Stress and Resilience Among Inuit Youth in Arctic Canada

Description of the Problem: Resilience is a growing subject in the mental health field and in social work. Rather than looking at pathology, it is important to examine how people cope successfully with stress and aversion. In this study we explored the question of how Inuit youth in a small community in Nunavut, Canada cope with the difficulties they experience in their lives.

Study Objectives: We examined personal, relational, and community levels of coping and resilience.

Methods: The study was community-based participatory action research. Twenty-three youth (12 female and 11 male) between the ages of 12-19 were interviewed after being recruited from the school. Interviewers were the author, a Chinese graduate student, and two young Inuit women. Inuit youth were asked about what they did yesterday, for a life history, and about two challenges/problems they had experienced and how they got through this. They were asked about their social relationships, families, community, and their future plans. Coding of the interviews followed a modified grounded theory approach.

Results: The primary stressor was school, which included bullying, poor attendance, boredom, and disliking teachers. Some youth spoke about domestic violence and substance abuse. Resilience was found to be talking with friends of parents, the primary coping mechanism, and participating in cultural activities with family members.

Conclusions and Implications: Resilience was ecological and relational rather than an individual trait as it is often described. This fits with a collectivist, family-based Indigenous culture. There is a need for continued community support for family gatherings, child-parent-elder activities, and camping on the land.