"Catalyst" is a publication of the U.S. Department of Education's Higher Education Center for Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse and Violence Prevention. This issue contains the following articles: (1) The National Study of Student Hazing Initial Findings; (2) The Social Norms Marketing Research Project--An Update; (3) Message From William…

Three surveys representative of students in a large metropolitan university taken in February, 1971, November, 1971, and in October, 1972 show that the proportion of students who have tried or use marijuana has stabilized at .77, but the proportion of daily users continues to rise significantly. (Author)

The purpose of this study was to determine whether marihuana users differ from non-users in their orientation toward past, present and future. Results suggest a significant relationship exists between marihuana use and past orientation. (Author)

The objective of the study was to develop a test which could measure both the qualitative and quantitative aspects of drug-using behavior, including such factors as attitudes toward drugs, experience with drugs, and knowledge about drugs. The Drug Use Scale was developed containing 134 items and dealing with five classes of drugs: marijuana,…

The aim of this research was to assess and compare personality and social factors of college students involved in the use of drugs. Sex and academic performance were included in the assessment. (Author)

Research using the differential association theory has traditionally focused on a broad general conception of delinquent or criminal behavior. This research, however, examines Sutherland's theory as it applies to drug use as a specific delinquency type. Two distinct differential association processes are proposed to explain the genesis of drug…

College students from three states (New York, Michigan, and Kansas; N=90) responded to a 10-item Likert-style survey designed to gauge attitudes toward New York State's drug laws. The students significantly differed in their response to three of the items, yielding findings that were not open to any single interpretation. (Author)

The present study compares marijuana users and nonusers in terms of (a) psychological needs, (b) self-descriptions, (c) self-esteem, (d) academic achievement, (e) ordinal position of birth, and (f) attitudes toward the legalization of various items. Some significant differences were reported between groups of users. (Author/PC)

This paper presents the results of a medical-social questionnaire made by members of the Scientific Commission of the First International Congress of Drug Addiction Among University Students, Sao Paulo, Brazil, 1974. (Author)

This experiment was performed to assess the effects of the experimental confederates' sex and contrived group peer pressure on the drug attitudes of male college students. Subjects were exposed to all male or all female groups of experimental confederates (persuaders) who expressed either extremely pro-drug or anti-drug sentiments in a guided…

A report on a study of marijuana, the college student who smokes it, his relationship to his school, his family, the law, and to society in general. One hundred and one respondents drawn from the campus of three major universities provided the information. (Author)

In measuring personal attitudes toward drug users, it is important to minimize the fabrication of "socially desirable" responses. This drug attitude film was designed to reduce such fabrication by (1) presenting vivid stimuli that provoke strong feelings, (2) using oblique response scales, and (3) requiring quick responses. The author reviews the…

Modified version of the Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test was anonymously given to 245 college students on two Midwestern university campuses. Cutoff score for suspected drug abuse was set at five points. The percent of students scoring five or more points was 25 and 22 from campuses A and B respectively. (Author)

Questionnaires were distributed to a random sample of currently enrolled full time students at a small highly selective liberal arts college located in the Pacific Northwest. Findings suggest that male students have added illegal drugs to their repertoire of interpersonal mechanisms for the control of relationships with women. (Author)

Explored use of marijuana and attitudes toward its legalization among university students and school teachers in Alberta. Students had more permissive attitudes toward marijuana use and its legalization as compared to teachers. Significant relationships were found between drug use and age and legalization of marijuana and sex and religiosity.…