Weaving Healthy Families Program: Promoting Resilience While Reducing Violence and Substance Use

Abstract

Purpose: We examine pilot results for the culturally adapted Weaving Healthy Families (WHF) program to promote resilience and wellness while preventing substance abuse and violence among Native American (NA) families. Methods: Results were drawn from paired sample t tests and analyses of variance (ANOVA) with a convenience sample of 24 adults and adolescents from eight NA families (pretest, posttest, and, where available, 6-month postintervention). Results: Along with substance abuse reduction and prevention, t test results indicated reductions in (a) adult depressive symptoms and improvements in adult conflict resolution and health behaviors; (b) adolescent wellness; and (c) adult and adolescent resilience, communal mastery, social support, and sugar-sweetened beverage consumption. ANOVA tests revealed reductions in adult psychological and physical violence and improvements in adult and adolescent family resilience, family environment, and emotional regulation. Conclusions: Results reveal promising preliminary results for the WHF program to promote resilience and thriving while reducing risk for substance abuse and violence in NA families.

“You Can Get Away with Anything Here… No Justice at All”— Sexual Violence Against U.S. Indigenous Females and Its Consequences

“…Moreover, the protective factors of family resilience as well as social and community support were also less for sexual violence survivors; this would exacerbate recovery from sexual violence and contribute to poorer outcomes, including substance abuse and mental health [ 25 , 61 , 65 ]. Indeed, and as expected, at the psychological level, sexual violence survivors, on average, experienced higher consumption of alcohol and PTSD – both disparities driving the mortality and morbidity of Indigenous peoples [ 18 , 52 , 61 ].…”

“…Some research prioritized the voices of Indigenous women and professionals to identify solutions to sexual violence and other forms of IPV [ 16 ]; Survivors and professionals identified the importance of bolstering family and community resilience and supports [ 16 ]. McKinley, Figley, et al, (2019) [ 50 ] described the process of using community engaged and community-based participatory research to develop evidence-based or evidence-informed programs with the FHORT to redress historical oppression, bolster resilience, and reduce sexual violence and other types of violence and substance abuse in families [ 52 ]. Others can follow these models to work collaboratively with tribal communities who can clarify pathways towards violence-free transcendence and wellness.…”

“…The first author has become educated and worked with the focal tribal community for over a decade, she is embedded in the community, works with extensive cultural insiders, uses culturally appropriate methodology with storytelling and tribal analysts and research assistants, builds upon cultural strengths and uses a tribal perspective. Additionally, investment in the community, advocating, and giving back is demonstrated through this inquiry informing the development of a culturally and community-based intervention that addresses sexual and family violence and substance abuse in communities, while promoting family resilience and wellness [ 52 ]. These strategies further fulfill the call for trauma-informed research [ 70 ] as they align with the five principles of trauma-informed practice: safety (honor confidentiality, be transparent), collaboration (commit long-term, collaborate), choice (enable self-determination, listen), trustworthiness (build a positive reputation, spend time in the community), and empowerment (reinforce cultural strengths, invest resources) [ 29 ].…”

“It just took something from me”: A mixed-methods examination of intimate partner violence victimization and perpetration among U.S. Indigenous peoples.

“…Moreover, with symptoms of anxiety predicting perpetration, promoting positive coping may provide the needed tools to offset IPV and alcohol use to manage distress and emotions. Family-focused and culturally grounded interventions that focus both on AOD abuse, emotional regulation, and violence prevention are recommended (McKinley & Theall, 2021).…”

“I Have to Watch Them Closely”: Native American Parenting Practice and Philosophies

“…The first author (principal investigator -PI) has worked for a decade with the focal tribes using community engaged, ethical, and culturally congruent critical ethnographic and communitybased participatory research approaches recommended for work with tribal communities (Burnette et al, 2014;McKinley et al, 2019;McKinley & Theall, 2021). Her work with these tribes reflects the in-depth, prolonged engagement needed to build trust and foster collaboration.…”