Conducting a Needs Assessment: Exploring the Relevance of Social-Emotional Learning and Cinematherapy in an Indigenous Community

Conducting a Needs Assessment: Exploring the Relevance of Social-Emotional Learning and Cinematherapy in an Indigenous Community

Indians of North America--Ethnology

Kristen Walker

Andrew DeMers

2024

Alliant International University ProQuest Dissertations & Theses

Dissertation

English

9798382326665

Oakland, California, United States

Restricted Access

Native American (NA) students in the Oakland Unified School District of CA are exposed to SEL curriculums at their schools. Adolescents can find it difficult to engage in therapeutic services especially if it was not their choice to participate in those services. Therapeutic services can carry a stigma for many Native Americans due to historical trauma. Group therapy provides a further challenge for adolescents as self-disclosure may be intimidating in a room full of peers especially if the therapist is non-native. This study used culturally responsive cinematherapy to assess its relevance as a mode of treatment with adolescents in a group setting. Interviews were conducted with nine NA adolescents from the Bay Area who have watched the television show Reservation Dogs to assess its efficacy for group therapy and its ability to demonstrate SEL competencies. Six NA adults were also surveyed through three focus group sessions where they were shown clips of the show and asked the same questions to assess for possible differences among age cohorts. In addition, both groups were asked questions about the health needs of Native Americans in general. Results from the study were analyzed through thematic analysis and ten themes were developed. Results could be helpful for therapists developing future programs and for future areas of research.