Development and Evaluation of an Indigenized Family Acceptance Project for Lakota LGBTQ2S+ Youth
University of Michigan
Summary
The goal of this open pilot trial (OPT) is to develop a Lakota-adapted Family Acceptance Project (LFAP) for Indigenous 2SLGBTQ+ youth and their caregivers. The OPT is specifically focused on acceptability, feasibility, and safety of programming and research protocols. The investigators will also examine pre- to post- changes on outcomes for the sole purposes of making sure scores on measures are changing in the hypothesized direction (e.g., depression scores are going from moderate to minimal as opposed to no change or depression scores increasing). Once enrolled in the study, participants complete a baseline survey. Then participants will engage in LFAP which is an 8-session group intervention; sessions will be scheduled once a week for eight weeks (at 2 hours per session). Participants will complete survey instruments before and immediately after the program sessions, in addition to post-program surveys and an exit interview.
Description
Research shows that Indigenous Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and Two-Spirit (2SLGBTQ+) youth experience high rates of mental health problems. A key factor that leads to these challenges is family rejection (family behaviors and reactions that minimize, deny, ridicule and attempt to prevent or change a child's sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression). Family rejection among Indigenous 2SLGBTQ+ youth is rooted in colonization and multiple historical traumas. This includes disrupting traditional childrearing practices by forced placement in boarding schools that w…