NCJ Number
129902
Journal
International Journal of the Addictions Volume: 22 Issue: 9 Dated: (1987) Pages: 869-879
Date Published
1987
Length
11 pages
Annotation
A sample of 102 American Indian adolescents living in reservation and nonreservation areas in the Pacific Northwest was studied to determine the impact of a culturally tailored skills enhancement program to prevent drug abuse.
Abstract
The evidence indicates that Indian youth are at risk for drug abuse for many of the same reasons applicable to non-Indian populations, including peer and parental modeling, misunderstanding of the effects of substance abuse, lack of alternative means to cope with stressors, and a lack of motivation to control substance abuse. The 10-session program studied here presents skills for coping with environmental demands, interpersonal pressures, and developmental stresses. The 6-month follow-up indicated that adolescents who underwent the intervention had better knowledge of drug effects, improved interpersonal skills for managing pressures, and lower rates of substance use. Intervention condition subjects were also less likely to perceive themselves as substance users, which seems to be one means of preventing drug abuse. However, the authors note that the intervention program did not impact self-esteem scores for the sample and had no lasting impact on Indian youth tobacco use. 4 tables and 41 references (Author abstract modified)