American intergenerational family intervention project

Utilizing a community based participatory research approach, the University of New Mexico Research Team has been actively engaged with tribal research teams from the Pueblo of Jemez and Ramah Navajo to adapt and pilot an existing evidence-based Native American Family Intervention curriculum (from the Ojibwe people) to reduce risky behaviors preventing alcohol and substance abuse in third and fourth graders in each tribal community. Given the interest in whether and how evidence-based programs can be implemented in and translated to other cultures, this paper will present lessons learned from adapting a cultural specific curriculum and the piloting of the intergenerational family intervention. We will discuss the differences between the two tribal communities in the community based participatory research process of adapting the curriculum and the piloting of the 14 session curriculum in each tribal community with youth, parents and elders, as well as pre/post test and process evaluation results. The curriculum is guided by the understanding that Indian people have been exposed to many years of acculturation, for that reason the curriculum focuses on positive traditional cultural specific healthy alternatives for each tribal community which includes life skills and community action projects. Self reflection on the adaptation and piloting of the cultural specific intergenerational family curriculum will be shared by both tribal and university research team members. Implications of the community based participatory research process with tribal communities will be discussed, including capacity building, issues of power, participation and knowledge, use of results to improve community health, and further collaboration.