NCJ Number
62065
Journal
Journal of Youth and Adolescence Volume: 8 Issue: 1 Dated: (1979) Pages: 91-101
Date Published
1979
Length
11 pages
Annotation
DATA ANALYSIS FROM A SURVEY RESEARCH STUDY IS PRESENTED, WHICH ADDRESSES DRUG AND ALCOHOL USE, DELINQUENCY, AND VANDALISM AMONG 5TH THROUGH 12TH GRADE STUDENTS OF AN UPPER MIDDLE CLASS CHICAGO SUBURBAN COMMUNITY.
Abstract
QUESTIONNAIRES WERE ADMINISTERED TO A RANDOM SAMPLE OF STUDENTS IN FOUR WINNETKA, ILL., SCHOOLS; THE FINAL SAMPLE CONSISTED OF 796 STUDENTS OR 32 PERCENT OF THE TOTAL ENROLLMENT. FINDINGS INDICATE THAT FEW 5TH THROUGH 7TH GRADE STUDENTS USE MARIHUANA AS FREQUENTLY AS ONCE A MONTH. AMONG 8TH THROUGH 12TH GRADE STUDENTS, DRUG USE IS INCONSISTENT, ALTHOUGH 50 PERCENT OF THE MALES AND 50 PERCENT OF THE FEMALES ENROLLED IN 10TH THROUGH 12TH GRADES REPORTED HAVING USED MARIHUANA. CURIOSITY ABOUT DRUGS, AS WELL AS BOTH SOCIAL AND PEER GROUP ACTIVITIES, WAS INFLUENTIAL IN STIMULATING MARIHUANA USE. IN ALL INSTANCES, ALCOHOL USE WAS SUBSTANTIALLY HIGHER THAN USE OF MARIHUANA. MOREOVER, ALCOHOL USE HAS BECOME ACCEPTABLE AMONG MANY HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS, THEREBY CREATING A NORM OF IMPULSE GRATIFICATION FOR THE YOUNGER STUDENTS TO FOLLOW. ALTHOUGH PERCENTAGES INDICATE RELATIVELY MINOR INVOLVEMENT IN DELINQUENT ACTIVITIES SUCH AS SHOPLIFTING, THESE DATA ARE NOT INCONSEQUENTIAL CONSIDERING THE SOCIOECONOMIC BACKGROUND OF THE RESPONDENTS. REGARDING PARENTAL INFLUENCES, THE LACK OF VALUES AND REGULATIONS FOR CHILDREN APPEARS TO BE INCREASINGLY CHARACTERISTIC OF WELL EDUCATED, MODERATELY AFFLUENT, AND WEALTHY NUCLEAR FAMILIES. CHILDREN ARE OFTEN ALLOWED TOTAL FREEDOM AND UNRESTRICTED LEISURE TIME LEAVING THEM VULNERABLE TO THEIR IMPULSE LIFE, A CONDITION THAT IS THE FORERUNNER OF CHARACTER DISORDERS. REFERENCES AND TABULAR STATISTICAL DATA ARE INCLUDED. (LWM)