King, J. (2016). Positive psychology assessment in American Indians.

Abstract

Positive psychology focuses on people’s strengths, virtues, and well-being. This relatively young discipline has been substantially grounded in the Western tradition, with its individualistic features shared by only a few cultures. For example, one of the key features of positive psychology is a focus on well-being. However, the definition and evaluation of well-being across cultures do not necessarily coincide with Western ones. This is true for American Indian conceptions of well-being. In this chapter, I provide (a) a brief critique of the historical context for assessment within American Indian/Alaska Native communities, (b) examples of traditional means of assessment across tribes, (c) recommendations for a gold standard or ideal approach to assessment, and (d) examples of current practical types of positive psychological assessment within Indian Country. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved)