ABSTRACT
Objective
Indigenous Peoples and scholars call for strengths-based approaches to research inclusive of Indigenous resiliency and positive outcomes. The purpose of this study was to examine positive mental health for Indigenous adults with type 2 diabetes and to determine if positive mental health is linked to community connectedness (a coping resource) and active coping (a coping response).
Methods
Participants (N = 194 at baseline) were randomly selected from clinical records, at least 18 years old with a type 2 diabetes diagnosis, and self-identified as American Indian.
Results
Latent growth curve models revealed that average positive mental health was predicted to decrease over the four waves of the study, although not for participants with above-average active coping at baseline. Community connectedness at baseline was associated with higher initial levels of positive mental health. Within-person change in active coping and community connectedness were both associated with increases in positive mental health.
Conclusion
This study aligns with previous research demonstrating that coping can influence health outcomes, and furthers the stress process literature by showing that active coping and community connectedness can impact positive mental health for Indigenous adults with Type 2 Diabetes.
Acknowledgements:
The authors would like to thank the Community Research Council and Clinical Project Members of the Gathering for Health team: Sidnee Kellar, Rose Barber, Robert Miller, Tweed Shuman, Lorraine Smith, Sandy Zeznanski, Patty Subera, Tracy Martin, Geraldine Whiteman, Lisa Perry, Trisha Prentice, Alexis Mason, Charity Prentice-Pemberton, Kathy Dudley, Romona Nelson, Eileen Miller, Geraldine Brun, Murphy Thomas, Mary Sikora-Petersen, Tina Handeland, GayeAnn Allen, Frances Whitfield, Phillip Chapman, Sr., Hope Williams, Betty Jo Graveen, Daniel Chapman, Jr., Doris Isham, Stan Day, Jane Villebrun, Beverly Steel, Muriel Deegan, Peggy Connor, Michael Connor, Ray E. Villebrun, Sr., Pam Hughes, Cindy McDougall, Melanie McMichael, Robert Thompson, and Sandra Kier.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).