Researcher studying suicide among aboriginals
It may take four years, but a local researcher is looking forward to sharing with the community what she learns about indigenous youth suicide.
Sarah Abbott, associate professor in the University of Regina’s film department, said she understands that it’s a serious issue and a depressing issue — but that’s what grabbed her interest.
She wants to know more about why indigenous youth are more likely to commit suicide than other Canadians. Abbott said that according to the Centre for Suicide Prevention, suicide and self-inflicted injuries are the leading cause of death for First Nations youth and adults up to age 44. She said that is one fact that has compelled her to focus her research on the topic.
Abbott plans to capture her research on film and share it with the community.
She knows of many papers written on the subject, but she wants to use a different approach.
Since moving to Regina 10 years ago, Abbott has been involved with the aboriginal community in different ways.
“My work here has been predominantly promoting First Nations films. I was, sort of, key in founding Mispon (an aboriginal film festival),” she said. “I (also) made two films that touched on indigenous subject matter.”
Over the summer, Abbott learned more about indigenous methodology and ways of learning, and is excited about incorporating that knowledge into her research.
She said interest in the subject grew after she delivered an eightweek media literacy project for youth at the Rainbow Youth Centre.
“It was pretty successful,” said Abbott.
As part of the project, participants filled out surveys about themselves before the program started, during the program and two months after it ended.
“One of the responses was, ‘It’s great to be native,’ and that was a pretty amazing moment,” said Abbott. “It got me thinking about empowerment initiatives.”
She said that comment stuck in her mind.
Then, in February, she began her doctoral studies and around the same time news of the high rates of youth suicide in the North caught her attention.
“So I started to think about that and the role of media alongside risk and protective factors in the high rate of youth indigenous suicide,” said Abbott.
Although she is still in the early stages of her research, she’s excited about the end product.
“I hope the information this film holds is of use to people — indigenous youth, policy-makers, nonindigenous people — to bring an understanding,” said Abbott.
She believes the topic needs to be talked about and discussed.
“The more time I spend on it, it just keeps adding obviously to my understanding,” said Abbott.
Abbott was selected to receive a Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship to support her doctoral studies at Royal Roads University. The scholarships are awarded to worldclass doctoral students who demonstrate strong leadership skills and a high standard of scholarly achievement. The scholarship is valued at $50,000 per year for three years.