Exploring the trail to health: enculturation, sense of coherence, and well-being in American Indians

Author

Tina S. Simms

Graduation Date

2010

Document Type

Thesis

Program

Other

Program

Thesis (M.A.)--Humboldt State University, Counseling Psychology, 2010

Committee Chair Name

Lizabeth Eckerd

Committee Chair Affiliation

HSU Faculty or Staff

Keywords

American Indians, Humboldt State University -- Theses -- Psychology, Well-being, Sense of coherence, Enculturation

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships between enculturation, sense of coherence, and psychological well-being in American Indians. Thirty-six participants completed anonymous, pencil-and-paper questionnaires assessing each of the three variables under study. Three hypotheses were predicted and tested using Pearson's product moment correlations: 1) enculturation and well-being would be positively correlated; 2) enculturation and a sense of coherence would be positively correlated, and 3) a sense of coherence and well-being would be positively correlated. A fourth hypothesis was proposed stating that if the first three hypotheses were supported a regression analysis would be conducted to determine if a sense of coherence mediated the relationship between enculturation and well-being. The correlational analyses did not support hypotheses one and two but did support hypothesis three. Sense of coherence and psychological well-being had a strong, significant, positive correlation. The regression analysis was not conducted to test hypothesis four because of the nonsignificant results found for hypotheses one and two. It was concluded that enculturation may not be an important construct in determining a sense of psychological well-being in American Indians but that a sense of coherence may be, and that future research is needed.

https://scholarworks.calstate.edu/concern/theses/8p58pg56g

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