Grant: Project Grant

Inuit youth in Northern Canada face extreme adversities, leading to concerning mental health needs, and the highest adolescent suicide rates in the world. Despite their increased risk, remote Northern communities are often without resources for early prevention and intervention programs. A strong focus needs to be placed on creating intervention tools that will be accessible in Northern communities. Furthermore, little prevention or intervention research has been conducted with Inuit adolescents who are at risk for depression in Nunavut. The extent, severity and idiosyncrasies of Inuit adolescent depression need to be studied, and suitably tailored interventions evaluated. Cultural relevance, with regard to Inuit and adolescent culture, should be paramount in the selection of approaches. Making I-SPARX fly in Nunavut strives to enhance resiliency and increase mattering by empowering youth who are at risk for depression with skills to foster their own mental health and positively contributing to the collective welfare of their communities. This project evaluates a holistic, multi-generational intervention that brings together cognitive behavior therapy (CBT), emotion regulation support (ER), culture identity and community processes to foster resilience. Included in the intervention is the use of an award-winning computer program, SPARX which uses CBT and ER skills to teach the user how to cope with negative thoughts and feelings. The proposed intervention will be anchored in the youth-driven design of an Inuit version of SPARX (I-SPARX), supported by Elders. This design will aim to integrate the six integral principles of Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit. Additionally, youth will take on activities that engage their communities in the dissemination and practice of I-SPARX teachings. SPARX- once adapted to Inuit culture and with Nunavut youth making the program their own - may become a useful tool for both Nunavut youth at-risk for depression and for those working with them.