NCJ Number
194940
Journal
Journal of Youth and Adolescence Volume: 31 Issue: 3 Dated: June 2002 Pages: 221-229
Date Published
June 2002
Length
9 pages
Annotation
This study examined the hypothesis that college students would exhibit changes in their levels of and cognitions about drug use throughout their university career.
Abstract
A total of 380 undergraduates from years 1, 2, and 3 (174 males and 206 females) initially participated in the study (response rate of 63 percent). Questionnaires were distributed at 6-month intervals over a period of 2 years, resulting in four time points. The questionnaires solicited information that related to the use of and cognitions about the use of alcohol, amphetamine, cannabis, ecstasy, LSD, and tobacco. The study failed to support the hypotheses that the percentage of respondents who used or intended to use drugs would increase over the university career; however, some evidence was found to support the suggestion that time at a university would affect actual and intended frequency of drug use. The frequency with which respondents reported using and intending to use ecstasy was found to increase significantly between years 1 and 2. Some support was found for hypotheses which expected that various cognitive measures would exhibit changes over the university career in association with increasingly "liberal" views toward drug use. Between years one and two, respondents reported an increase in the number of others perceived to be using amphetamine, ecstasy, and LSD. Findings indicated less perceived social disapproval connected with the use of these drugs. No evidence was found to suggest that drug use declined toward the end of the university career, although attitudes toward tobacco became less positive between years two and three. 5 tables and 22 references