Research on Psychosocial Adjustment of Indian Youth

The school experiences of Indian children tend to accentuate rather than resolve their identity problems; the outcome is often an increase in behavioral and disciplinary difficulties. At some point between the fourth and seventh grades a decline in academic achievement sets in, and the typical Indian student falls progressively behind his Anglo-American counterpart. The authors conclude that effective educational programs for American Indian youth must emphasize the development of adequate psychosocial adjustment.