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Rationales for the Use of Alcohol, Marijuana, and Other Drugs by Eighth-Grade Native American and Anglo Youth

NCJ Number
131938
Journal
International Journal of the Addictions Volume: 23 Issue: 1 Dated: (1988) Pages: 47-64
Author(s)
A Binion Jr; C D Miller; F Beauvais; E R Oetting
Date Published
1988
Length
18 pages
Annotation
During the 1983-1984 academic year, eighth-grade Indian and non-Indian students were administered anonymous self-report drug use surveys to examine rationales for alcohol, marijuana, and other drug use.
Abstract
Complete data were available for 144 Indians and 377 non-Indians on the alcohol question, 133 Indians and 144 non-Indians on the marijuana question, and 56 Indians and 86 non-Indians on the other drug question. Differences were found between reservation Indian and rural non-Indian rationales for alcohol, marijuana, and other drug use. A majority of both Indian and non-Indian eighth graders reported that they used drugs to enhance positive affective states, for excitement, for parties, to be with friends, to relax, and to deal with negative affective states including worries and nervousness. Indian youth also appeared to use drugs to cope with boredom. Unlike non-Indian youth, Indian youth identified no strong rationales for their use of other drugs. Clinical interventions with Indian and non-Indian adolescents who use alcohol or marijuana will need to consider the complexity and interrelatedness of the rationales of these users. 5 tables and 17 references (Author abstract modified)

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