YOUTH DRUG ABUSE AND EDUCATION - EMPIRICAL AND THEORETICAL CONSIDERATIONS (FROM YOUTH DRUG ABUSE, 1979, BY GEORGE M BESCHNER AND ALFRED S FRIEDMAN - SEE NCJ-58731)

• NCJ Number: 58740
• Author(s): A L COHEN; Y SANTO
• Date Published: 1979
• Length: 26 pages
• Corporate Author: Lexington Books
• Publication Format: Document
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: *This document is currently unavailable from NCJRS.

Annotation

ANY ASSOCIATION BETWEEN POLYDRUG USE AND PERCEIVED OBSTACLES TO SCHOOL ATTENDANCE ARE EXAMINED IN A REVIEW STUDIES AND AN ANALYSIS OF DATA DRAWN FROM THE NATIONAL YOUTH POLYDRUG STUDY.

Abstract

THE NATIONAL YOUTH POLYDRUG STUDY INVOLVED A NATIONAL SAMPLE OF 2,750 MALES AND FEMALES UNDER THE AGE OF 18 WHO WERE ADMITTED TO ONE OF 97 DRUG-ABUSE PROGRAMS IN 37 STATES. DATA PERTAINING TO EDUCATIONAL ISSUES INVOLVED THE REPORTING OF 45 TYPES OF OBSTACLES TO SCHOOL ATTENDANCE. CLIENTS AFFIRMED THE OBSTACLES EXPERIENCED, EITHER CURRENTLY OR WHEN LAST ATTENDING SCHOOL. OBSTACLES WERE PROBLEMS INSIDE OR OUTSIDE THE EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM WHICH MADE IT DIFFICULT OR IMPOSSIBLE TO ATTEND SCHOOL. SUCH OBSTACLES ARE STRONGLY RELATED TO ATTITUDES REGARDING SCHOOL, PERFORMANCE AND LEARNING ACHIEVED. THE NINE LEADING OBSTACLES IDENTIFIED AND THE PERCENTAGE REPORTED EXPERIENCING EACH ARE AS FOLLOWS: (1) LACK OF MOTIVATION 47.1 PERCENT, (2) BORING CURRICULUM--46.7 PERCENT, (3) DRUG USE--45.2 PERCENT, (4) SUSPENSIONS AND EXPULSIONS--40.5 PERCENT, (5) ARGUMENTS WITH TEACHERS--37.8 PERCENT, (6) ALCOHOL USE--27.9 PERCENT, (7) RUNAWAY (FROM FAMILY)--23.8 PERCENT, (8) CHRONIC FAMILY DISRUPTIONS--23.7 PERCENT, AND (9) PEER GROUP PRESSURE--23.0 PERCENT. THE DATA SUGGEST THAT THE MORE SEVERE THE FREQUENCY OF DRUG USE AND THE NUMBER OF DIFFERENT DRUGS USED, THE MORE DOMINANT ARE PROBLEMS (OBSTACLES) RELATING TO SCHOOL ATTENDANCE. CORRELATIONAL ANALYSES FURTHER SUGGEST A CLUSTER OF ASSOCIATIONS BETWEEN OBSTACLES TO SCHOOL ATTENDANCE, DRUG-USE INDEXES, AND OTHER VARIABLES REFLECTING LIFE PROBLEMS (CRIMINAL JUSTICE INVOLVEMENT, SUICIDAL ATTEMPTS, AND SOCIOECONOMIC DEPRIVATION). THESE FINDINGS TAKE ON EVEN MORE IMPORTANCE BECAUSE THEY OCCUR WITHIN A QUASI-HOMOGENEOUS POPULATION ALREADY REQUIRING TREATMENT FOR DRUG ABUSE. THE NEED FOR FURTHER RESEARCH AND IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS FOR PROGRAM POLICY AND PLANNING ARE ALSO CONSIDERED. SUPPORTING TABULAR DATA AND REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (RCB)