ACYRNACYRNAAboriginalboriginal CCommunityommunity

YYouthouth RResilienceesilience NNetworketwork

Dawn CaldwellDawn CaldwellCIETcanadaCIETcanada

ACYRN MEMBERSACYRN MEMBERS

3

How ACYRN came aboutHow ACYRN came about

20032003 We received ACADRE seed funding to work We received ACADRE seed funding to work with two communities to develop a with two communities to develop a resiliency questionnaire for youth with a resiliency questionnaire for youth with a focus on suicide.focus on suicide.

20052005 Funding for ACYRN was approvedFunding for ACYRN was approved

ACYRN IS A RESEARCH NETWORKACYRN IS A RESEARCH NETWORK

• it unites communities and researchers in a long term it unites communities and researchers in a long term relationship (5 years) relationship (5 years)

• • it supports greater and broader capacity building it supports greater and broader capacity building because of this long term relationshipbecause of this long term relationship

• • it allows us (communities and researchers) to fine it allows us (communities and researchers) to fine tune our research processes and future tune our research processes and future collaborationscollaborations

5

ACYRN has three aimsACYRN has three aims

• Produce scientifically sound research Produce scientifically sound research

• • Build community capacity to do researchBuild community capacity to do research

• • Build community capacity to use the Build community capacity to use the research results research results

ACYRN focuses onACYRN focuses on

• youth resiliency to suicideyouth resiliency to suicide

• primary or “upstream” interventionsprimary or “upstream” interventions that prevent youth from ever reaching the point of that prevent youth from ever reaching the point of

attempting suicideattempting suicide

The ACYRN questionnaire The ACYRN questionnaire

• Was self administered in group settings Was self administered in group settings • Contained 102 questions Contained 102 questions • Four scales to determine Four scales to determine

– Levels of personal supportLevels of personal support– Self esteemSelf esteem– Distress levelsDistress levels– Sense of mastery or controlSense of mastery or control

We asked youth aboutWe asked youth about

• Substance abuse (alcohol and drugs)Substance abuse (alcohol and drugs)• Exposure to violence (victim /perpetrator)Exposure to violence (victim /perpetrator)• Relationship with parents (monitoring, support, Relationship with parents (monitoring, support,

feeling cared for)feeling cared for)• Self esteem, sense of mastery, distress levelsSelf esteem, sense of mastery, distress levels• Cultural and community tiesCultural and community ties• Feeling safe in and outside their communityFeeling safe in and outside their community• Suicide related behaviors Suicide related behaviors

How we examined youth resilience to How we examined youth resilience to suicidesuicide

1.1. We identified the youth at risk of suicide and youth We identified the youth at risk of suicide and youth resilient to suicide.resilient to suicide.

2.2. We identified characteristics that made these two We identified characteristics that made these two groups different groups different

3.3. We looked at interventions that would make the We looked at interventions that would make the at at risk youthrisk youth more like the more like the resilient youthresilient youth

(strengthen the resiliency factors that protect against (strengthen the resiliency factors that protect against suicide among the at risk) suicide among the at risk)

ACYRN focuses on actionable factorsACYRN focuses on actionable factors

1.1. Things that are related to suicide riskThings that are related to suicide risk

2.2. Things that can be changed, improved orThings that can be changed, improved or decreaseddecreased

3. Things that are doable at a community 3. Things that are doable at a community levellevel

Feeling parents care as an actionable Feeling parents care as an actionable factorfactor

- Protects against suicide Protects against suicide (AF 1)(AF 1)- Can be increased among youth by working with Can be increased among youth by working with

parentsparents (AF 2)(AF 2)- Can be changed with community resources? (Start by Can be changed with community resources? (Start by

looking at how the community currently supports looking at how the community currently supports parents)parents) (AF 3) (AF 3)

Community based researcher trainingCommunity based researcher training

Questionnaire design (ACYRN 2)Questionnaire design (ACYRN 2)

Data collection - self administered questionnaires were Data collection - self administered questionnaires were completed in group settings completed in group settings

Data entry -Double data entry was completed using EPI info Data entry -Double data entry was completed using EPI info version 6. Data sets were compared to eliminate keying version 6. Data sets were compared to eliminate keying errors. errors.

Preliminary analysisPreliminary analysis• Basic frequencies, associations, OR’s and Confidence Basic frequencies, associations, OR’s and Confidence

intervals. intervals.

Future training for CBRsFuture training for CBRs

• More in depth discussions about ethicsMore in depth discussions about ethics

• Exposure to more in depth analysis methodsExposure to more in depth analysis methods

• Proposal writing/project designProposal writing/project design

Lessons learnedLessons learned• Funding gap and its impact on relationship buildingFunding gap and its impact on relationship building

• Research agenda versus real life. Research agenda versus real life.

• The role of the Community Based Researcher in The role of the Community Based Researcher in programme development/knowledge to action programme development/knowledge to action

• Protecting the confidentiality of participantsProtecting the confidentiality of participants– Duty to reportDuty to report– Small data setsSmall data sets