Historical trauma, substance use, and mental health symptoms among a sample of urban American Indians

Abstract

Aims: Little research has examined historical trauma (HT), addiction, and mental health problems among general populations of urban American Indians (AIs). This study examined associations to help fill this gap. Methods:This is a secondary analysis of data from a Midwestern urban AI population. Based on a psychological inventory, participants (n=117) were separated into a substance group (n=19), a psychiatric group (n=43), and a control group (n=55). Results of the historical loss scale (HLS, 12 items) and the historical loss-associated symptoms scale (HLASS, 12 items) were examined between the groups. Results:The psychiatric group reported thinking about three specific losses more than the control group and six specific losses more than the substance group. No significant differences were found between the substance group and the control group. The psychiatric group reported nine historical loss-associated symptoms more frequently than the control group. The substance group reported experiencing five symptoms more frequently than the control group. The substance group reported one symptom more frequently than the psychiatric group. Conclusion:Historical trauma appears to affect individuals with psychiatric or substance problems differently from those with no problems. American Indians with psychiatric or substance problems report experiencing some HLAS more often than individuals without these problems. The direction of this relationship is unclear, but it is apparent that historical loss thoughts and symptoms likely affect individuals with psychiatric and substance problems differently than the general public. Providers need to be attuned to these results to understand the experiences of their AI patients.