RELATIONSHIP OF BINGE DRINKING TO ALCOHOL DEPENDENCE, OTHER PSYCHIATRIC-DISORDERS, AND BEHAVIORAL-PROBLEMS IN AN AMERICAN-INDIAN TRIBE

The hypothesis that binge drinking is a benign behavior not associated with alcohol dependence, other psychiatric disorders, or problem area s, in American Indians, was tested in a sample of 582 adult Southweste rn American Indian males and females in large multigenerational pedigr ees. All information was obtained from semistructured psychiatric inte rviews that were independently blind-rated for DSM-III-R diagnoses, Th ree main outcome measures were used: the relationship between binge dr inking and (1) alcohol dependence and other psychiatric disorders, (2) substance abuse treatment, and (3) four behavioral problem categories -violence/lawlessness, physical, social, and work. Binge drinking and alcohol dependence were strongly associated. Most hinge drinkers were diagnosed as alcohol dependent. However, when controlling far alcohol dependence and other covariates, binge drinking was independently asso ciated with an increase in odds for positive diagnoses for multiple ps ychiatric disorders, and far social, work, physical, and violence/lawl essness behavioral problems. In sum, binge drinking was found to be a common and severe problem with deleterious consequences in multiple do mains of functioning. Assessment instruments should be designed to eli cit information on binge patterns of drinking and strategies devised t o provide appropriate treatment.