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Self-Control, Native Traditionalism, and Native American Substance Use: Testing the Cultural Invariance of a General Theory of Crime

Department of Criminal Justice, California State University, Stanislaus

Peter B. Wood

R. Gregory Dunaway

Department of Sociology, Anthropology, and Social Work, Mississippi State University

Usinga sample of White and Native Americanhigh school students, the authors provide a test of (a) self-control theory's invariance thesis and (b) native traditionalism as an explanation of Native American substance use. Self-control significantly influenced all forms of substance use when controlling for race and in race-specific analyses. However,z tests by race revealed that self-control is a stronger predictor of marijuana and serious drug use among Native Americans. Beyond this simple comparison across groups, the authors control for native traditionalism (as a proxy for cultural variation) among the Native American respondents. In doing so, self-control remained a consistent predictor of their substance use. Although these findings largely support the invariance thesis of self-control, the racial difference related to marijuana and serious drug use poses a theoretical challenge. With regard to native traditionalism, results suggest that those most attached to their native traditions engage in greater substance use.

Key Words: cultural invariance • Native American • self-control • traditionalism • substance use

Crime & Delinquency, Vol. 52, No. 4, 572-598 (2006)
DOI: 10.1177/0011128705282988


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