Psychiatric disorder among American Indian adolescents: Prevalence in Northern Plains youth

This article presents data on the prevalence of psychiatric disorders among American Indian adolescents, using DSM-III-R criteria. Objective: To generate current prevalence data using a structured diagnostic instrument, the Diagnostic Interview Schedule for Children, Version 2.1C (DISC-2.1C). Method: Youths from a Northern Plains tribe who had participated in an earlier study comprised the sample. At reinterview, respondents were between 14 and 16 years of age, when Indian adolescents are thought to be at particularly high risk for manifesting emotional disorders. One hundred nine of the original sample of 251 were still in schools on the reservation. Trained indigenous lay interviewers administered the DISC-2.1C to respondents in a private setting within the school. Results: The findings indicate that rates of some psychiatric problems (e.g., disruptive behavior disorders, substance-related disorders, and their comorbidity) are high among these high school students. Conclusions: These data, as well as national statistics, suggest that, compared with non-Indian populations, a greater percentage of Northern Plains adolescents manifest significant psychiatric symptoms which warrant treatment.