Alcoholism treatment and the relationship of Native American cultural values to recovery.

Native American alcoholics, Native American nonalcoholics, Anglo alcoholics, and Anglo staff were compared on demographics and the Rokeach Value Survey. The subjects were from an inpatient alcohol treatment program of a rural community mental health center located 1 mile from the boundary of a large southwestern Indian reservation. Results from this study provide evidence which supports the poorer prognostic rates of alcoholism recovery for Native American alcoholics. Evidence is also presented which suggests that Native Americans' values are measurable and significantly different from Anglo values. While the relationship between values and recovery was difficult to discern, it is suggested that the disparity in values between the two cultures is one reason why so few Native American alcoholics remained in treatment.