A Systematic Review of Indian Boarding Schools and Attachment in the Context of Substance Use Studies of Native Americans
Abstract
This PRISMA style literature review was used to explore substance abuse studies focused on Native American populations in the context of historical trauma (from experiences at Indian boarding schools) and the critical loss of family relationships from colonization. It was found that while Indian boarding schools are recognized as being important research topics related to substance use, they are usually mentioned as a part of the colonization process rather than examined for their specific historical/personal impacts. Furthermore, social science may fail to recognize how detrimental the loss of family relationships was to the traditional bond of a Native American family. Beginning with an extensive list of 402 articles, two criteria were used to arrive at a systematic list of research in the topic areas: the acknowledgment of Indian boarding school attendance and the impact on family relationships. The final list included 27 studies which looked at Indian boarding schools and family relationship's relation to substance use among Native Americans. Overall, this review revealed that family discord should not be singled out as a causal link for Native American families; rather, it should be included in the argument to explain the relationship between Indian boarding school attendance and substance use.
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Family bonds and parental attachments were severed when AIANs were sent to boarding schools and these occurrences hindered AIANs' ability to trust, communicate and build relationships with loved ones.
“Family bonds and parental attachments were severed when AIANs were sent to boarding schools and these occurrences hindered AIANs’ ability to trust, communicate and build relationships with loved ones [69].”
From Substance and Behavioral Addictions among American Indian and Alaska Native Populations (2022) · cites this paper as [69]
Family discord and inharmonious parent-child relationships can occur because of parental substance use and also contribute to their children's SUD.
“Family discord and inharmonious parent-child relationships can also occur because of parental substance use and also contribute to their children’s SUD [64,65,69].”
From Substance and Behavioral Addictions among American Indian and Alaska Native Populations (2022) · cites this paper as [69]
Attachment injuries were passed on generationally, complicating the process of successfully navigating interpersonal relationship challenges and potentially led to substance use.
“Attachment injuries were passed on generationally, complicating the process of successfully navigating interpersonal relationship challenges and potentially led to substance use [69].”
From Substance and Behavioral Addictions among American Indian and Alaska Native Populations (2022) · cites this paper as [69]
Forced relocation and boarding school separations left many generations of AIANs without their parents, and consequently, without good parenting role models or the support of multigenerational families.
“Forced relocation and boarding school separations left many generations of AIANs without their parents, and consequently, without good parenting role models or the support of multigenerational families [69].”
From Substance and Behavioral Addictions among American Indian and Alaska Native Populations (2022) · cites this paper as [69]
Cites
Romantic love conceptualized as an attachment process.
Hazan, C., & Shaver, P. (1987) · Journal of Personality and Social Psychology · doi:10.1037/0022-3514.52.3.511 · Cited by 6,247 · see citing works
Baldwin, J. A., Brown, B. G., Wayment, H. A., Nez, R. A., & Brelsford, K. M. (2011) · Substance Use & Misuse · doi:10.3109/10826084.2011.592432 · Cited by 80 · see citing works
Nutton, J., & Fast, E. (2015) · Substance Use & Misuse · doi:10.3109/10826084.2015.1018755 · Cited by 66 · see citing works
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Substance and Behavioral Addictions among American Indian and Alaska Native Populations
Soto, C., West, A. E., Ramos, G. G., & Unger, J. B. (2022) · International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health · doi:10.3390/ijerph19052974 · Cited by 49 · see citing works
“Attachment injuries were passed on generationally, complicating the process of successfully navigating interpersonal relationship challenges and potentially led to substance use [69].”
BackgroundInfluential
- Authors
- Zephier Olson, M. D., & Dombrowski, K.
- Affiliations
- University of Nebraska–Lincoln (US)
- Venue
- Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities
- Published
- 2019-08-26
- Volume
- 7
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 62-71
- ISSN
- 2196-8837 (ISSN-L)
- 2197-3792
- OpenAlex
- W2971205776
- Cited by
- 57
- References
- 3
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 4 · 2024: 4 · 2023: 16 · 2022: 7 · 2021: 22 · 2020: 2
- FWCI
- 1.65
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Health › Indigenous Health, Education, and Rights
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Racial and Ethnic Identity Research
- Social Sciences › Anthropology › Indigenous Cultures and History
- Keywords
- Indian boarding schools, Native Americans, substance use, historical trauma, family relationships, attachment, colonization, family conflict, intergenerational trauma
- MeSH terms
- Family, Humans, Object Attachment, Residential Facilities, Schools, United States, Substance-Related Disorders, American Indian or Alaska Native
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