Depression and alcohol use in American Indian adolescents: The influence of family factors

BACKGROUND: Rates of both depression and alcohol use are disproportionately higher among American Indian (AI) adolescents than adolescents in the general population. The co-occurrence of depression and alcohol use is highly comorbid and clinically relevant given reciprocal negative influences on outcomes. Family factors may be especially relevant for conferring some buffering effect in this relationship due to the importance of kinship and community in AI communities. The purpose of the current study is to examine the roles of family warmth and parent monitoring in the association between depressive symptoms and alcohol use in a large, nationally representative sample of AI adolescents. METHODS: Data collected from 2009–2013 included 3,498 AI 7(th)-12(th) graders residing on or near a reservation (47.8% female). Participants reported on their depressive symptoms, family factors, and alcohol use. RESULTS: Depressive symptoms were statistically significantly positively associated with alcohol use (r=.11, p