Substance Abuse, Nonconformity, and the Inability to Assign Problem Responsibility

Abstract

A trend in contemporary alcohol and drug education is to include the teaching of decision-making skills, one aspect of which is the ability to assign responsibility for problems. If successful, such programs may lead to a reduction in the incidence of alcohol and drug related problems as well as of deviance more generally. This study examines three fundamental assumptions upon which these programs are based. These are: (1) a sizeable proportion of the adolescent population experiences difficulties in correctly assigning problem responsibility, (2) the ability to assign problem responsibility is related to nonconformity, and (3) the type of alcohol and drug education program currently in popular use is appropriate for teaching the ability to assign problem responsibility. It was found that a number of our subjects did have difficulty assigning problem responsibility and that such difficulties were at least moderately associated with nonconformity. There was no evidence, however, that a currently popular strategy for teaching these skills within the context of alcohol and drug education programs is meeting with much success.