Acceptability of the use of Motivational Interviewing to Reduce Underage Drinking in a Native American Community

Abstract

Thirty-six Native American tribal leaders and members living on contiguous rural southwest California reservations were surveyed concerning their view of the acceptability of a motivational interviewing (MI) intervention with youth (aged 8–18 years) who are drinking and their families. The results suggest the following: (1) a substantial proportion of reservation youth would be willing to accept MI for behavior change; (2) relatively few are actually ready to change; (3) most reservation youth are in the precontemplation stage of change; and (4) MI may be well suited as an intervention to prevent underage drinking in that population. The study's limitations are noted.

RÉSUMÉ

Acceptabilité de l'utilisation d'un Entretien Motivationnel pour réduire la consommation d'alcool avant l'âge légal dans une communauté d'Amérindiens

Trente-six chefs et membres de tribus amérindiennes vivant dans des réserves rurales contigües de Californie du Sud-Ouest furent sondés quant à leur opinion sur l'acceptabilité par les jeunes (âgés de 8 à 18 ans) consommant de l'alcool et leurs familles d'une intervention basée sur un Entretien Motivationnel (EM). Les résultats suggèrent que: (1) une proportion substantielle des jeunes vivant dans les réserves seraient prêts a accepter un EM pour changer leur comportement; (2) relativement peu d'entre eux sont effectivement prêts a changer leur comportement; (3) la plupart d'entre eux sont au stade pré-contemplatif du changement; et (4) l'EM pourrait être une intervention bien adaptée pour prévenir la consommation d'alcool avant l’âge légal au sein de cette population. Subventionné par le NIH.

RESUMEN

Aceptabilidad en el uso de la Entrevista Motivacional para reducir el consumo de alcohol por menores de edad en una comunidad Nativo Americana

Treinta y seis líderes y miembros de tribus Nativo Americanas del sur de California que viven en reservas rurales contiguas fueron encuestados para conocer su opinión sobre la aceptabilidad de una intervención usando la Entrevista Motivacional (EM) en jóvenes (8–18 años de edad) que consumen alcohol y sus familias. Los resultados señalan que: (1) una proporción considerable de jóvenes de la reserva estarían dispuestos a aceptar la EM para hacer cambios de conducta; (2) relativamente pocos jóvenes de la reserva están realmente preparados para hacer un cambio de conducta; (3) la mayoría de los jóvenes de la reserva están en una etapa de precontemplación para hacer un cambio de conducta; y (4) la EM puede ser una intervención apropiada para prevenir el consumo de alcohol en menores de edad de esta población. Esta investigación ha sido realizada con el apoyo de NIH.

Keywords :

• motivational interviewing
• underage drinking
• Native American

THE AUTHORS

David A. Gilder, M.D., is an addiction psychiatrist and Senior Staff Scientist in the Molecular and Integrative Neurosciences Department at The Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla, CA. He studies risk factors, psychiatric comorbidity, and intervention strategies for substance use and substance use disorders in youth and adults in different ethnic populations.

Juan A. Luna, B.A., is a graduate student in psychology at California State University, San Marcos, CA. He is a Research Project Coordinator at a primary care center serving several American Indian Communities in southwest California. He is interested in assessment, treatment, and prevention of substance use and psychiatric illness in minority youth.

Daniel Calac, M.D., is a pediatrician and internist and the Medical Director of a primary care center serving several American Indian communities in southwest California. He is involved in several research projects aimed at improving health in American Indian communities.

Roland S. Moore, Ph.D., is a Senior Research Scientist at the Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation in Berkeley, CA. Using ethnographic and survey methods, he studies individual and community prevention strategies for substance use in youth and adults in different ethnic populations.

Peter M. Monti, Ph.D., is the Donald G. Millar Distinguished Professor of Alcohol and Addiction Studies and the Director of the Center for Alcohol and Addiction Studies at Brown University. His diverse research interests include (1) adolescent substance abuse prevention and treatment, (2) coping skills and relapse prevention, (3) combined cognitive behavioral and pharmacological interventions, and (4) alcohol and HIV/AIDS.

Cindy L. Ehlers, Ph.D., is a Professor in the Molecular and Integrative Neurosciences Department at The Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla, CA. Her research interests include the biological and psychosocial risk factors for underage substance use in different ethnic populations and ways of improving intervention and prevention strategies for those youth.