Reflections on a proposed theory of reservation-dwelling American Indian alcohol use: comment on Spillane and Smith (2007).
In their recent article, N. Spillane and G. Smith suggested that reservation-dwelling American Indians have higher rates of problem drinking than do either non-American Indians or those American Indians living in nonreservation settings. These authors further argued that problematic alcohol use patterns in reservation communities are due to the lack of contingencies between drinking and "standard life reinforcers" (SLRs), such as employment, housing, education, and health care. This comment presents evidence that these arguments were based on a partial review of the literature. Weaknesses in the application of SLR constructs to American Indian reservation communities are identified as is the need for culturally contextualized empirical evidence supporting this theory and its application. Cautionary notes are offered about the development of literature reviews, theoretical frameworks, and policy recommendations for American Indian communities.
Beals
Janette
J
American Indian and Alaska Native Programs, University of Colorado, Denver, Aurora, CO 80045 USA. jan.beals@ucdenver.edu
Belcourt-Dittloff
Annie
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Freedenthal
Stacey
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Kaufman
Carol
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Mitchell
Christina
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Whitesell
Nancy
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Albright
Karen
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Beauvais
Fred
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Belcourt
Gordon
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Duran
Bonnie
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Fleming
Candace
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Floersch
Natasha
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Foley
Kevin
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Jervis
Lori
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Kipp
Billie Jo
BJ
Mail
Patricia
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Manson
Spero
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May
Philip
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Mohatt
Gerald
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Morse
Bradley
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Novins
Douglas
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O'Connell
Joan
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Parker
Tassy
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Quintero
Gilbert
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Spicer
Paul
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Stiffman
Arlene
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Stone
Joseph
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Trimble
Joseph
J
Venner
Kamilla
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Walters
Karina
K
D000437:Alcoholism / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D007198:Indians, North American / Q000523:psychology*; D009042:Motivation; D012054:Reinforcement, Psychology; D012307:Risk Factors; D014481:United States