Views of Problem Drinking Among Native American, Hispanic, and Anglo Children Carol Sigelman The George Washington University Tamara Didjurgis Brenda Marshall Frank Vargas Amanda Stewart University of Arizona ABSTRACT: Native American, Hispanic, and Anglo sixth graders reacting to an ex- ample of teenage problem drinking expressed similar beliefs and attitudes in many respects. However, Native American children viewed the problem as less serious, sub- scribed more to a disease theory of alcoholism, attributed less causal responsibility to the individual, and adopted a less aggressive approach toward treatment than did His- panic, and especially Anglo, children. Their less conventional value orientations ac- counted for all these differences except their stronger endorsement of a disease theory of problem drinking. KEY WORDS: Alcoholism; ethnic differences; values. Ethnic and racial differences in alcohol use and abuse exist, but it is far from clear why these differences exist. The present study ex- plores the possibility that Native American, Hispanic, and Anglo children adopt distinctive attitudes toward problem drinking and dif- ferent theories regarding its causes and treatment, and that these beliefs and attitudes evolve out of their broader value orientations. Alcohol-related problems are common in many Native American communities.i, 2, 3 Native American adolescents report higher rates of alcohol and drug use than do other ethnic groups, 4, 5 and appear to Received October 16, 1991; For Revision November 22, 1991; Accepted Februai-y 5, 1992. Thanks are due to the staff and students at participating schools, as well as to Stacy Gurstell for her heIp in data collection. Reprint requests should be sent to Carol Sigel- man, Department of Psychology, The George Washington University, Washington, DC 20052. Child Psychiatry and Human Development, Vol. 22(4), Summer 1992 9 1992 Human Sciences Press, Inc. 265