Resilience Through the Eyes of the St. Labre Indian School Employees: An Exploration of the Variables that Encourage Stable Employment within this Rural Population

Native Americans are the original people from the vast region of North America. The historical trauma they endured wounded generations, yet many were able to overcome their impoverished living conditions and maintain full-time employment. It is hypothesized that protective factors promoted resilience within these individuals, which encouraged a successful future. The present study examines the degree and types of trauma experienced by a sample of Native Americans during childhood, along with their current levels of spiritual functioning and resilience.;The participants included 161 adult male and female employees of St. Labre Indian School and its affiliates, St. Charles Mission School and Pretty Eagle Catholic School; 88 (54.7%) were Native American and 73 (45.3%) were Caucasian. St. Labre is a non-profit organization located on the Northern Cheyenne and Crow reservations in Southeastern Montana. This study administered four scales: (a) The Adverse Childhood Experience Rating Scale (ACE), (b) The Spiritual Well-Being Scale, Short Version (SWB-6), (c) The Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC), and (d) an Employment Survey.;It was found that the Native American participants were exposed to significantly more childhood adversities and reported lower levels of education and employment status when compared to the Caucasian counterparts. Despite this, however, the Native American employees, in general, are unusual in the fact that they were not debilitated by their exposure to adverse experiences. While the current study cannot explicitly state what protective factors encouraged resilience, we can confidently conclude many factors existed for these individuals. It was also found that job stability was the most powerful predictor. Because St. Labre provides a stable work environment, provides support for achieving college advancement, encourages spiritual participation, and honors cultural beliefs, it is hypothesized that St. Labre itself is one protective factor fostering the emergence of resilience. Therefore, participants of this rural population had been protected and as one might suspect, individuals are able to function in a more sufficient manner when defended from crippling experiences. These individuals are gaining the necessary tools that encourage stable employment rather than succumbing to poverty and hardship.