Substance Abuse Prevention Programming and Research: A Partnership in Need of Improvement (From Drug Abuse: Foundation for a Psychosocial Approach, P 88-107, 1984, Seymour Eiseman, Joseph A Wingard, et al, eds. - See NCJ-169972)

• NCJ Number: 169980
• Author(s): R Dembo
• Date Published: 1984
• Length: 20 pages
• Sale Source: Baywood Publishing Co, Inc.
• Publication Type: Survey
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: DCC. Presented at the Second Annual Meeting of the National Association of Prevention Professionals, 1979, Denver

Annotation

Recognizing the importance of collaboration between drug research and drug prevention activities, a survey of junior high school students was conducted in the South Bronx area of New York City to determine how researcher, community, and program officials could work together to prevent drug use.

Abstract

Questionnaires were administered to students in social studies classes in 1976. Parents were advised of the survey and were invited to provide their comments and suggestions regarding the survey effort. Analysis of questionnaire data focused on factors and processes involved in juvenile drug use and the most effective drug prevention strategies. Forty percent of the youths claimed to have ever used alcohol and 20 percent said they used marijuana and/or hashish. Less than 7 percent said they had used LSD, depressants, solvents, or stimulants. Socioeconomic status accounted for much of the variance in drug involvement. Social adjustment was also an important factor in drug use, particularly with respect to the home situation and relations with parents, level of interest in school, and attitudes supportive of drug use. Youth drug involvement was an environmentally related phenomenon. Survey findings suggest several ways in which drug prevention activities can be developed to effectively engage young people, especially activities that involve both school and community resources. 26 references