NCJ Number
172906
Journal
Journal of Child & Adolescent Substance Abuse Volume: 7 Issue: 3 Dated: 1998 Pages: 79-96
Date Published
1998
Length
18 pages
Annotation
Because some research has examined the relationship between academic achievement, substance use, and related psychosocial factors but few studies have used standardized achievement scores as measures of academic achievement, this study was conducted to identify characteristics related to marijuana use among high and low academic achieving Mexican-American students.
Abstract
Marijuana use and standardized achievement scores were used to classify academic status. Data were collected using a self- report questionnaire survey that contained items on marijuana use, susceptibility to peer influence, dysphoria, school satisfaction, self-esteem, and academic achievement. Subjects were divided into groups by gender, based on academic achievement and marijuana use scores. Results indicated a complex relationship among risk factors, marijuana use, academic achievement, and gender. However, one risk factor, susceptibility to peer influence, distinguished marijuana users from nonusers. High achieving students were not immune to drug-related risk factors such as susceptibility to peer influence and school satisfaction. Academically talented males were more susceptible to marijuana use than academically talented females. The relationship between school satisfaction and marijuana use was stronger than the relationship between school satisfaction and academic achievement, particularly for males. Dysphoria was more notable for females than for males in distinguishing high achieving drug users from both high and low achieving nonusers. Findings suggest prevention and mediation programs should focus on risk factors that may be applicable to all students and on targeting risk factors that are more significant for identified subgroups. 31 references and 6 tables