Alcohol use among male and female Native American adolescents: patterns and correlates of student drinking in a boarding school

Abstract

This study examined the patterns and correlates of alcohol use in a Native American boarding school. Specifically, stressful life events, social support and emotional distress were associated with quantity as well as frequency of alcohol use in this population. A sample of 188 students (52% female) in grades 9-12 attending a boarding school in the midwest were administered self-report measures of these above constructs as part of a larger battery. Family support, and to some degree stressful life events and emotional distress, correlated significantly with alcohol use. The implications of these findings for Native American adolescents in general, and in a boarding school population specifically, are discussed. The need for longitudinal research to explore further the temporal sequence of depression, stressful life events and social support in relation to alcohol use is addressed.