Counselor training as a therapy for alcohol abuse among aboriginal people

Kahn, Marvin W.; Fua, Cliff

doi:10.1007/bf00923271

Cited by 5 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 4 publications

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“…Tailoring a variety of programs is especially necessary in multicultural regions. For more information on relevant issues in treatment see Institute of Medicine (1989, Chapters 7 through 14), Harding Associates (1988), Kahn and Stephen (1981), Kahn and Fua (1985), Ferguson (1968Ferguson ( , 1970Ferguson ( , 1976, Bach and Bornstein (1981), Westermeyer and Peake (1983), and Glaser (1974).…”

Section: Treatmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

Alchohol Policy Considerations for Indian Reservations and Bordertown Communities

May¹

1990

AIANMHR

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For some topics, particularly in public health, summaries are dangerous because they may create the idea that a single or simple solution exists. This topic is one where a summary can create a false expectation of simplicity. There is no simple or easy solution to the problem of alcohol abuse in any community, especially reservation and bordertown communities in the western United States. The solution is complex, it must be comprehensive, and it will take a great deal of effort over time to reduce alcohol and substance abuse in any individual community. Indian communities must develop a comprehensive, consistent, and clearly defined alcohol preventionfintervention policy. Such a policy must utilize a systematic, public health approach that considers the physical, mental, and social well being of each and every individual within the region. It must address all types of problematic alcohol consumption, from sporadic alcohol consumption (light and heavy) to regular alcohol abuse and chronic alcoholism, for the problems found in Indian and bordertown communities arise from a variety of different drinking patterns. Presented in this paper are a large number of policy and prevention options that have been used successfully in human societies in various parts of the world and in the United States The intent of the paper is to present and describe the variety of options for addressing alcohol problems that have been found to be of value in the control and reduction of alcohol abuse and related problems. The three broad categories of approach are: controlling the supply of alcoholic beverages through statute and regulation; shaping drinking practices directly; and reducing the physical and social environmental risks. Indian tribal councils and Native communities can, if they so desire, consider, debate, and enact any or all of these measures The important issue is that they should be aware of these ideas for prevention and consider them carefully. If the preventive measures described here can be applied systematically and reasonably within the social and culturalALCOHOL POLICY CONSIDERATIONS 7 health consequences could probably be de-emphasized on many reservations.The answer to this dilemma for health educators and public health officials may lie in point two. Health education and public attention might focus directly on the many options of public policy and prevention techniques that have been debated, implemented, and evaluated elsewhere in the nation and world. Thus, the whole focus of health education among tribal populations and tribal leaders could be expanded and redirected. Health education on what is possible would make for a more positive and proactive focus.Before any major redirection of debate and policy considerations will be possible or is likely to be productive, the other two points or issues must also be considered. Point three mentioned above is an erroneous statement. A number of studies have shown that Indian males metabolize alcohol as rapidty, or more rapidly, than non-Indians of various ethnic and...

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Section: Treatmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

Alchohol Policy Considerations for Indian Reservations and Bordertown Communities

May¹

1990

AIANMHR

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“…Not only can such individuals be helpfully elective to other alcoholics, they also gain treatment benefits for themselves. Riessman (1965) has termed the therapeutic benefit gained by the treatment provider the &dquo;helper-therapy principle.&dquo; Its effectiveness with alcoholics has been reported by Kahn and Stephen (1981) and by Kahn and Fua (1985).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 97%

Counselor Training as a Treatment for Alcoholism: the Helper Therapy Principle in Action

Kahn

Fua

1992

Int J Soc Psychiatry

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Extensive harmful drinking of alcohol is a major problem for many groups of Australian Aborigines and western treatment approaches have had limited effect. In order to stress cultural factors in treatment, a program to train indigenous Aborigines as alcoholism counselors for their communities was developed. In its more than 10 years of existence 145 counselors have been graduated. Of those initially entering the two year program 60% have graduated. Most of those have found employment as alcohol counselors for their people, and the numbers of Aborigines treated has increased. About 90% of those who entered the training had severe repeated substance abuse disorders in their recent history. The training and the alcohol counseling employment appears to be highly associated with continuing sobriety. For those who graduated the program only 4.8% returned to drinking. Those who completed only the first phase, 8.4% returned to drinking. Of those who were terminated from the program, 74% returned to drinking. Training alcoholics as alcohol counselors appears to be associated with vocational success and maintenance of sobriety as predicted by Riessman's "helper-therapy principle."

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“…The preponderance of these articles has addressed some aspect of mental health needs or services in indigenous communities (Gone, 2007(Gone, , 2011Goodkind et al, 2010;Hobfoll, Jackson, Hobfoll, Pierce, & Young, 2002;Kahn & Fua, 1985;Kahn, Lejero, Antone, Francisco, & Manuel, 1988;Kahn et al, 1975;Kral, Idlout, Minore, Dyck, & Kirmayer, 2011;McShane, 1987;Sue, Allen, & Conaway, 1978;West, Williams, Suzukovich, Strangeman, & Novins, 2012;Wexler, 2011). Another subset addressed broader social problems, such as domestic violence or homelessness (Ball, 2010;Hamby, 2000;Lichtenstein, Lopez, Glasgow, Gilbert-McRae, & Hall, 1996;Mitchell & Beals, 1997;Mitchell & Plunkett, 2000;Whitbeck, Crawford, & Sittner Hartshorn, 2012).…”

Section: The Contributions Of Community Psychology To Indigenous Comm...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Wellness interventions for indigenous communities in the United States: Exemplars for action research.

Gone

Hartmann

Sprague

2017

APA Handbook of Community Psychology: Methods for Community Research and Action for Diverse Groups and Issues.

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Counselor training as a therapy for alcohol abuse among aboriginal people

Cited by 5 publications

References 4 publications

Alchohol Policy Considerations for Indian Reservations and Bordertown Communities

Alchohol Policy Considerations for Indian Reservations and Bordertown Communities

Counselor Training as a Treatment for Alcoholism: the Helper Therapy Principle in Action

Wellness interventions for indigenous communities in the United States: Exemplars for action research.

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