The outcomes of bicultural competence skills and social-learning-based intervention to prevent substanceabuse among American Indian adolescents were evaluated to empirically test the effects of combined approaches.
Data on 137 American Indian adolescents from two Washington reservation sites suggest the efficacy of the approach with American Indian youth. At posttest and at 6-month follow-up, American Indian subjects who received preventive intervention based on bicultural competence skills concepts improved more than American Indian subjects in a nonintervention control condition on measures of substance use knowledge, attitudes, and interactive skills as well as on self-reported rates of tobacco, alcohol, and drug use. The findings provide modest support for a bicultural competence skills intervention approach to prevent substance abuse among American Indian youth and suggest implications for future substance abuse prevention research with American Indian people. 33 references (Author abstract modified)