Determinants of the risk and timing of alcohol and illicit drug use onset among natives and non-natives: Similarities and differences in family attachment processes

This study examines data from Native Ontario reserve residents (Embree, 199 3) and a sample from the Ontario Health Survey Supplement (1990-91) in orde r to compare and contrast the importance of family attributes such as paren t-child attachment to Native and Non-native patterns of drug and alcohol us e onset. Proportional Hazards modeling (Cox, 1972) was employed to identify factors associated with the risk and timing of onset of alcohol and illici t drugs for both cultural groups. For both Natives and Non-natives alike, a nd considering both drinking and drug use onset together, age cohort predom inates as a risk factor, with youngest groups at greatest risk, and especia lly in the case of drug use other than alcohol. For the model of drug use t iming, age of alcohol use onset is the second best predictor for Natives, a lthough its effect is still apparent, albeit weaker, in the case of Non-nat ives. As for family characteristics, a number of factors emerge as determin ants of risk and depend, in part, on the cultural group and the substance u nder consideration. Consistent with attachment theory's prediction about th e universal applicability of the need for close parent-child relations (Bow lby, 1969), the findings for both Natives and Non-natives alike point to th e salience of psychosocial attachment and other indicators of family functi oning in affecting early onset drinking and drug use, behaviors well-recogn ized to lead to potentially adverse mental and physical health consequences as well as to negative serial outcomes.