Examining Correlations of Historical Trauma and Ethnic Identity with Symptoms of Depression in American Indian/Alaska Native College Students

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to gain an understanding of how historical trauma and one's degree of ethnic identity relate to symptoms of depression, due to controversy in the literature about such variables. Participants in this study self-identified as American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN), were over the age of 18, and were currently enrolled or had been previously enrolled at a university. Participants completed a survey online via Qualtrics to gather information about their ethnic identity, frequency of historical loss thinking, and symptoms of depression. Survey data was analyzed using multiple regressions, correlation analyses, mediation analyses, and follow-up t-tests. Historical loss thinking was found to be very prevalent among this sample, and this was found to contribute significantly to depressive symptoms in AI/AN college students. Various aspects of ethnic identity may contribute to an increase or decrease in historical loss thinking and subsequent depressive symptoms, and this has significant implications for clinicians working with AI/AN college students.