DEVELOPING CULTURALLY RELEVANT EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS FOR NATIVE AMERICAN PARENTS OF POTENTIAL ADOLESCENT ABUSERS

ALCOHOL CONTINUES TO BE IDENTIFIED AS A MAJOR FACTOR IN THE LEADING CAUSES OF DEATH IN AMERICAN INDIANS IN THE AGE BRACKET 15 TO 44 (ACCIDENTS, DISEASES OF THE LIVER AND CIRRHOSIS, SUICIDE, AND HOMICIDE). PARENTS AND FAMILY ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT INFLUENCES IN MODELING ALCOHOL USE BEHAVIORS IN CHILDREN. THE LONG-TERM OBJECTIVE OF THIS RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT EFFORT IS A REDUCTION OF ALCOHOL ABUSE BY CHILDREN OF PARENTS WHO USE THE EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS DEVELOPED IN THIS EFFORT. THESE MATERIALS INCLUDE A HANDBOOK FOR PARENTS AND AN ACCOMPANYING VIDEO. THESE MATERIALS WILL BE CULTURALLY BASED, GUIDED BY THE RESULTS OF A KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDES, AND BEHAVIOR (KAB) SURVEY AND INPUT FROM ELDERS AND LEADERS. EXPERIENCE INDICATES THAT VIDEOS ARE AN EFFECTIVE MEANS OF REACHING AMERICAN INDIAN COMMUNITIES. PHASE I EFFORTS INCLUDE: (1) CONDUCT LITERATURE SEARCH, (2) SELECT AND OBTAIN AGREEMENTS WITH FIVE TRIBES, (3) DRAFT OUTLINES FOR MATERIALS AND EVALUATION PLAN, AND (4) DEVELOP AND PRETEST KAB INSTRUMENT. THE KAB SURVEY AND SUBSEQUENT MATERIALS DEVELOPMENT WILL OCCUR IN PHASE II. THE CULTURE-BASED MATERIALS WILL BE USED BY TRIBES, URBAN INDIAN CENTERS, LIBRARIES, SCHOOLS, AND CHURCHES.