Historical Trauma Among Urban American Indians: Impact on Substance Abuse and Family Cohesion

Abstract

Historical trauma theory suggests that many American Indians are still affected by the cultural losses and injustices endured by previous generations. The current study examines historical trauma in an urban American Indian sample using validated measures of historical loss and associated symptoms (N = 120). Urban American Indians reported high degrees of historical trauma compared to reservation samples in past research. Generalized linear models showed that historical trauma symptoms were significantly associated with past month alcohol use, lifetime use of non-marijuana illicit drugs, and lower family cohesion. However, frequent thoughts about historical losses were positively associated with family cohesion. Implications are discussed.

Acknowledgments

This project was funded by the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention under the National Substance Abuse, HIV, and Hepatitis Prevention Initiative (Grant SP13321).

Notes

Note. Percentages may not sum to 100 due to rounding. Asterisks show the top five loss thoughts that were reported to occur at least weekly.

Note. Percentages may not sum to 100 due to rounding. Asterisks show the top five symptoms that were reported to occur often or always.

Note. OR = odds ratio; CI = confidence interval. All models adjusted for gender, age, tribal affiliation, and education. Binomial family, logit link was used for substance use variables; Gaussian family, identity link was used for family cohesion.

*p < .05; **p < .01.

Readers should note that there are 565 federally recognized tribes (and many other unrecognized tribes) with distinctive names, histories, and cultural practices in the U.S. There is no homogenous Native American group.

It is important to note that individuals, families, and communities within the AI population are heterogeneous, and their status on substance use and mental health varies widely.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Shelly A. Wiechelt

Shelly A. Wiechelt is an assistant professor at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, School of Social Work. She conducts community-based research on the interplay of trauma and substance use with consideration of gender and culture among at-risk groups. Her work emphasizes the translation of research to practice. She has extensive practice experience in both substance abuse and mental health treatment settings.

Jan Gryczynski

Jan Gryczynski is a research associate at the Friends Research Institute and a doctoral student in the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, Department of Public Policy. He conducts research on the design and investigation of behavioral health interventions and service delivery processes, with an emphasis on underserved populations and the role of social, cultural, and policy factors in shaping health behavior, service system practices, and individual outcomes.

Jeannette L. Johnson

Jeannette L. Johnson is a senior research scientist at the Friends Research Institute. Her research centers on risk and resilience factors that contribute to adaptive and maladaptive behaviors in individuals who live in high-risk environments. She has developed intervention and prevention protocols to enhance resilience among children of alcoholics, urban youth, and Native Americans.

Diana Caldwell

Diana Caldwell is a research scientist at the Friends Research Institute, where she conducts research on substance use and its collateral legal and medical issues in order to inform public policy. Her current research includes HIV risk screening in health care settings and services research with Native Americans in Baltimore who are at risk for substance abuse, hepatitis, and HIV.