NCJ Number
154161
Journal
Journal of Alcohol and Drug Education Volume: 40 Issue: 2 Dated: (Winter 1995) Pages: 71-87
Date Published
1995
Length
17 pages
Annotation
The relationship between participation in extracurricular activities and drug and alcohol experimentation and use was studied using data from 5,639 secondary students.
Abstract
The data were collected in the spring of 1992 using a 52-question survey. The sample consisted of students from four midwestern schools in suburban/rural settings. More than 94 percent of the students were white, and nearly 71 percent reported living with two parents. The sample was 51 percent female and 49 percent male and aged 11 to 19. Results revealed that students in all extracurricular activities are using drugs, although the drug and the extent of use varied with the activity. Differences in experimentation and use among participating and nonparticipating students were more extreme when specific drugs were examined. Alcohol was the drug of choice, and alcohol use was highest among athletes. Athletes were also more likely to experiment and use tobacco than were students in other extracurricular activities. The expected valued for students not participating in extracurricular activities exceeded the anticipated value for alcohol, marijuana, stimulants, depressants, inhalants, hallucinogens, over-the-counter drugs, and cocaine. Findings indicated that extracurricular participation cannot be considered a preventive measure against youth experimentation, but students involved in extracurricular activities do not use tobacco, alcohol, and other drugs to the extent of their nonparticipating counterparts. Tables and 12 references (Author abstract modified)