Examining Correlations of Historical Trauma and Ethnic Identification with Symptoms of Depression in Native American College Students

Examining Correlations of Historical Trauma and Ethnic Identification with Symptoms of Depression in Native American College Students

Indigenous peoples--Education

Kristen Walker

Nerissa Ann Dolney

2024

ProQuest Dissertations & Theses

Dissertation

English

9798384015352

Restricted Access

The purpose of this study was to gain an understanding of how historical trauma and one’s degree of ethnic identity relate to symptoms of depression, due to controversy in the literature about such variables. Participants in this study self-identified as Native American, were over the age of 18, and were currently enrolled or have been previously enrolled at the University of North Dakota (UND). Participants completed a survey online via Qualtrics to gather information about their ethnic identity, frequency of historical loss thinking, and symptoms of depression. Historical loss thinking was found to be very prevalent among this sample, and this was found to contribute significantly to depressive symptoms in Indigenous college students. Various aspects of ethnic identity may contribute to an increase or decrease in historical loss thinking and subsequent depressive symptoms, and this has significant implications for clinicians working with Indigenous college students and UND as an institution.