Drum-Assisted Recovery Therapy for Native Americans (DARTNA): a Feasibility Study Project Summary American Indians/Alaska Natives (AI/ANs) have the highest drug and alcohol use disorders compared to all other ethnic/racial groups in the U.S. Despite these high rates of substance use in this population, there are significantly limited culturally-tailored, evidenced-based treatment approaches available for this population. Drum therapy is an indigenous treatment approach that has been utilized for many centuries to promote healing and healthy behaviors. Drum-Assisted Recovery Therapy for Native Americans (DARTNA) is an AOD treatment program specifically for AI/ANs that utilizes drumming as its core component of treatment. In our previously completed NIH/NCCAM-funded study, we initially developed the intervention, created a preliminary manual, and pretested the DARTNA intervention among 10 AI/ANs with promising results. This study seeks to finalize the development of DARTNA by addressing gender generalizability and determining final core educational topics by conducting four focus groups among: 1) among adult AI/AN females with current or past histories of AOD use disorders, 2) among adult AI/AN males with current of past histories of AOD use disorders, 3) among AOD abuse providers serving AI/ANs, and among the DARTNA Community Advisory Board. Data retrieved from these focus groups will then assist toward completing the DARTNA treatment manual for a subsequent feasibility randomized clinical trial among 34 AI/AN males and females with histories of AOD use disorders within the outpatient urban setting. By conducting a feasibility study analyzing the benefits of DARTNA, the proposed study addresses an urgent need to determine the feasibility of conducting larger clinical trials among a disenfranchised population where few clinical trials have been conducted. A feasibility randomized clinical trial will be conducted comparing outcomes between AI/AN males and females with AOD disorders who participate in DARTNA (n=17) to AI/AN males and females with AOD disorders who receive usual care plus (n=17). Data collected in the proposed study may establish the basis for a future R-01 study to analyze the benefits of DARTNA among a larger sample. If treatment outcomes demonstrate satisfactory outcomes, DARTNA may be a treatment program that can ultimately be disseminated throughout AI/AN communities in the U.S.
Our proposed study will finalize the development of a potentially effective substance abuse intervention utilizing drumming as its core component of treatment [Drum-Assisted Recovery Therapy for Native Americans (DARTNA)] for American Indians/Alaska Natives (AI/ANs) and to conduct a feasibility randomized clinical trial among adult male and females within an outpatient urban setting. This study is important since there is a significant need for developing and analyzing culturally relevant substance abuse treatment approaches for AI/ANs. Research activities conducted within this proposal will assist toward enhancing culturally-relevant treatment options for this population in addition to enhancing the potential for culturally-based interventions for AI/ANs to become evidence based and thus creating much-needed policy changes in treatment options for this population.
