Culture and environment as predictors of alcohol abuse/dependence symptoms in American Indian youths

Abstract This study utilizes Bronfenbrenner's ecological model (1979) to examine multiple and interactive environmental (familial, social, and cultural) predictors of adolescent alcohol abuse/dependence symptoms. A stratified random sample of 401 American Indian youths was interviewed in 2001....

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Addictive behaviors 2007-10, Vol.32 (10), p.2253-2259
Main Authors: Yu, ManSoo, Stiffman, Arlene Rubin
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adolescent
Adolescent Behavior
Alcohol abuse/dependence symptoms
Alcoholism
Alcoholism - epidemiology
Alcoholism - ethnology
Alcoholism - etiology
American Indian culture
Culture
Family
Family members' substance problems
Female
Humans
Indians, North American
Male
Native North Americans
Peer Group
Peer misbehaviors
Poverty
Prevalence
Psychiatry
Regression Analysis
Religion
Religious affiliation
Social Environment
Sociology
Teenagers
Urban Population
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Summary:Abstract This study utilizes Bronfenbrenner's ecological model (1979) to examine multiple and interactive environmental (familial, social, and cultural) predictors of adolescent alcohol abuse/dependence symptoms. A stratified random sample of 401 American Indian youths was interviewed in 2001. The findings showed that family members’ substance problems, peer misbehaviors, and participation in generic cultural activities positively predicted adolescent alcohol symptoms. Conversely, cultural pride/spirituality predicted fewer alcohol symptoms, and, importantly, religious affiliation moderated the effects of problematic peers and family members on adolescent alcohol symptoms. The findings suggest further study of intervention and prevention efforts regarding the benefits from consideration of the complex relationships among multiple environmental variables.
ISSN:0306-4603
1873-6327
DOI:10.1016/j.addbeh.2007.01.008