The cultural tailoring of a substance use prevention curriculum for American Indian youth.
In this article we discuss the importance of the cultural tailoring (CT) of classroom-based prevention curricula to ensure their relevance to, and increase their receptivity by, racial and ethnic minority adolescent populations. Following a review of the pertinent literature, we develop an integrated model of CT that conceptualizes such adaptations into "superficial/ peripheral," "deep structure/sociocultural," and "evidential," and subclassifies the first of these into "language" and "images." We then describe the results of the application of this model post hoc to the adaptation of a specific alcohol use prevention curriculum, "Protecting You/Protecting Me," to enhance its suitability for youth in three American Indian tribes in Nebraska. We conclude with a discussion of the adequacy of the model of CT we developed and the potential challenges and benefits of subjecting other curricula to this process.
Ringwalt
Chris
C
Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation, Chapel Hill, NC 27514-2812, USA. ringwalt@pire.org
Bliss
Kappie
K
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D018864:Cultural Diversity; D003479:Curriculum; D006801:Humans; D007198:Indians, North American; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000517:prevention & control*