Connecting Tribal Teens through Culture and Community
Tribal Adolescent Connections Study - R01
This project looks at how friendships and community connections help Native American teens (ages 12–20) stay safer from substance use, suicide, and violence.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R37 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Colorado Denver NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Aurora, UNITED STATES) |
| Project ID | NIH-11327283 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers will ask adolescents and community organizations on a Northern Plains reservation to complete short surveys about their friendships and community ties, and some teens will take part in interviews to share their experiences. The team will follow groups of teens over time using a cohort-sequential design to see how relationships change during adolescence. They will combine survey data and interviews (mixed methods) to map social networks and link network features to substance use, suicide risk, and exposure to violence. Findings will be used to identify culturally rooted ways that family and community ties can protect youth.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Native American or Alaska Native adolescents aged 12–20 who live in or are members of the participating Northern Plains reservation community (and community members who interact with youth).
Not a fit: Youth who are not Native American/Alaska Native, are outside the 12–20 age range, or do not live in or engage with the participating reservation community are unlikely to directly benefit from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Could lead to culturally grounded prevention approaches that use family and community ties to reduce substance use, suicide, and violence among American Indian youth.
How similar studies have performed: Work in other populations has shown social networks affect risk and resilience, but applying and adapting these approaches to tribal communities is relatively new and prior tribal data are limited.
Where this research is happening
Aurora, UNITED STATES
- University of Colorado Denver — Aurora, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Ivanich, Jerreed Dean — University of Colorado Denver
- Study coordinator: Ivanich, Jerreed Dean
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.