Identity Formation of American Indian Adolescents: Local, National, and Global Considerations

A conceptual model is presented that approaches identity formation of American Indian adolescents according to 3 levels of social contextual influence—local, national, and global—relative to types of identity, dynamics of identity, and sources of influence. Ethnic identity of American Indians is embedded within the local cultural milieu and encompasses an array of dimensions organized around identification, connection, and culture/spirituality. The national or societal level brings additional complexities according to bicultural, multicultural, and hybrid types of identity. There is little known about the global implications of identity formation for American Indian adolescents, but a review of the construct of indigenous identity provides some guidance along with examination of identity formation of indigenous youth in other parts of the world. Suggestions for research are provided throughout the paper, and theoretical implications for the broader topic of American Indian identity formation are provided with particular discussion of indigenous psychologies.