Ethnic Identity & Acculturation Importance to Elders

1. Ethnic Identity & Acculturation Importance to Elders University of Oklahoma School of Social Work Master’s Advanced Curriculum Project Dr. Lisa Byers (Cherokee) Supported by:

2. Social Work Objectives • Importance of ethnic identity to elders • Review research • Provide definitions of ethnic identity that is relevant to elders and other ages of Native Americans • Build knowledge of the importance of ethnic identity • Significance to Psychological Functioning • Shapes behavior, thoughts, emotions • Orientation toward wellness, illness, and service use • Build knowledge of macro level influences for elders related to Native American identity

3. Review of Definitions Ethnic Group: Subgroups that claim common ancestry & share one or more of the following: culture, phenotype, religion, language, kinship, or place of origin Native American and Individual Tribes are examples of ethnic groups Ethnic Identity: One’s sense of self as a member of an ethnic group Indicates a dynamic understanding of self & ethnic background Can change across generations, in a new culture, in different contexts, with age & development

4. Aspects of Ethnic Identity Three Aspects: Ethnic Self Identification Sense of Belonging to an Ethnic Group + Feelings About Membership (Strength & Valence) Ethnic Identity Development: the extent to which an individuals’ feelings & understanding about their group have been consciously examined & issues surrounding ethnicity have been resolved  Achieved Ethnic Identity Refer to Urban American Indian Ethnic Identity

5. Ethnic Identity & Social Identity Theory2 Definition of Ethnic Identity = Ethnic Component of Social Identity Component of self concept comes from knowledge of membership in an ethnic group + the value attached to that membership How Is Ethnic Identity Expressed? negative to positive Self identification Attitudes towards one’s own group and the dominant society What is important to note is that individuals vary from negative to positive views of their ethnic identity Possible to encounter different ethnic identities among social work clients. These identities can range from traditional to bi-cultural to fully assimilated.

6. Importance to Native Elders Today’s elders were the recipients of active assimilation efforts by the federal government through the Urban Indian Relocation Program, initiated in 1952 Today’s elders were the direct recipients or first generation descendants of federal government efforts to assimilate tribal people through boarding schools, which lasted from 1879-1918 There will be varying levels of ethnic identity tied to historic events within age related cohorts that will influence an elder’s participation in the family and tribal group

7. State of the Knowledge in the 20th Century: Ethnic Identity Across Groups1 Who Was Included? • Half-white ethnics • Greek/Italian/French Canadians • Jews • Blacks (U.S.) • Hispanics (U.S.) • Asians (U.S.) some in Great Britain/Canada Was Identity Defined? • 2/3 of 70 studies provided no definition Was There a Conceptual Framework? • A quarter of the studies provided no framework • Social Identity Theory (Social Psychology) • Acculturation and Culture Conflict (Anthropology & Sociology) • Identity Formation (Developmental and Counseling Psychology) Who Was Excluded? • Native Americans

8. Not traditional, not assimilated: Elderly American Indians and the notion of ‘cohort’Deborah D. Jackson and Elizabeth E. Chapleski • Addresses the lack of research on the elder population as a “distinct segment of the [Native American] community” • Framework relies on the construct of cohort to explore the implications of assimilation on elder ethnic identity • Importance to Social Work and Gerontology: • Distinguishes the differences between age groups and the way in which they navigate through the various stages of the life course. • Highlights the sub-groups and sub-cultures present within a society and the preference of a cohort to interact with others from the same cohort. • Helps to understand the differences in beliefs, practices, and values among individuals within a cohort and those in the subsequent cohort.

9. Not traditional, not assimilated Table 1. Conditions that prevailed for each cohort during various periods of the life cycle

10. Self Identification Please check appropriate box to indicate your ethnicity? American Indian/Alaska Native Self identification alone (written or verbal) is not an indicator of one’s ethnic identity “My Great-Great Grandmother was Cherokee”

11. Elders along with all individuals need a sense of group identity to maintain a sense of well-being3 • Group membership creates a sense of belonging which leads to a positive self concept • Ethnic Groups = special case of group membership • If ethnic group is held in low status within dominant society there is the potential that membership within the group could lead to negative self-concept Ethnic Identity and Social Identity Theory

12. Ethnic Identity Development:How Do We Assess? Urban American Indian Identity Scale (UAIIS)4 Originally developed in 1995 by Dr. Karina Walter Scale that asks individuals to indicate how much they agree or disagree with items that separately assess the four identity statuses. Can be used with reservation populations. Internalization Marginalization Externalization Actualization Each of 4 domains contains five identity attitude dimensions: political (Tribal land and treaty rights), ethnic (sense of shared heritage and "peoplehood"), racial (phenotype and blood quantum issues), cultural (tribal values, language), and spiritual (sacred sites, religious freedom)

13. Internalization Status Internalization of negative dominant (Euro-American) group attitudes Individuals in this stage view “Whiteness” or Euro-American values as superior to a traditional tribal worldview The salient cognitive and affective components of this stage are denial of American Indian group membership to self and/or others, devaluation of traditional tribal spiritual practices, devaluation of land and religious freedom rights, and a hyper vigilance in maintaining this state. Low esteem and high anxiety are the additional characteristics of individuals in this stage Behavioral manifestations of internalization include identity management (passing for white), denying American Indian heritage, avoidance of American Indian individuals, groups, and events

14. Marginalization Requires some onset event or experience that challenges the individual’s ascription to the dominant societal values A sense of being different creates dissonance with one’s ability to continue to identify with non-Indian beliefs and practices Contact with other tribal people in a different stage of development may be the onset event Referred to as awakening to racial, ethnic, cultural, spiritual, and political consciousness One does not immediately drop the old views and adopt a new “Indian” identity. There is struggle and ambivalence as one negotiates a new sense of self and group identity and how to be in response to the larger society The experience of being caught between two worlds characterizes this stage with its attending feelings of anxiety and depression There is an increase in self esteem with a decrease in anxiety toward the end of stage two as contact with other American Indians increases

15. Externalization Marked by the shedding of dominant group attitudes with attempts to immerse the self in tribal culture resulting in an increased desire to attend cultural events, and community gatherings, become politically active, and seek out relationships with other tribal people Stereotypes are replaced by an idealization of what it means to be a Native American There is a desire for knowledge of traditional beliefs, spirituality, and practices. A Pan-Indian identity may be assumed in contrast to a specific tribal affiliation if the individual or their tribe/s is more acculturated The consolidation of self and group identity is progressing Orientation toward the dominant group is anger and rage, which is a primary affect in this stage Cognitive characteristics are hyper vigilance and suspiciousness of dominant society and its members Lowered self esteem and increased anxiety accompany this stage as well due to confrontations with individuals and organizations that espouse the dominant societal values and views. Internal confrontations abound as the individual addresses any remaining negative internalizations of Native Americans The end of this stage is indicative of knowledge and respect for within group diversity

16. Actualization Self acceptance, lowered anger, decreased anxiety, and higher self esteem create an inner balance that is based on an integrated Indian self identity and positive group identity Cultural connections of a spiritual, political, and cultural nature grow with social action as the primary means of confronting negative dominant group attitudes and practices There is a focus on tribal specific customs and practices. A tribal identity may often replace the prior primary Pan-Indian identification The ability to negotiate two worlds is characteristic of this stage without any compromise of the internal AI beliefs Interactions with White Americans are determined on an individual level versus reacting to them as purely dominant group members

17. Distinguishing Ethnic Identity from Acculturation & Enculturation Acculturation refers to the process by which individuals learn about and identify with the dominant society. Enculturation refers to the process which individuals learn about and identify with their traditional ethnic culture. Acculturation and enculturation both affect ethnic identity, but they are not the same as ethnic identity.

18. Issues in Practice and Research Do not typically assess an elder’s ethnic identity, but ask for ethnic self identification Appears to be a broad/general understanding of ethnic identity, but defined differently in research Ethnic identity, acculturation, and enculturation are critical concepts for practitioners and researchers to understand Significance of ethnic identity to psychological functioning Shapes behavior, thoughts, emotions Orientation toward wellness, illness, coping behavior, and service use

19. Social Work Implications Be aware of ethnic identity and its complexity within elders, their families, and communities Assess ethnic identity if possible Different strengths of the identity statuses exist across individuals that self identify as Native American Ethnic identity development is fluid and changes across time within a person Ethnic identity has been studied as a protective factor for mental health Marginal status has been associated with a higher risk for depression

20. Social Work Interventions For those that are marginal and not identified with a tribal culture, American society, or any ethnic group Interventions to move them from a marginal status to identification with a group is a potential intervention dependent on the client’s identification of this as a goal Create macro level interventions that will enhance tribal identification Interventions will be accessible for those that want to increase their connection Interventions that communicate the history within the federal government of assimilation that impacted acculturation, enculturation, and ethnic identity to resolve potential issues related to anger or guilt for losing a sense of the self as a tribal member

21. References Jackson, D.D. & Chapleski, E.E. (2000). Not traditional, not assimilated: Elderly American Indians and the notion of ‘cohort’. Journal of Cross-Cultural Gerontology, 15, 229-259. Lewin, K. (1948). Resolving social conflicts. New York: Harper. Phinney, J. S. (1998). Ethnic identity in adolescents and adults: Review of research. In P. Balls Organista, K. M. Chun, & G. Marin (Eds.), Reading in Ethnic Psychology (pp. 73-99). New York, NY: Routledge. Tajfel, H. (1978). The social psychology of minorities. New York, NY: Minority Rights Group. Walters, K. L. (1995). Urban American Indian identity and psychological wellness. Unpublished doctoral dissertation. Walter, K. L. (1999). Urban American Indian identity attitudes and acculturation styles. Journal of Human Behavior and the Social Environment, 2 (1/2), 163-78. Zimmerman, M.A., Washienko, K.M., Walter B, & Dyer S. (1996). The development of a measure of enculturation for Native American youth. American Journal of Community Psychology, 24, 295-310.