Description

The Alaska Native Wellness (ANW) Survey is a 24-item self-report instrument adapted from the Yup’ik Wellness Survey (YWS; Lardon et al., 2016). It measures subjective wellbeing among Alaska Native (AN) adults by assessing two domains: (1) wellness frequency, which captures how often respondents engage in specific cultural, social, and wellness-related practices, and (2) wellness importance, which evaluates the significance of these practices in daily life. Items include culturally relevant activities such as respecting elders, eating traditional foods, speaking Native languages, spending time outdoors, and engaging in spiritual or community practices. The survey is designed to represent a broader AN worldview and supports cross-community relevance.

AI/AN Communities where the measure has been used

Alaska Native adults from various communities across Alaska

Demographics of AI/AN participants where the scale has been used

Alaska Native adults (over age 18)

Notes on adaptations or modifications

  1. Adapted from the Yup’ik Wellness Survey (YWS).
  2. Wording changes for inclusivity and broader application to Alaska Native communities:
    • For example, “Speak Yup’ik/Cup’ik” was changed to “speak and/or understand your Native language” to capture varying language fluency and transmission across tribes.
    • “Go Eskimo dancing” was changed to “go Native dancing,” to reflect the preferences of AN communities and avoid derogatory terminology.

Modality and administration

Self-report; self-administered questionnaire available in paper-based or digital format (Qualtrics)

Scoring

  • Both domains (frequency and importance) are measured on a three-point Likert scale:
    • Wellness frequency: 1 = almost never, 2 = sometimes, 3 = often
    • Wellness importance: 1 = not at all important, 2 = somewhat important, 3 = very important
  • Higher scores indicate greater engagement with, and value placed on, culturally grounded wellness practices.

Psychometric evidence

The ANW Survey was used in Crouch (2021) as a culturally grounded measure of wellness to provide convergent validity evidence for the Goodness of Life for Every Alaska Native (GLEAN) Scale. While a full psychometric validation of the ANW Survey itself was not conducted, its use in factor analytic and regression models provided preliminary support for its cultural relevance and convergent validity alongside established measures such as the WHOQOL-BREF and Satisfaction with Life Scale.

Citation(s)

Original Citation (YWS):

    • Lardon, C., Wolsko, C., Trickett, E., Henry, D., & Hopkins, S. (2016). Assessing health in an Alaska native cultural context: The Yup’ik Wellness Survey. Cultural diversity & ethnic minority psychology, 22(1), 126–136. https://doi.org/10.1037/cdp0000044

 Original Citation (adapted AWS):

    • Crouch, M. C. (2021). Initial Development and Validation of a Quality of Life Instrument for Alaska Native Adults: The Goodness of Life for Every Alaska Native Scale (Doctoral dissertation, University of Alaska Anchorage).

Disclaimer: The included citations are not exhaustive, but represent the examples we had access to. If you are an original author or have other work that could be included here, please contact us.