This study examines predictors of alcohol use disorders (AUDs) among an urban American Indian cohort who were followed from approximately age 11 to age 20. Approximately 27% of the sample had a lifetime diagnosis of alcohol abuse or dependence. The results indicated that externalizing, but not internalizing, behaviors, family conflict, and school…

School-based drug abuse prevention programs have been a standard approach in American Indian communities for three decades, but the evidence for their effectiveness is meager. However, it is unreasonable to expect that schools alone could have a major impact on a behavior that has multiple and interactive social causes. It would be folly to…

This chapter reviews the literature on substance abuse and prevention efforts in Native communities. The first section describes demographic characteristics of America's indigenous people, including tribal and government definitions, interaction and validation styles, and rural-urban differences. It concludes by warning that use of broad ethnic…