A Study on the Factors in Relation to Attitude and Behavior of Drug Abuse in Middle School Students

중학생의 약물남용 태도 및 행동과 관련요인에 관한 연구

This study was conducted to examine factors in relation to attitude and behavior of drug abuse in middle school students, and provide guidelines for drug education for adolescents. The summary of results was as follows: 1. The mean of attitude about drug abuse were 3.44 (1st graders), 3.40 (2nd graders), 3.20 (3rd graders) of full score 4.00. Attitude about drug abuse related to sex in girls is more desirable than boys' (p<0.001). 2. 3rd grade students experienced smoking and alcohol use to the highest degree in the last one month. Boys had more experiences of smoking and alcohol use than girls. Most motivations of students' drug abuse were curiosity and the influence of peer: 3. The higher the scores of self-assertion is, the higher the scores of attitude about drug abuse is. And the higher the scores of problem solving ability is, the higher the scores of attitude about drug abuse is. 4. Self-assertion and problem solving ability were positively correlated with attitude about drug abuse. Otherwise, the attitude about drug abuse was negatively correlated with drug abuse behavior. 5. Stepwise multiple regression analysis revealed that the most powerful predictor to drug abuse behavior was the attitude about drug abuse, Problem solving ability and self-assertion is accountable factor to the attitude about drug abuse. This result indicated that effective problem solvers or self-asserters have desirable attitude about drug abuse and less possibility to abuse drug. In conclusions, school drug education is necessary to enhance the ability of self-assertion by which students cope against peer pressure and problem solving ability by which students identify or discover effective strategies of coping with problematic situations encountered in daily living.