A study was done to determine if low self-concept is a common denominator as a causative factor of drug abuse among adolescents. The results showed that 75.5 percent of the subjects considered low self-concept to be one cause of their turning to drugs and 91.9 percent felt that boredom and curiosity was another. (Author)

Discusses relationships of drug items communicated by teenaged interviewees to teenaged and adult interviewers. The subjects were teenagers in East, Central and West Harlem. A pool of 298 interview tapes was gathered from which 70 tapes were randomly selected. Teenagers' explanations for drug use included 10 categories established by…

The purpose of the study was to investigate youth's decision making processes as related to committing deviant acts as well as acts considered positive. Results indicate a lack of formal decision making prior to committing deviant acts by youth. (Author)

A description of the socio-demographic characteristics associated with student drug use is discussed. Findings indicate that while drug usage began to increase in the seventh grade, substantial increases occurred after this grade level. For all substances, drug use peaked in the ninth or tenth grade with dramatic decreases in the twelfth grade.…

Found that American Indian youths tend to experience more serious consequences of drinking than do White youths from the same area with regard to feeling high, getting drunk, passing out, suffering loss of memory, being stopped by police, having automobile accidents, and getting into trouble with parents. (Author/BEF)

Drug use among disaffected students was studied in three different high schools--public urban, public suburban and private residential. Results showed disaffected urbans and suburbans were greater drug users than their respective matched controls. No differences were found between groups in the residential school. (Author)

This paper focuses upon patterns of alcohol abuse and permissiveness among a sample of 230 high school students residing in a U.S. military community in Europe. Patterns of abuse are seen as symptomatic of the military life style and the homogeneity of the environment surrounding the respondents. (Author)

This study identifies specific nondrug alternatives most used to achieve a specific mood or state of consciousness alteration. Analysis showed social, physical, and risk-taking activities were used most frequently to achieve positive states and distracting activity, discussion with friend, and personal contemplation were used most frequently to…

Studies the convergence between current drug use and the use of drugs in the future by adolescents. The overall pattern suggests sources other than previous drug experience must be considered in attempting to explain intentions for future use. (Author)

Aimed at encouraging rational decision making about drug use, a peer oriented drug education program was conducted in a community youth project. Youth and leaders shared feelings and knowledge about drugs. Compared with four program dropouts, six participants exhibited more positive attitudes toward the drug group, its leaders and themselves.…

The Juvenile Intervention Program utilizes the principles of family involvement and peer pressure throughout the program, while the basis of the program involves the education of the participants in such areas as family architecture, family communication patterns and drug knowledge. (Author)

Assesses the importance of age in determining the use of conventional and illicit drugs among secondary school students in Texas. Age-drug use relationships were examined in terms of sex, age, and residence of respondents. Rural students' use of deviant drugs exceeded that of urban students. Conventional drug use increases with age. (Author/BEF)

This study examines the relationship between two independent variables, the fear appeal of the message and the character of the communicator; and the attitudes, behavior and information retention of seventh and eighth grade pupils with respect to the consumption of alcoholic beverages. A number of significant findings are reported. (Author)