CORRELATES OF DRUG ABUSE IN JAMAICAN (WEST INDIES) HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS

Abstract

Some research shows that drug use is associated with personality. For example, Lester ( 1986) found that marihuana users were more extraverted and less judgmental than nonusers. To explore correlates of drug abuse among high school smdents, 73 male and 72 female Jamaican (West Indies) high school students aged 16 and 17 yr. (mean age 16.5 yr., SD = 0.5) were given the Carlson Psychology Survey ( Carlson, 1982 ) which has scales to measure general drug use, thought disturbance, self-depreciation, and antisocial tendencies. They also completed the Rockliff ( 1969) Self-rating Questionnaire which measures depression. The students were enrolled in six classes from three high schools . The mean scores (and SDs) of the students on the scales were: d n ~ g use 12.8 (4.0), thought disturbance 29.1 (6.0), antisocial tendencies 32.9 (8.6), self-depreciation 19.0 (4.7) and validity 3.7 (1.3). Drug use was not related to age (Pearson r = 0.01) but was related to sex ( r = 0.17, 9 = 0.02) and the validity scale of the Carlson Survey ( r = 0.24, p = 0.002). Accordingly, partial correlation coefficients were calculated for each sex separately, controlling for validity scores. For both sexes, drug use was positively related to scores on the antisocial behavior scale (partial 1.s of 0.51 and 0.49 for boys and girls, respectively). For the girls, drug use was also associated with thought disturbance and selfdepreciation (partial rs of 0.33 and 0.21, respectively) but not depression (partial r = 0.16). For the boys these three correIations were scatistically nonsignificant (parrial rs of 0.07, 0.16, and 0.16, respectively). For these Jamaican high school students, male and female drug users appeared to be more antisocial, and girls appeared to be more emotionally disturbed.