RESILIENCE THROUGH THE WORLDVIEW OF URBAN
AMERICAN INDIAN ELDERS: COMMUNITY TO
INDIVIDUAL LEVEL FACTORS FOR STRENGTHENING
FAMILY AND PARENTING PRACTICES
Carmella Kahn-Thornbrugh
Agnes Attakai
Kerstin Reinschmidt
Shannon Whitewater
Tara Chico
Nicolette Teufel-Shone
Background

Role of American Indian (AI) elders
Keepers and transmitters of knowledge (Garrett et al., 2014)
 Endured many adversities (Grandbois & Sanders, 2009)
 Life stories hold life lessons and foundational knowledge to better
understand resilience


Youth in today’s society
Disconnect between elders and youth (Wexler, 2011)
 Urban AI youth face greater challenges connecting with elders
(Stumblingbear-Riddle, 2012)
 Previous research acknowledges that ties to culture and other
variables (i.e. social support) may be protective and lead to
resilient outcomes for positive youth development (LaFromboise et
al., 2006; Wexler, 2011)

Protective intergenerational strategies
Spirituality
 Tribal identity
 Elders
 Ceremonies and rituals
 Humor
 Oral tradition
 Family
 Support networks
(HeavyRunner and Morris, 1997)


What protective strategies can elders offer to enhance resilience
factors for parenting among urban American Indian families?
Methods: Literature review
 (1)
Peer-reviewed English based articles in PubMed
 (2) Published from January 1, 1980 to November 15, 2014
 (3) AIAN and Hawaiian elders as the target population
 (4) Non-clinical based
 (5) Key words and terms for American Indian/Alaska
Native/Native Hawaiian Resilience
 (6) 171 articles identified. Ten articles were included
Key words and terms used in literature
review
Population
Search terms
Native American
American Indian
Alaska Native
Native Hawaiian
Parenting
Culture
Intergenerational
Parental monitoring
Youth
Results: Literature review

Individual
 Sacredness
of children
 Sense of belonging and identity
 Spirituality
 Culture: values and expectations
 Responsibility/accountability
 Attain education/employment
Results: Literature review

Family
 Elders





 Kin

as wisdom keepers
Intergenerational relationships
Language/stories/wisdom
Protectors/mentors/teachers/support givers
Ancestral survival through generations
Overcome stereotypes and hostile groups
networks
Family/community/collective
connectedness
 Parenting

skills
Involvement, confidence, supervision,
positive parenting, discipline
 Health:
Family centered models
Results: Literature review

Community
 Resources
 Indigenous
Wellness Centers,
cultural/language immersion
school, programs to promote
youth development and
resilience
 Traditions,
customs, activities
 Health services—take into
consideration historical
markers and resiliency factors
Methods: Pilot research project
Documenting and Promoting Resilience in Urban
American Indians (Co-PIs: Agnes Attakai, Kerstin
Reinschmidt)
 CBPR
approach; partnership with Tucson Indian Center
 Defining resilience from the perspective of urban
American Indian elders.
 Qualitative methods: focus groups and individual
interviews with 13 urban American Indian elders
 Utilized thematic analysis
 Digital stories and a curriculum for a youth program
Results: Pilot Research Project

Elder’s worldview of resilience
 Individual—personal
responsibility
(bounce back, don’t give up)
 Family—healing families, strength,
behind us, how strong our ancestors were
“they can do it, I can do it”
 Community—connection with community,
community cultural activities, language
Results: Pilot Research Project

Revealed various levels of resilience factors for parenting
Individual
-Being strong
-Being responsible
-Practicing spirituality
-Participate/volunteer
-Identity/roots/history
-Activities
-Education
-Connection with elders
Results: Pilot Research Project

Revealed various levels of resilience factors for parenting
Growing up in hard conditions (i.e.
poverty) taught values of working
Individual
hard, staying in school, furthering
-Being strong
-Being responsible education, and getting a job
-Practicing spirituality
-Participate/volunteer
-Identity/roots/history
-activities
-education
-connection with elders
Results: Pilot Research Project
Family
-Teach younger generation
-Positive family relationships
-Family members as role models
-Safe environment for kids
Results: Pilot Research Project
Family
-Teach younger generation
-Positive family relationships
-Family members as role models
-Safe environment for kids
Ancestors as role models (how to do
things, being strong, being healthy,
being mentally sharp, being an
inspiration); elders as role models
Results: Pilot Research Project
Community
-Culture, language, traditions, Sharing stories
-Traditional use of land (i.e. gardening, take care of mother earth)
-Tucson Indian Center and other community resources (i.e. school)
Results: Pilot Research Project
Community
-Culture, language, traditions, Sharing stories
-Traditional use of land (i.e. gardening, take care of mother earth)
-Tucson Indian Center and other community resources (i.e. school)
Farming with grandparents;
knowing traditional roles; know
history
Discussion

Literature search and qualitative data from elder’s
narratives helped identify key resiliency factors
uniquely specific for urban AI parenting practices
 Cultural
based solutions at all levels
 Strengths in knowing history and roots


Adults and elders views on culture were different from
youth
Oppressive policies have disrupted the relationship
between youth, parents, and elders
Recommendations

Strategies for enhancing resilience factors for parenting



intergenerational communication (stories about historical trauma
and elder resilience)
Teach youth how culture can be a sustaining force and how it is
linked to strengths (personal to collective) to overcome challenges
Develop local community-based solutions
 Urban centers—parenting curriculum, youth curriculum



Identify family strengths
Communication with child
Guiding behavior effectively (bridge those gaps)
Thank you
Carmella Kahn-Thornbrugh
ckahn@email.arizona.edu
This work was supported by the Center for American Indian
Resilience (CAIR) a NIH-NIMHD P20 Exploratory Center of
Excellence (1P20MD006872) awarded to Northern Arizona
University with subcontracts to University of Arizona and Dine
College
References
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Gandbois, D. M., & Sanders, G. F. (2012). Resilience and stereotyping: The experiences of Native American elders .
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