NCJ Number
173196
Date Published
1991
Length
11 pages
Annotation
Data from 486 college students at a State institution in a western State were used to compare the alcohol and other drug use patterns and attitudes of prospective teachers to those of other college students.
Abstract
The students were attending classes in teacher education, criminal justice, psychology, business, social and health resources, and agriculture. They completed the Substance Abuse Attitude Survey, a 50-item instrument with a Likert-type format. The students' anticipated occupations were teaching for 40 percent, social services for 18 percent, law enforcement for 8 percent, agriculture for 6 percent, and other occupations for 28 percent. Drug use patterns were similar to those reported in other research. Ninety-one percent reported that they consumed alcohol; 5.3 percent drank beer or wine daily. The percentage of students reporting the use of marijuana and cocaine also paralleled the results of other studies. Prospective teachers did not differ significantly from the other groups in the use of alcohol and other drugs. However, prospective teachers had less favorable attitudes than those wishing to work in social services in terms of stereotypes and moralism and, to a lesser extent, treatment and permissiveness. Findings suggested the desirability of including alcohol and other drug education in teacher education programs to determine the impact of such training on the attitudes and use patterns of pre-service teachers. Tables and 18 references