Michigan State University Extension
Diversity and Pluralism - DP120217
12/95/
ERIC TITLE NUMBER: ED326340 AUTHOR: Gale, Nancy
TITLE: Adolescence--A Tough Time for Indian Youth. What Can
We Do?
YEAR PUBLISHED: (1990)
NOTE: 26 p.
AVAILABILITY: Native American Development Corporation, 1000
Connecticut Ave. NW, Suite 1206, Washington, DC 20036.
ABSTRACT: This brief booklet, based on interviews with Gay
Munsell, a Native American child development specialist,
with the National Resource Center for Youth Services at the
University of Oklahoma, examines the difficulties
experienced by Indian youth in confronting the problems and
changes of adolescence. In urban areas, 80% of Indian youth
drop out of school, compared with 50% of reservation Indian
students. Up to 25% of Indian youth display symptoms of
psychological problems, and many Indian youngsters live in
environments with a high rate of alcoholism and other drug
abuse; in fact, Indian youth use alcohol at a rate three
times that of adolescents in the general population.
Adolescence is a time of change, when a child's mind
becomes capable of abstract thinking. As their concepts of
time mature, young people begin to see themselves as
individuals and are confronted with the need to define
their relationship with the future. Adolescence implies six
primary tasks: (1) learning to think abstractly; (2)
learning to distinguish between the real and the ideal; (3)
deciding how one relates to the past and future; (4)
developing independence; (5) defining individualism; and
(6) determining how, as an individual, to fit into and
function in the world beyond family and community. Aside
from these normal adolescent tasks, Indian youth must also
struggle with their cultural roles and identities. Negative
coping patterns, such as reliance on drugs and alcohol,
often develop. The booklet suggests strategies to make
adolescent transitions smoother, including: (1)
strengthening a youth's sense of being a valued member of
the family; (2) raising youth's self-esteem; and (3)
helping youth strengthen relationships with significant
adults. The document encourages adults to establish
relationships with Indian adolescents based on patience and
trust. (TES)
KEY DESCRIPTORS: Adolescents-; Alcohol-Abuse; American
Indian-Education; Counseling-; Family-Role; Parent-Role;
Youth-
KEY DESCRIPTORS: *Adolescent-Development;
*American-Indians; *Developmental-Tasks; *Guidance-;
*Youth-Problems
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