Drinking-related locus of control and the drinking status of urban Native Americans

Although promising, the available data concerning drinking-related locus of control have been almost entirely limited to treatment samples of white men. The major purpose of this study was to extend our understanding by comparing the drinking-related expectancies of three groups of Native Americans: problem drinkers, nonproblem drinkers and recovered alcoholics. Multivariate analyses were employed to control statistically for important sociodemographic differences between groups and included a test of the possibility that sex moderated the relationship between drinking status and drinking expectancies. As predicted, problem drinkers reported significantly less personal control of alcohol use than either nonproblem drinkers or recovered alcoholics. There were no significant differences between nonproblem drinkers and recovered alcoholics. Native American men were found to hold significantly more external orientations towards drinking than did women. The results were discussed in terms of comparisons with the available literature, and future research needs were identified. The findings provide indirect support for current treatment philosophies that seek to modify patient perceptions of the controllability of drinking behavior in a more internal direction.