- 1Department
of Education, University of Regina, Education Building, 3737 Wascana
Parkway, Regina, SK, S4S 0A2, Canada. Angela.Snowshoe@uregina.ca.
- 2Department of Education, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada.
- 3Department of Psychology, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada.
Abstract
We
explored the interrelationships among components of cultural
connectedness (i.e., identity, traditions, and spirituality) and First Nations youth mental health using a brief version of the original Cultural Connectedness Scale. Participants included 290 First Nations youth (M age = 14.4)
who were recruited from both urban and rural school settings in
Saskatchewan and Southwestern Ontario. We performed a confirmatory
factor analysis of the Cultural Connectedness Scale-Short Version
(CCS-S) items to investigate the factor stability of the construct in
our sample. We examined the relationships between the CCS-S subscales
and self-efficacy, sense of self (present and future), school
connectedness, and life satisfaction using hierarchical multiple linear
regression analyses to establish the validity of the abbreviated
measure. The results revealed that cultural connectedness, as measured
by the 10-item CCS-S, had strong associations with the mental health
indicators assessed and, in some cases, was associated with First Nations
youth mental health above and beyond other social determinants of
health. Our results extend findings from previous research on cultural
connectedness by elucidating the meaning of its components and
demonstrate the importance of culture for positive youth development.
KEYWORDS:
Assessment; Cultural connectedness; First Nations; Mental health; Resilience; Youth
