Study details how myths surrounding alcohol and addiction can hurt indigenous Americans

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The many indigenous Americans who believe the myth that they are genetically predisposed to heavy drinking may crave alcohol more, drink more frequently, and suffer worse alcohol-related consequences than those who don’t believe the myth, according to a recent study that followed 141 Native American and Alaskan Native adults who who identified as having a substance use problem and had consumed alcohol in the previous 90 days.

The participants were interviewed and filled out questionnaires assessing their alcohol and substance use and its consequences, their craving, their confidence in their ability to moderate their drinking or drug use, and their belief that indigenous Americans are genetically predisposed to heavy drinking. The researchers then looked for associations between these factors, comparing indigenous participants who only used alcohol with those who used alcohol and hard drugs such as methamphetamine or opioids. The study was published in the peer-reviewed journal Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research.

About 60 percent of participants expressed some belief in the myth that heavy drinking is in their genes. Among those who used alcohol only, believing the myth was associated with greater craving and more frequent drinking, which was in turn linked to worse alcohol-related consequences. Among those who used alcohol and hard drugs, belief in the myth was associated with fewer drinking days. But these participants were also less confident in their ability to self-moderate their substance use. They also reported craving substances more and experienced worse substance use consequences, suggesting that any potentially positive effect of their belief was slight. 

For all participants, more frequent drinking was associated with lower self-efficacy, which is the belief that one can control one's behaviors. Belief in the myth was not associated with self-efficacy, however, perhaps because the adults’ perception of their ability to moderate their drinking was more influenced by other factors, such as personal struggles with alcohol.

The myth of a biogenetic “cause” could falsely imply that problematic drinking is predestined and incurable, contributing to worse outcomes. The association between this belief and drinking frequency was found in participants who used alcohol only, not in those who also used hard drugs. In both groups, however, belief in the myth was linked to craving, which can impair recovery. The researchers cautioned that the study does not reliably indicate the causes of substance use, and recommended that more research examine how shifting belief in this myth may affect alcohol-related outcomes.