Date of Award

4-3-2012

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Counseling Psychology & Community Services

First Advisor

David Whitcomb

Abstract

Almost everyone experiences negative stress in their lives; this study attempts to explore how Native Americans experience and cope with negative stress. The stress filled lives of Native Americans is well documented. Their lives are punctuated with injury, illness, death, dismembered relationships, and encounters with legal authorities. It is hypothesized in this study that there are major differences in the ways that Native Americans and White Americans cope with stress. The study begins with a review of stress and then addresses the more unique stresses faced by Native Americans. After a review of the literature on styles of coping with stress, the limited research on Native American coping styles is presented. Study participants consisted of 25 Native American and 25 White adult males and females. Coping style preferences were assessed using the Coping Inventory for Stressful Situations, (CISS), and the Stress Profile, (SP). Native American participants were expected to show higher levels of preference for an emotion-oriented coping style than Whites. No difference between Native Americans and Whites was found in their perceived levels of stress. There was no overall significant difference in coping styles between the Native and White participants. However, there were significant differences found in the race by gender interaction. Native American men demonstrated a preference for an emotion-oriented style of coping over Non-Indian men and Non-Indian men preferred task-oriented and problem-focused styles over Native American men. On the other hand, Native American women showed a preference for problem-focused and task-oriented coping styles when compared to White women. The findings suggest that gender plays a significant role in determining the stress coping style preferences for this sample of Native Americans and Whites on the Bad River Chippewa Reservation. Further research about facilitating factors that can contribute to such differences is encouraged. The study results can be beneficial to those counselors providing services to Native Americans. It is important for helping professionals to be able to identify and assist Native Americans to draw upon their own unique resources to cope with stress.

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