Cultural and Social Predictors of Substance Abuse Recovery among American Indian and Non-American Indian Pregnant and Parenting Women.

Substance abuse is especially undesirable among pregnant or parenting women (PPW). As such, there is a need to examine the factors impacting positive treatment outcomes, particularly among American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) PPW, as they are seeking substance abuse treatment at rates considerably higher than the national average. This study aimed to identify the social and cultural mechanisms that support their recovery. Qualitative analyses were used to identify mechanisms used by AI and non-AI PPW in their recovery. Several differences between AI and non-AI PPW emerged. AI participants mentioned their families more often as the reason why they wanted to become or stay sober. In addition to familial support, AI participants relied on a variety of other sources for assistance in their recovery. Many of the women had difficulty defining specific aspects of their culture, especially in relation to their recovery. However, for AI PPW, many aspects of AI culture were identified as they described their recovery, suggesting the often subtle ways culture can impact everyday life. Our findings indicated that women utilized cultural supports in different ways; therefore, it is necessary to help them define their culture in ways that are meaningful in their recovery.

Applying the Theory of Reasoned Action to Understanding Teen Pregnancy with American Indian Communities.

Objectives American Indian girls have higher teen pregnancy rates than the national rate. Intervention studies that utilize the Theory of Reasoned Action have found that changing attitudes and subjective norms often leads to subsequent change in a variety of health behaviors in young adults. The current study goal is to better understand sexual decision-making among American Indian youth using the Theory of Reasoned Action model and to introduce ways to utilize attitudes and subjective norms to modify risky behaviors. Methods The project collected qualitative data at a reservation site and an urban site through 16 focus groups with American Indian young people aged 16-24. Results Attitudes towards, perceived impact of, and perception of how others felt about teen pregnancy vary between American Indian parents and non-parents. Particularly, young American Indian parents felt more negatively about teen pregnancy. Participants also perceived a larger impact on female than male teen parents. Conclusions There are differences between American Indian parents and non-parents regarding attitudes towards, the perceived impact of, and how they perceived others felt about teen pregnancy. Teen pregnancy prevention programs for American Indian youth should include youth parents in curriculum creation and curriculum that addresses normative beliefs about teen pregnancy and provides education on the ramifications of teen pregnancy to change attitudes.

Midwest Science Festival: Exploring Students' and Parents' Participation in and Attitudes Toward Science.

INTRODUCTION: Compared to national numbers, South Dakota has a higher proportion of students interested in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. Interest in science can be influenced by exposure to science through formal and informal learning. Informal science activities (including exposures and participation) have been found to elicit higher levels of interest in science, likely impacting one's attitude towards science overall. The current study goal is to better understand the levels and relationships of attitude, exposure, and participation in science that were present among students and parents attending a free science festival. METHODS: The project collected survey data from 65 students and 79 parents attending a science festival ranging from age 6 to 65. RESULTS: Informal science participation is significantly related to science attitudes in students and informal science exposure is not. No relationship was found for parents between science attitudes and participation. CONCLUSIONS: Students who indicated high levels of informal science participation (i.e., reading science-themed books) were positively related to their attitudes regarding science. However, informal science exposures, such as attending the zoo or independently visiting a science lab, was not significantly associated with positive attitudes towards science.