Personal and Professional Attitudes and Behavioral Patterns Concerning Cannabis Use of Teachers and Youth Workers in Israel

Abstract

Professionals working with adolescents may have significant influence on the pro– or anti–cannabis use norms of those adolescents. This study is the first to explore the personal and professional attitudes and behavioral patterns of teachers and youth workers (TYW) regarding the use of cannabis. Self-report anonymous questionnaires were distributed to 135 teachers and 77 youth workers; average age was 38.2 ( SD = 9.8). Significant differences were found between the personal and professional attitudes of TYW concerning cannabis use. No significant difference was found between teachers and youth workers in patterns of use of cannabis or in their professional attitudes. A difference was found between the personal attitudes of teachers and those of youth workers whereby youth workers held more permissive personal attitudes than teachers. A preventive educational program should be constructed to focus on modification of personal and professional attitudes of TYW regarding the subject of cannabis use.