published_or_final_version / abstract / toc / Sociology / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

A study was conducted at a Durban high school which has a mixture of socioeconomic classes and races. All grade 10 pupils present on the day of the study were asked to complete a questionnaire under examination-like conditions. The aim was to determine the prevalence of dagga smoking as well as the pupils' knowledge of the effects and health risks of dagga smoking and the prevalence of associated features such as alcohol use, cigarette smoking and sexual activity. Dagga smoking was found to occur commonly (22.9%) and to be mainly a white male group activity. There was a strong association with cigarette smoking and alcohol abuse and a general lack of knowledge concerning the adverse health effects of dagga smoking. Peer pressure and relief of stress were cited as the commonest reasons for dagga smoking. More information and life skills training is required for this group of students as well as further research into substance abuse related topics in general. / Thesis (M.Med.)-University of Natal, Durban, 1997.

Recent research into the adolescent substance abuser has been motivated by the recognition that the successful rehabilitation of such persons may depend on the development of a positive self-concept. Literature dealing with the Gestalt Therapy, the Adolescent; Chemical Dependency, Addiction and Substance Abuse have been discussed. The various stages and elements of social development of the adolescent were discussed in order to determine whether there exists a correlation between a dysfunctional family life or “unfinished business” and the cause of substance abuse. The interviews conducted with thirteen (13) respondents, who were referred by the court and/or educational institutions, indicate that there is a definite connection between the poor self-concept of the adolescent substance abuser (based on previous traumatic experiences) and substance abuse. The research indicates that the majority of these adolescents choose to abuse substances for comfort – to compensate for the fragmentation in their lives. In accordance with the Gestalt Therapy which advocates an integration of the various elements of the self – a holistic view - the researcher found that it was possible to treat the addiction successfully if the adolescent could deal with the “unfinished business” in his/her past. Consequently, the final Chapter of this study sets out guidelines of the development of a therapeutic programme founded on principles of the Gestalt Therapy. / Dr. E. Oliphant Dr. W.J.H. Roestenburg

AFRIKAANS: Hierdie navorsingstudie het ten doel gehad om 'n nasorgprogram te ontwikkel vir die benutting deur maatskaplike werkers in die hantering en behandeling van substansafhanklike adolessente. Die misbruik van afhanklikheidsvormende middels word erken as een van die grootste gesondheids- en maatskaplike probleme in Suid¬Afrika. Die eskalerende patrone van dwelmmisbruik en die impak daarvan op die individu en ook op die groter samelewing benodig gespesialiseerde vaardighede om die probleem te verstaan en aan te spreek. Met hierdie behoefte in gedagte is daar besluit om hierdie studie te doen en 'n nasorgprogram te ontwikkel om aan die maatskaplike werker in die praktyk 'n hulpmiddel te verskaf om eff'ektiewe nasorgdienste aan die substansafhanklike adolessent te lewer. Die doel van hierdie ondersoek is om verkennende- en beskrywende navorsing uit te voer na substansafhanklikheid by adolessente. Die kwantitatiewe navorsingsproses is gevolg in die navorsing, alhoewel navorsingsmetodes uit beide die kwantitatiewe- en kwalitatiewe benaderings gebruik is. Daar is twee stellings vir die navorsingstudie geformuleer, naamlik: Daar bestaan 'n leemte aan bestaande bruikbare nasorgprogramme vir die benutting deur maatskaplike werkers in die praktyk vir hulpverlening aan die substansafhanklike adolessent; en dwelmmisbruik neem toe onder adolessente en moet dringend aangespreek word. Die stellings was deur middel van die verkennende navorsingsontwerp en met behulp van persoonlike vraelyste (kwantitatiewe data¬insamelingsmetode) en semi-gestruktuurde aangesig-tot-aangesig onderhoudsvoering (kwalitatiewe data-insamelingsmetode) ondersoek. AIle kwalitatiewe- asook kwantitatiewe data het 'n ooreenkomstige bevestiging op die stellings verskaf. Hierdie data het aangedui dat daar 'n groot leemte aan effektiewe nasorgdienste ten opsigte van die substansafhanklike adolessent bestaan en dat substansafhanklike adolessente as gevolg van oneffektiewe hulpverlening telkens 'n terugval beleef. Verdere navorsing deur middel van die benutting van narratiewe terapie met 'n gesin waar 'n adolessent dwelms gebruik is gedoen. 'n Suid-Mrikaans geformuleerde meetinstrument wat substansafhanklikheid binne die adolessente kultuur en leefwyse, asook eietydse eise en probleme kan vervat en meet, word gevolglik aanbeveel. ENGLISH: The purpose of this research study is the development of an aftercare programme for social workers to use in the handling and treatment of substance dependant adolescents. The abuse of dependant substances is recognised as one of the greatest health and social problems in South Africa. The escalating patterns of drug abuse and the impact thereof on the individual as well as the greater community asks for specialised skills to understand and solve these problems. With this need in mind the researcher decided to develop an aftercare programme, which would serve as a practical guideline for social workers in practice in order to supply effective aftercare services to the substance dependant adolescent. The aim of the study was to investigate substance dependency by adolescents through exploratory- and descriptive studies. The quantitative research process was followed although both the qualitative and quantitative methods were used. Two suppositions were formulated for the research study: A huge gap currently exists for aftercare programs for the assistance of social workers in practice to substance dependant adolescents. These suppositions were investigated through the use of exploratory research design and with the assistance of personal questionnaires (quantitative date gathering method) and semi-structured face-to-face interviewing (qualitative data gathering method). Both quantitative and qualitative data confirmed the formulated suppositions. The data clearly indicated the need for effective aftercare services for substance dependant adolescents, which frequently experience a relapse due to the lack of assistance. Further research can be done through the use of narrative therapy within a family in which an adolescent used drugs. A South African formulated measurement scale, which is able to measure substance dependency within the adolescent culture and way of life, are recommended. / Dissertation (MA (SW))--University of Pretoria, 2006. / Social Work and Criminology / unrestricted

Marijuana is the most prevalent illicit drug used in the world and among Turkish juveniles. Although studies have examined marijuana use among Turkish juveniles, none has tested Hirschi's social bonding theory, one of the most frequently tested and applied criminological theories in the United States and other Western and developed countries. This study investigated the empirical validity and generalizability of Hirschi's theory to juveniles' marijuana use in Turkey, a non-Western and developing country. Data on 2,740 Turkish tenth grade students from the 2006 Youth in Europe survey were used. Results from binary logistic regression analyses were generally consistent with the propositions of Hirschi's theory and the findings of previous empirical studies. Regarding the attachment component of the theory, Turkish juveniles who lived in two-parent families and those who were closely monitored by their parents were less likely to have tried marijuana. In addition, teens who were strongly attached to their school and religion were also less likely to have used the drug. As for the commitment component, language grade was negatively associated with marijuana use. None of the involvement items had significant effects on marijuana use in the predicted direction. Participation in club sports had a positive effect on marijuana use. Belief items, such as acceptance of societal norms, values, and rules, had the predicted inhibiting effects on teens' marijuana use. Of the six sociodemographic/controls included in the analyses, only gender had a significant effect; male students were more likely to have tried marijuana than the female peers. Policy implications of the results for adolescents, parents, and schools are discussed.

Submitted in fulfillment of the requirements of the degree of Master of Education in the Department of Educational Psychology & Special Education at the University of Zululand, 2007. / The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of cannibas use on the adolescent's development. This was achieved by means of a literature study and an emprical investigation. The literature study found that the use of cannabis by the adolescent affects his physical, psychological (cognitive and affective), social and normative development.

by Chan, Hak-man, Christian. / Includes questionaire in Chinese. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1995. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 64-76). / Chapter I. --- INTRODUCTION --- p.1 / Chapter II. --- METHOD --- p.16 / Chapter III. --- RESULTS --- p.26 / Chapter IV. --- DISCUSSION --- p.50 / REFERENCES --- p.64 / APPENDIX --- p.77

A research report submitted to the Faculty of Humanities, School of Social Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in the field of Demography and Population Studies, 2016 / Background: Risky behaviours are notably the most important factors contributing to negative health outcomes among adolescents. A number of diseases and deaths have been linked to risky and harmful behaviours. Research has shown that being involved in one risky behaviour increases the likelihood of involvement in additional risky behaviours. Adolescents have been identified at the centre of sustainable development, particularly in achieving goals related to bringing poverty to an end, promoting health and well-being, attaining equitable and quality primary and secondary education as well as achieving inclusive and sustainable economic growth. Objectives: The objective of this study was firstly to examine the levels of social association membership and risky behaviour among adolescents. Secondly, to identify the determinants of risky behaviour among South African adolescents and lastly, to examine the relationship between social association membership and risky behaviour among adolescents. Methods: Data were drawn from the South African Youth Life Style Survey of 2008. A sample of 3335 adolescents aged 12 to 19 years was analysed. Four binary and one multinomial logistic regression analyses were conducted. The four binary dependent variables were for risky sexual behaviours, risky substance use behaviours, other risky behaviours and engaging in at least one type of behaviour. For each of these binary dependent variables the response category was yes or no. The dependent variable for the multinomial logistic regression model was any adolescent risky behaviour which was categorised as; no behaviour, any one category of behaviour, any two categories of behaviour and all three categories of behaviour. The key independent variables were firstly an index variable generated by merging all the different social associations into one variable that had the response yes or no to being a member of any social association. There were also five key independent variables that were the individual social associations namely; sports, religious groups, choir, drama and other associations. Results: The two most common social associations that adolescents engaged in were sports groups (515 per 1000 adolescents) and religious groups (342 per 1000 adolescents). Risky vii behaviours with the highest number adolescents engaging in them were driving without a seatbelt (32%), consuming alcohol (32%), being a passenger in a car driven by someone under the influence of alcohol (28%), tobacco use (21%) and lack of condom use (9%). Adolescents who were not members of social associations were found to have decreased the risk of engaging in one, two and all three categories of risky behaviours. Not being a member of religious groups increased the risk of engaging in one, two and all three categories of risky behaviour. Adolescents who were not members of sports groups were found to have lower risks of engaging in one, two and all three categories of risky behaviour, as well as decreased odds of engaging in at least one type of risky behaviour. Conclusion: The study found that there was a statistically significant relationship between social association membership and risky behaviours among adolescents in South Africa. More particularly, religious associations were found to be protective factors to risky behaviours and sports, drama and other associations were found to be platforms that could potentially increase the likelihood of risky behaviour among adolescents. / GR2017

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According to Amos (1989) the use of, and the attitudes towards alcohol amongst young people in Africa is an area about which little is known but which has potentially major health implications. Neither has much been done about primary prevention in this field. The case studies which included a participatory research was conducted among three groups of people in the Clermont Township near Durban in the Natal Region. The aim of the research was to describe alcohol abuse as a social problem among the black adolescents and to compare and contrast the implementation of alcohol abuse prevention strategies that were and are used by the different groups of people in their community. The case study approach documented the work of each community. All the three groups of people who participated in the research agreed that alcohol abuse was a problem in their community. They described factors in their township which were contributory to the alcohol problems in their community and described the various cycles of negative effects and consequences to the individual, family and to the community. They agreed that in the past alcohol was not a problem in the traditional African society because of cultural and economic factors. Most interesting was the serious effects all groups described alcohol abuse amongst both teachers and the pupils in the Black education system. Each group planned, implemented and evaluated a unique alcohol preventive strategy. While the youth group maintained a strong alcohol focus with an educational programme, both the adult groups moved into the more general issues of economic empowerment. All three groups also used the participation and capacity building. The willingness to get involved, and to address the problems of the groups were remarkable. The following were the research conclusions: * Material resources were relatively available in this community. * Health professionals were available in this community, but they did not follow the Comprehensive Primary Health Care approach and were not involved in community development. * Integrated drinking seemed to be in harmony with the values of these groups and could be used in the alcohol abuse prevention. An integrative, multi-faceted and comprehensive community based partnership approach was used to the multi-causal alcohol abuse prevention programmes and strategies. This strategy was successful in involving community partners and leading to the solving of the actual problems and the development of positive health behaviours. The research revealed that the development projects needed "seed money" to initiate and to maintain. Alcohol abuse prevention can be used as a vehicle to enter a community and to engage it in a health directed partnership. / Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of Natal, 1995.