Prevention. Intervention. Respect.
Tipis in a field

Translating and Implementing a Mindfulness-Based Youth Suicide Prevention Intervention in a Native American Community.

The present study is a feasibility study, aimed at investigating whether a mindfulness-based prevention intervention can be translated and implemented in a Native American youth population. Guided by the adaptation process model, a mindfulness youth suicide prevention intervention was developed and implemented in a Native American school. One group of eight youth, ages 15-20, participated in a 9-week pilot of the intervention. Results of the mixed-methods process and outcome evaluation suggest that the intervention is acceptable to Native American youth, with positive indications in terms of better self-regulation, less mind wandering, and decreased suicidal thoughts. It became clearly evident that a collaborative and indigenous research framework is both required and necessary to ensure feasibility and sustainability of mindfulness-based interventions.

Le, Thao; Gobert, Judith
Journal of Child & Family Studies
2015
24
1
12
Springer Science & Business Media B.V.
Article
Suicide prevention; Psychology of Native Americans; Mindfulness (Psychology); Adolescence; Research methodology; Pilot projects
Mindfulness; Native American youth; Prevention intervention; Suicide
Setting
Tribal Adaptation
Individual/Child
  • Secondary
  • Tertiary
Child
  • exposure to stress
  • mental health problems
  • OTHER (Specify)
PTSD; suicidal ideation
  • access to health and social services
  • social and emotional competence