ALCOHOL EXPECTANCIES IN A NATIVE-AMERICAN POPULATION

Native Americans, as a group, have a high prevalence of alcohol abuse and alcohol dependence, although specific risk factors for alcoholism among this population have yet to be dearly identified, One set of fac tors that may contribute to the development of alcoholism are expectat ions of alcohol's effects. Previous research has shown that heavy drin kers and alcoholics have higher alcohol-related expectancies. Some stu dies have also shown an association between alcohol expectancies and a positive familial history of alcoholism. To examine factors that are related to expectations of alcohol's effects in a Native American popu lation, this study evaluated healthy, nonalcoholic Mission Indian men between the ages of 18 acid 25 years using the short form of the Alcoh ol Expectancy Questionnaire (AEQ). The influence of recent drinking hi story, family history of alcoholism, and degree of Native American her itage on alcohol-related expectancies was determined using regression analyses for the total AEQ score and for each of the six AEQ subscales . Recent drinking history accounted for a significant proportion of th e variance in the total score, as well as scale I (global positive cha nges) and scale VI (arousal and power) of the AEQ, Degree of Native Am erican heritage and family history of alcoholism did not account for a significant amount of variability in alcohol expectancies, These resu lts suggest that, consistent with findings in other populations, alcoh ol expectancies are related to drinking patterns in Mission Indians. H owever, no association with two other potential risk factors were foun d in this sample of Native Americans.