A fuzzy set model is offered for interpreting vague frequency expressions, such as "rarely" and "sometimes." Results with 152 undergraduates reporting marijuana use reflect different frequency expressions for the same level of use and suggest that self-report validity may be enhanced by analyzing frequency expressions as fuzzy…

Although students in all extracurricular activities are using drugs, differences in experimentation and use among participating and nonparticipating students are more extreme when specific substances are examined. Although extracurricular participation cannot be heralded as abuse prevention, students involved in these activities are not using…

Compared behavior of college students who wore costumes on Halloween with those who did not. Findings from 805 females and 448 males surveyed over 5-year period revealed significant associations between dressing in costume and drinking alcohol and between masquerading with group and using marijuana and other drugs. Found no significant…

Content analyzed self-reports from 704 college students and used results to develop Marijuana Effect Expectancy Questionnaire and Cocaine Effect Expectancy Questionnaire. Identified six marijuana expectancies and five cocaine expectancies. Drug effect expectancies distinguished between patterns of nonuse and varying degrees of use of these two…

Administered questionnaire relating to cigarette smoking and substance use to 863 college students. Results indicated no significant difference between cigarette smokers and nonsmokers with regard to use of smokeless tobacco, alcohol consumption, or marijuana use. There was significant difference in use of other illicit substances such that…

Presents examples of types of analyses that can be employed in cross-national comparisons of marijuana using samples from U.S. data. The data illustrate basic trends in use over time and the differences between demographic groups in the U.S. Suggests uniform data collection methods would help towards identifying marijuana use as a world-wide…

Summarizes findings of longitudinal study on the relationship between marijuana use and later delinquency and problem behaviors. These studies describe the magnitude of the longitudinal and cross-sectional relationships. Cross-sectional findings measured early in adolescence are strongest. Findings suggest that the nature of the relationship is…

Presents the story of a talented teacher who was fired after a marijuana joint was discovered in her car, though she denied it was hers. She refused to submit to urinalysis and spent years unsuccessfully battling the decision in court, searching for satisfying work, and facing prejudice in job situations. (SM)

A questionnaire investigating adolescents' opinions and experiences regarding marijuana use was administered to 163 adolescents and young adults (96 boys and 67 girls) aged 13 to 20 (mean age = 16.8, s.d. = 1.5). Items referred to marijuana and other substances' dangerousness, representations regarding the positive and negative consequences of…

Background: Depressed mood has been associated with decreased white matter and reduced hippocampal volumes. However, the relationship between brain structure and mood may be unique among adolescents who use marijuana heavily. The goal of this study was to examine the relationship between white matter and hippocampal volumes and depressive symptoms…

Classroom debates used to be familiar exercises to students schooled in past generations. In this article, the authors describe the technique called "intimate debate". To cooperative learning specialists, the technique is known as "structured debate" or "constructive debate". It is a powerful method for dealing with case topics that involve…

The national Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) monitors priority health risk behaviors that contribute to the leading causes of death, disability, and social problems among youth and adults in the United States. The national YRBS is conducted every two years during the spring semester and provides data representative of 9th through 12th grade…

The Monitoring the Future (MTF) study is an ongoing series of national surveys of American adolescents and adults that has provided the nation with a vital window into the important, but largely hidden, problem behaviors of illegal drug use, alcohol use, tobacco use, anabolic steroid use, and psychotherapeutic drug use. For more than a third of a…

This study investigates how family structure is associated with adolescent drug use and how parenting, peer use, religiosity, and neighborhood problems may mediate the relationship. The authors use structural equation modeling to examine the relationship between family structure and drug use across race, and examine potential mediators. Using data…

The professional social worker in the field of drug abuse may find his personal beliefs in conflict with his professional responsibilities. The author describes three distinct roles of the professional social worker and discusses the tensions that might arise in each role. (Author)