Rebuilding Our Community: Hearing Silenced Voices On Aboriginal Youth Suicide Research Analysis

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Walls, M. L., Hautala, D., & Hurley, J. (2013). “Rebuilding our community”: Hearing silenced voices on Aboriginal youth suicide. Transcultural Psychiatry, 51(1), 47–72. http://doi.org/10.1177/1363461513506458

This study seeks to share the voices of community members from three separate First Nations reserves in Manitoba in relation to their experiences with youth suicide, its potential root causes and its impact on the community. Methods used were qualitative analyses of focus groups with community Elders and health service providers. Study findings conceptualized risk factors for youth suicide as being within one of four categories: personal/interpersonal factors, family factors, community level factors and macro level factors. Major themes included suicide becoming “normalized”, communication barriers between youth and adults, and problems associated with romantic relationships of youth. Alcohol/substance abuse and lack of positive
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Furthermore, the data analysis methods employed by this study will be highly relevant in regards to informing the tools/methods section of my research proposal (open coding, thematic analysis of discussion transcripts). However, this paper has several limitations which I will have to address in my research. Most notably, the researchers neglected to interview the youth on their perceptions and experiences with suicide in the community. In addition, the study had a very deficit-based focus, whereas, in my research proposal, I will seek to emphasize community strengths. Lastly, the study utilized focus groups. In contrast, I will be utilizing sharing circles in my proposal. While similar, one distinct difference is that sharing circles have sacred meaning within Indigenous culture and may result in the growth and change of individual participants. Thus, this study was missing an important cultural element in the

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