“I Want to Leave—Go Far Away—I Don’t Want to Get Stuck on the Res[ervation]”: Developmental Outcomes of Adolescent-Aged Children of Navajo Native American Teen Mothers

Authors

Rochelle L. Dalla, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow
Heather R. Kennedy, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow

ORCID IDs

Rochelle L. Dalla

Document Type

Article

Date of this Version

2015

Citation

Published in Journal of Adolescent Research 30:1 (2015), pp 113–139. DOI: 10.1177/0743558414552322

Comments

Copyright © 2014 Rochelle L. Dalla and Heather R. Kennedy. Published by SAGE Publications. Used by permission.

Abstract

In 1992 and 1995, data were collected from 29 Navajo Reservation teenage mothers. In 2007, 71% (n = 21) of the original sample participated in a follow-up investigation. Then in 2008, data were collected from their children. Here, we present results of the 2008 investigation by describing the developmental outcomes of 14 “at risk” youth—those born to Navajo Native American adolescent mothers. Grounded in Ecological Systems Theory, our primary goal was to identify risk and protective factors across social and physical contexts (e.g., family, peer, school, and reservation community). A supplemental goal was to examine associations among indices of psycho-social well-being (e.g., depression, parental conflict, social support). Results revealed a consistent pattern of youth functioning, which allowed classification of participants into three distinct groups: well-adapted, overcoming, and struggling. Verbal reports and survey indices supported the classifications. Implications and suggestions for continued research are discussed.