Project Leader:  Dr. Brandon Scott | Montana State University

Abstract

Deleterious physical and mental health outcomes are still highly prevalent among American Indians, including anxiety disorders, in which lifetime rates are nearly twice as high as the national US average (14.5% vs. 8.6%). Although past research has consistently shown severe stress exposure, such as adverse childhood experiences and threats to cultural identity, serve as early risk factors for the development of internalizing problems (anxiety and depression), our knowledge of how early stress exposure leads to internalizing problems across development, and what individual and environmental factors may put youth at greater risk or protect them developing internalizing problems is limited.

Developmental psychopathology models of traumatic stress exposure and research findings suggest early stress exposure (risk factor) may lead to emotional dysregulation (risk mechanism), which in turn results in the development of internalizing problems (outcome) and that moderating factors (temperament, family environment) may promote or disrupt risk-risk mechanisms-outcome relations. Current research methods for exploring risk-outcome relations among American Indian populations are limited, however, in testing such developmental causal processes due to reliance traditional cross-sectional and self-report methodology.

Research Objectives

One objective of this proposed research developmental plan is to take the necessary first steps to develop a culturally responsible program of research in a tribal community to address these limitations by using longitudinal designs, multi-method approaches to assess emotion regulation (cognitive and biological), and culturally sensitive measures of anxiety and emotion regulation.

A second objective is to begin developing a pilot project proposal aimed at exploring the psychometric properties of adapted existing measures of anxiety and emotion regulation, and test concurrent and longitudinal interrelations between early stress exposure, emotion regulation, and internalizing problems in 7-10 year-old American Indian children.

Specific Aims

  1. Identify and establish a trusting mentorship with senior MSU research faculty who have established partnerships with the tribal communities in Montana and experience in conducting Community-Based Participatory Research,
  2. Gain entry into and establish a trusting, equitable partnership with a Montana tribal community and schools,
  3. Identify and assemble a Community Advisory Board (CAB) to begin working together on developing a culturally acceptable research plan and measures of early stress exposure, internalizing problems, and emotion regulation, and
  4. Begin to develop a pilot project proposal including Institutional Review Board applications.

The ability to identify causal risk mechanisms of internalizing problems will help further close the gap on mental health disparities among American Indian populations and inform prevention and treatment programs of the specific risk mechanisms to target, and which will invoke greater positive change in health outcomes across the lifespan