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Progression of Alcohol Problems in a Navajo Sample
Kamilla L. Venner, William R. Miller
Objective: This study tested the cross-cultural applicability of Jellinek’s progression in a sample of Navajo men and women. Jellinek (1952) described a predictable progression of alcoholism that continues to be used widely in treatment, but it is unclear whether this pattern is consistent across cultures and genders. Method: The sample consisted of 99 Navajo (67 men and 32 women) who were undergoing detoxification in a secure facility. Participants were asked about the quantity and frequency of their drinking as well as other drinking experiences. Their level of cultural identification was also assessed. Results: Of the 46 events established by Jellinek, the order of progression for the Navajo sample was modestly correlated (rs = .41, p = .005, 17% shared variance) with that for Jellinek’s white men. The correlation of Jellinek’s sample with the Navajo men was slightly larger (rs = .48, p = .001, 23% shared variance) than that of the whole sample; however, the comparison with Navajo women resulted in a near zero correlation (rs = .06, p = .705, 4% shared variance). Conclusions: In the context of studies from other cultures, these data suggest convergence decreases as the studied sample deviates culturally from Jellinek’s sample of U.S. white men. These data question the cross-cultural applicability of this popular model of progression of alcoholism. (J. Stud. Alcohol 62: 158-165, 2001)
