Cultural Identification and Substance Use in North America– An Annotated Bibliography

Abstract

Level of identification with one's culture has long been thought to be a predictor of substance use among ethnic minority populations. However, cultural identification is a complex construct that has been difficult to capture in a coherent theoretical way. Additionally, the various theoretical approaches have led to numerous and divergent methods of measurement. Although measurement is becoming more sophisticated, the evidence for a link between cultural identification and drug use remains elusive. There is evidence that immigrants to a new culture do change their pattern of substance use to match that of the host culture, but the mechanism of that change is not well understood. That culture impacts behavior is without question although how culture operates specifically with respect to substance use will require further effort.

Key Words:

• Cultural identification
• Acculturation
• Substance use
• Ethnic minority