# A Native Path to Courage

> **NIH NIH P20** · MONTANA STATE UNIVERSITY - BOZEMAN · 2021 · $153,926

## Abstract

Native Americans (NA) are at greater risk for anxiety and depression early in life, with 10 to 39% of NA 
youth reporting clinical levels of anxiety or depression. This is concerning given potential negative effects of 
these conditions across the lifespan (substance use, suicide). Available culturally adapted prevention and 
early interventions (PEIs) for anxiety and depression in NA youth are limited. Two are indicated for at-risk 
youth (e.g., trauma); one universal PEI was not efficacious; community stakeholders served as consultants 
with no youth or parents involved; and evaluation used minimal mixed methods. Thus, there is a critical 
need for the development and evaluation of a culturally consonant, brief prevention and early intervention 
(PEI) for anxiety and depression in NA youth using a CBPR approach that includes youth and parents and 
mixed-method evaluation. Our short-term goal is to provide the community with a potentially successful PEI 
to mitigate Rocky Boy youths’ anxiety and depression that integrates culture and traditions for delivery in 
schools. The Specific Aims of the proposed research are to: 1) culturally adapt COMPASS for Courage 
(chosen by our CAB) for NA youth; 2) evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of the culturally adapted 
COMPASS with NA Rocky Boy youth; and 3) estimate effect size changes in anxiety and depressive 
symptoms of the culturally adapted COMPASS with NA youth. We propose to build upon our strong 
community relationships and CBPR methods to achieve these aims. We will partner with the CAB to 
culturally adapt COMPASS for NA youth in Year 1 within a CBPR framework, including Rocky Boy youth 
and parents. In Year 2, we will train three NA Rocky Boy providers and pilot-test the adapted PEI among 30 
Rocky Boy 8- to 12-year-olds in two schools serving youth from the reservation in Years 2 and 3. We will 
evaluate feasibility and acceptability using mixed methods, including focus groups of key stakeholders 
(youth, parents, and teachers), and estimate effect sizes of changes in anxiety and depressive symptoms 
using a pre-post, single-group design. We hypothesize that Rocky Boy youth will find the adapted 
COMPASS intervention to be acceptable, enjoyable, and culturally appropriate and there will be pre- to 
post-intervention reductions in anxiety and depressive symptoms. Our long-term goal is to continue refining 
and tailoring the adapted COMPASS intervention and evaluate its efficacy and sustainability. We plan to 
submit an R01 (Clinical Trial) in response to the FOA Intervention Research to Improve Native 
American Health (PAR-20-238) in Year 3 for a full-scale clinical trial that will be informed by our findings.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10486284
- **Project number:** 5P20GM104417-08
- **Recipient organization:** MONTANA STATE UNIVERSITY - BOZEMAN
- **Principal Investigator:** Brandon G Scott
- **Activity code:** P20 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $153,926
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2021-09-01 → 2024-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10486284

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10486284, A Native Path to Courage (5P20GM104417-08). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10486284. Licensed CC0.

---

*[NIH grants dataset](/datasets/nih-grants) · CC0 1.0*