Date Submitted
8-2023
Faculty Advisor
Sarah E Getch, PhD
Second Faculty Advisor
Amy Sickel, PsyD
Third Faculty Advisor
Nichmarie Soto Bonilla, PhD
Abstract
Native Americans experience multiple disadvantages including high rates of poverty, low levels of education attainment, and higher rates of substance use compared to other ethnicities. Substance use has long been a detriment to the Native American community and exacerbates the current health and economic issues the community faces. These issues are compounded with the historical losses the community has experienced through colonization and acculturation, which impacts Native identity. When treating Native Americans culture must be accounted for because core tenets of the Native American culture are antithetical to the dominant culture. There are many treatment methods that have been adapted to the culture, but there is not extensive research of neither the treatment methods nor their efficacy. There are culturally adapted cognitive behavioral methods that have shown success, but the linear thinking within CBT does not align with Native American culture. Culture as treatment methods, methods that incorporate cultural values as the core tenets of treatment, have some empirical support. Native Americans may feel they do not relate to those cultural values due to acculturation. Motivational Interviewing has core tenets that are aligned with Native American culture, and has been empirically validated on the majority population. The goal of this study was to analyze the research on these treatment methods through a systematic literature review and compare and contrast their efficacy. It is hypothesized that Motivational Interviewing will have more research support and have better substance use disorder outcomes compared to Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Culture as Treatment methods.
