Integrating Motivational Interviewing and Traditional Practices to Address Alcohol and Drug Use Among Urban American Indian/Alaska Native Youth

Daniel L Dickerson; Ryan A Brown; Carrie L Johnson; Kurt Schweigman; Elizabeth J D'Amico

doi:10.1016/j.jsat.2015.06.023

Integrating Motivational Interviewing and Traditional Practices to Address Alcohol and Drug Use Among Urban American Indian/Alaska Native Youth

J Subst Abuse Treat. 2016 Jun:65:26-35. doi: 10.1016/j.jsat.2015.06.023. Epub 2015 Jul 29.

Authors

Daniel L Dickerson¹, Ryan A Brown², Carrie L Johnson³, Kurt Schweigman³, Elizabeth J D'Amico⁴

Affiliations

¹ UCLA Integrated Substance Abuse Programs, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior David Geffen School of Medicine, 1640 Sepulveda Blvd., Suite 200, Los Angeles, CA, 90025.
² RAND Corporation, 1776 Main St., Santa Monica, CA, 90401.
³ Sacred Path Indigenous Wellness Center, Los Angeles, CA, 90017.
⁴ RAND Corporation, 1776 Main St., Santa Monica, CA, 90401. Electronic address: damico@rand.org.

Abstract

American Indians/Alaska Natives (AI/AN) exhibit high levels of alcohol and drug (AOD) use and problems. Although approximately 70% of AI/ANs reside in urban areas, few culturally relevant AOD use programs targeting urban AI/AN youth exist. Furthermore, federally-funded studies focused on the integration of evidence-based treatments with AI/AN traditional practices are limited. The current study addresses a critical gap in the delivery of culturally appropriate AOD use programs for urban AI/AN youth, and outlines the development of a culturally tailored AOD program for urban AI/AN youth called Motivational Interviewing and Culture for Urban Native American Youth (MICUNAY). We conducted focus groups among urban AI/AN youth, providers, parents, and elders in two urban communities in northern and southern California aimed at 1) identifying challenges confronting urban AI/AN youth and 2) obtaining feedback on MICUNAY program content. Qualitative data were analyzed using Dedoose, a team-based qualitative and mixed methods analysis software platform. Findings highlight various challenges, including community stressors (e.g., gangs, violence), shortage of resources, cultural identity issues, and a high prevalence of AOD use within these urban communities. Regarding MICUNAY, urban AI/AN youth liked the collaborative nature of the motivational interviewing (MI) approach, especially with regard to eliciting their opinions and expressing their thoughts. Based on feedback from the youth, three AI/AN traditional practices (beading, AI/AN cooking, and prayer/sage ceremony) were chosen for the workshops. To our knowledge, MICUNAY is the first AOD use prevention intervention program for urban AI/AN youth that integrates evidence-based treatment with traditional practices. This program addresses an important gap in services for this underserved population.

Keywords: Alcohol and drug use; Culture; Intervention development; Motivational interviewing; Native American youth; Qualitative analysis; Traditional practices.

MeSH terms

Adolescent
Alaska Natives / psychology*
California
Cultural Characteristics*
Focus Groups
Humans
Indians, North American / psychology*
Male
Motivational Interviewing / methods*
Substance-Related Disorders / ethnology
Substance-Related Disorders / therapy*
Urban Population*

Grants and funding

R01 AA022066/AA/NIAAA NIH HHS/United States