American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian identification in online surveys: sampling challenges and proposed best practices

We need valid research to document the extent and nature of oppression faced by American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian people. Survey research is useful toward this goal because it enables the collection of data from a large number of participants. Yet, there are many barriers faced when undertaking survey research, especially with American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian populations. One of these barriers is self-indigenization, which can result in falsification of American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian identities and thus invalid samples. In this article, we describe the nature and extent of self-indigenization that we faced when attempting to secure a valid sample of American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian participants. We then review strategies and make recommendations to improve the validity of American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian survey samples. As the first study to address the challenges of self-indigenization in online survey research, our contribution is both empirical and methodological. Ultimately, better survey research with American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian populations requires all parties to uphold Indigenous Data Sovereignty.