and Adolescents Drugs, - 1 Topic: Adolescents and drugs
Best, D., Rawaf S., Rowley J., Floyd K., Manning V., & Strang J. (2000, October). Drinking and smoking as concurrent predictors of illicit drug use and positive drug attitudes in adolescents. [Electronic version]. Drug and Alcohol Dependence. 60(3), 319-321
Summary of Study: An investigative study of the relationship of smoking, drinking, and illicit drug use. A large amount of adolescents who smoke cigarettes and drink on a regular basis have a high prevalence for experimentation and more positive attitudes of illicit drug use and less caution for worrying about it. However, for the adolescents who do not
participate in drinking or smoking cigarettes had very negative attitudes towards drug usage with a very low rate of lifetime or recent usage.
Purpose of Study: The aim of the study is to show that adolescents who partake in smoking cigarettes and drinking alcoholic beverages increases the risk of drug experimentation and eventually substance abuse. Adolescent drinking and smoking is seen as a precursor to positive attitudes toward illicit drugs to precede towards usage or sustain drug involvement.
Subjects: 2971 adolescents, 13-17 years of age. 2207 (74.3%) White, 399 (13.5%) Asian, 241 (8.0%) Black and 124 (4.2%) "of mixed race or other ethnic origin"
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Methodology: Using a self completed questionnaire, data was collected from the students that was about 40 minutes, which comprised of questions such as attitudes, knowledge and behavior about substance use. Subjects were asked if they had ever used an illicit drug if the answer was affirmative there were further items to measure the type of drug and the frequency of use.
Outcomes/Findings 25.4% were found to drink on a regular basis (At least once a week) 8.9% were considered regular smokers 75.2% neither drank or smoke on a regular basis 19.4% who drink but do not smoke 2.3% for those who smoke but do not drink 7.0% who both smoke and drink 20% had used drugs in their life, 8.9% in the past month of the interview. Study found that student that do no drink or smoke have a highly negative attitude towards substance usage. Students who do participate in drinking or smoking were found to high the most positive attitudes toward illicit drug usage.
Relationship of Outcomes/Findings to Purpose of Study A relationship was seen between the alcohol intake and smoking participation and the usage of illicit drugs. Students who indulged in smoking cigarettes and drinking alcoholic beverages had a high tendency to use drugs and have a more positive attitude
Adolescents and Drugs, - 3 towards usage than the students who do not drink or smoke. Adolescents who choose not to drink or smoke have a highly negative view of drug usage and do not participate in these activities.
Text Information: Page 409, Patterns of drug use.
Chou L., Ho C., Chen C., & Chen W. (2005, May). Truancy and illicit drug use among adolescents surveyed via street outreach. [Electronic version]. Addictive Behaviors. 31(1), 149-154.
Summary of Study: This study examines the link between truancy and the usages of illicit drugs. After holding psychosocial environmental factors constant and use of easily available substances (i.e., alcohol, tobacco, and betel nut), the results of survival analyses suggested that there might be reciprocal relationships operating between illicit drug use and truancy. These findings may help form programs to identify or monitor youths at risk.
Purpose of Study: This study is based on patterns of students who do not have household or institute based schooling (e.g. school drop-outs) to find patterns of middle school students of truancy and to better predict drug usage and possible ways to prevent them.
Adolescents and Drugs, - 4 Subjects: Sample size 2126. Adolescents, aged 12-18, who seemed to be wandering the streets when they should have been in school were targeted for an interview.
Methodology: Interviewers assured teens that results would be kept confidential, and took the students to a more private setting where a first name/nick name would be recorded and the students would be given a self-administered questionnaire, which included demographic characteristics, the history of psychoactive substances involvement, as well as the experiences of truancy and sexual behavior.
Outcomes/Findings: 21.1% had a job, 21.3% from a single-parent family, 5.6% did not live with family, and 6% did not attend school. 45.2% never had truancy, 32.6% had about 1 day or less, 8.2% 2 days, and 14.2% had 3 or more days of truancy. Students who showed a high truancy rate were found to have a higher prevalence of usage. Illicit drugs consisted of marijuana, ecstasy, and ketamine. The prevalence of any illicit drug use among the truancy adolescents was five-time higher than the one of those non-truants Prevalence of illicit drug use increased with age
Adolescents and Drugs, - 5 Relationship of Outcomes/Findings to Purpose of Study: Data showed that students with a record of truancy were more prevalent to participate in illicit drug use, such as marijuana, ketamine and ecstasy, compared the nontruant students. This finding is important because truancy is more common than completely dropping out of school and this can be a way for teachers and administrators to intervene and promote prevention. drug Truancy is easily identified by school educators, and this makes it obvious to teachers as to which students may need intervention or education about drugs. Also, this survey assumes that students are more comfortable conducting surveys from street interviewers, rather than at school, for confidentiality purposes. This study also indicated that truancy began first and illicit drug use came afterwards, rather than students become truant for drug usage.
Text Information Page 409, Risk and protective factors
Barkin, S., Smith, K., & DuRant, R. (2002, June). Social skills and attitudes associated with substance use behaviors among young adolescents. [Electronic version]. Journal of Adolescent Health. 30(6), 448-454.
Summary of Study: Among health factors of the adolescents, the onset of substance abuse can trigger many other emotional and physical problems, including violence, poor academic achievement, suicide attempts, and early initiation of sexual behavior. Some factors that are associated with substance use include being raised in a single-parent family with less parental supervision and exposure to parents or friends who use substances. It is expected
Adolescents and Drugs, - 6 that their own social norms, influenced by their culture/ethnicity and parental resources (one- vs. two-parent homes) could influence their decisions.
Purpose of Study: To examine how students' social skill and attitudes affect current substance use and intentions to use substances in the future.
Subjects: 2646 Seventh grade students from the Winston-Salem Forsyth County public schools. (Aged 12-13)
Methodology: An anonymous questionnaire was given to the students before implementing a Life Skills Training curriculum. The questionnaire and curriculum were adapted from the instrument used by Botvin et al. to evaluate the Life Skills Training curriculum. It evaluated drug usage over a 30 day period versus lifetime usage, rating each of these on a scale system, ranging from "never used" to "more than once a day". These students were also evaluated on anticipated usage, with ratings like "definitely will" to "definitely won't".
Outcomes/Findings: 41% of students were of color. The male to female ration was one to one. About 69.9% lived in two parent families.
Adolescents and Drugs, - 7 Substance use in the past 30 days indicated 14.1% used cigarettes, 18.5% used alcohol, 5% smoked marijuana, 6.5% used inhalants, and 0.6% used hard drugs (such as cocaine) at least once. Anticipated usage in the next year showed that 25% might drink alcohol or smoke cigarettes, and about 10% thought they may use marijuana or inhalants, and fewer than 3% thought they may use hard drugs. Students perceived that many of their peers used substances. They assumed that about 50% of peers smoked cigarettes or drank alcohol, and thought that less than half of their peers used marijuana, inhalants, or hard drugs. 10% of students thought that smoking cigarettes of drinking alcohol makes kids look more grown up, look cooler, or enables you to have more fun. 15% thought that using substances allows to them make more friends. 1/5 of students were unsure of their ability to say no. 15% reported carrying a weapon such as a bat or a knife, and 6% reported to carrying a gun.
Relationship of Outcomes/Findings to Purpose of Study: Compared to the National Household Survey on Drug Abuse, their findings were more severe. The survey indicated that 1213 year olds had a 3% lifetime prevalence of marijuana use and inhalant use, with a 0.1% prevalence of cocaine use, while their data indicated that about 7% of seventh graders used inhalants and 0.6% used cocaine. Alcohol results were similar, but the percentage for smoking cigarettes was nearly doubled. These results show the importance of early intervention before these adolescents choose to engage in substance usage. The need to learn how to say "no" is important, and
Adolescents and Drugs, - 8 because these seventh graders showed a severe intolerance for the ability to say no, drug outreach programs are needed to teach these adolescents that its okay to say no and still be cool. The data reinforces the need to change behaviors, and not just supply knowledge. This means social modeling from peers and family plays a strong role in what adolescents believe are normal behaviors. In all, the need to improve the ability to say no and changing behavioral patterns is what this study finds to be important in our society.
Text Information Page 409, Risk and protective factors
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Reference Page
Best, D., Rawaf S., Rowley J., Floyd K., Manning V., & Strang J. (2000, October). Drinking and smoking as concurrent predictors of illicit drug use and positive drug attitudes in adolescents. [Electronic version]. Drug and Alcohol Dependence. 60(3), 319-321 Chou L., Ho C., Chen C., & Chen W. (2005, May). Truancy and illicit drug use among adolescents surveyed via street outreach. [Electronic version]. Addictive Behaviors. 31(1), 149-154. Barkin, S., Smith, K., & DuRant, R. (2002, June). Social skills and attitudes associated with substance use behaviors among young adolescents. [Electronic version]. Journal of Adolescent Health. 30(6), 448-454. Cobb, N. J. Adolescence; Continuity, change and diversity. New York: McGraw Hill, 2006.