NCJ Number
50620
Date Published
1978
Length
31 pages
Annotation
RESEARCH STRATEGIES AND FINDINGS ARE REPORTED FROM A STUDY OF PERSONALITY, ENVIRONMENTAL, AND BEHAVIORAL ANTECEDENTS, CORRELATES, AND CONSEQUENCES OF MARIHUANA USE AMONG JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGE STUDENTS.
Abstract
MARIHUANA USE WAS JUST ONE ASPECT OF THE RESEARCH WHICH EXPLORED ADOLESCENT DEVELOPMENT BY COLLECTING DATA ON SUBJECTS AT FOUR SUCCESSIVE POINTS OVER A 3-YEAR PERIOD. THE RESEARCH DESIGN INCORPORATED SEVERAL FEATURES: (1) USE OF A THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK FOR PROBLEM BEHAVIOR AND OF THEORY-DERIVED MEASURES; (2) RELIANCE ON VARIOUS KINDS OF REPLICATION ACROSS TIME, SEX, SCHOOL LEVELS, COHORTS WITHIN SCHOOL LEVELS, AND FUNCTIONALLY RELATED BEHAVIORS; AND (3) INCLUSION OF CROSS-SECTIONAL ANALYSIS, DESCRIPTION OF CHANGE, FORECASTING OF ONSET, AND ANALYSIS OF TIME OF ONSET AND COURSE OF DEVELOPMENT AS COMPONENTS OF A LONGITUDINAL STRATEGY. THE PROLIFERATION OF ANALYTICAL STRATEGIES PROVIDES MULTIPLE LINES OF EVIDENCE, IMPORTANT BECAUSE THE COMPELLINGNESS OF INFERENCE IS LARGELY A FUNCTION OF THE CONVERGENCE OF MULTIPLE LINES OF EVIDENCE. BOTH LONGITUDINAL AND CROSS-SECTIONAL DATA FROM THE STUDY SUGGEST THAT A SINGLE DIMENSION UNDERLYING THE DIFFERENCES IN PERSONALITY BETWEEN MARIHUANA USERS AND NONUSERS MIGHT BE TERMED CONVENTIONALITY-UNCONVENTIONALITY. THE ADOLESCENT LESS LIKELY TO ENGAGE IN MARIHUANA USE VALUES AND EXPECTS TO ATTAIN ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT, IS NOT PARTICULARLY CONCERNED WITH INDEPENDENCE, TREATS SOCIETY AS UNPROBLEMATIC, MAINTAINS A RELIGIOUS INVOLVEMENT AND A RELATIVELY UNCOMPROMISING ATTITUDE TOWARD NORMATIVE TRANSGRESSION, AND SEES LITTLE ATTRACTION IN PROBLEM BEHAVIOR RELATIVE TO ITS NEGATIVE CONSEQUENCES. THE ADOLESCENT MORE LIKELY TO USE MARIHUANA SHOWS CONCERN WITH PERSONAL AUTONOMY, LACK OF INTEREST IN CONVENTIONAL GOALS, A JAUNDICED VIEW OF SOCIETY, AND A MORE TOLERANT VIEW OF TRANSGRESSION. IN THE ENVIRONMENT, YOUTHS LIKELY TO USE MARIHUANA PERCEIVE LESS PARENTAL SUPPORT, LESS COMPATIBILITY BETWEEN PARENTS' AND FRIENDS' EXPECTATIONS, GREATER INFLUENCE OF FRIENDS RELATIVE TO PARENTS, AND GREATER SUPPORT OF AND MODELS FOR DRUG USE AMONG FRIENDS. THE ADOLESCENT MARIHUANA USER IS LIKELY TO BE MORE INVOLVED IN OTHER PROBLEM BEHAVIOR AND LESS INVOLVED IN CONVENTIONAL BEHAVIOR THAN IS THE NONUSER. FINDINGS ARE GENERALLY SIMILAR FOR MALES AND FEMALES, BUT NOT FOR JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGE STUDENTS. FOR COLLEGE USERS OF MARIHUANA, IMMEDIATE PEER CONTEXT APPEARS TO BE THE IMPORTANT FACTOR. PERSONALITY FACTORS, IMPORTANT FOR THE YOUNGER USER, ARE NOT AS SIGNIFICANT AMONG OLDER YOUTHS. SUPPORTING DATA AND A LIST OF REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED--LKM)