The purpose of the literature review is to identify consistent patterns regarding adolescent use and abuse of chemical substances, especially alcohol and marijuana. Acute physical, cognitive and social effects of alcohol and marijuana use are outlined, and environmental and personal determinants of drug use and abuse are examined. Methods of prevention and intervention are discussed and, from the research findings, a model group counseling program designed for the school setting is proposed. Adolescent use of both marijuana and alcohol is found to be modal by age 16-17. The physical, cognitive and social effects are pervasive and especially damaging to chronic users. Youth are extremely vulnerable to suffering adversity from their drug use patterns.

The purpose of this study was to explore relationships between pregnant teens' use of alcohol before and during pregnancy and several personal and social variables, including the wantedness of the pregnancy, support of the pregnancy by significant others, pregnant teens' reasons for drinking, the context of their drinking, and the use of alcohol by significant others. This information is needed to plan and evaluate effective prenatal education and intervention programs related to the use of alcohol during pregnancy. Such programs are important in light of increasing numbers of pregnant teens, the number of female adolescent drinkers, and findings about the effects of moderate and binge drinking on fetal development. Subjects consisted of 14 to 19 year old patients of the High-Risk Ob/Gyn Clinic at Roanoke Memorial Hospitals. These patients were predominantly low income urban and suburban teens, with some referrals from areas outside Roanoke City and County. Subjects responded anonymously to a written questionnaire. One-fourth of the subjects were classified as drinkers according to their binge drinking before and during pregnancy. Higher percentages of drinkers than abstainers were white, married, had been pregnant at least once in the past, and intended to become pregnant. Proportionately fewer drinkers indicated religious preferences or attended church services on a regular basis. Drinkers were more likely to smoke and smoked more than abstainers. Personal effects reasons for drinking, consumption in settings where adults were not present, and weekly consumption by peers and boyfriends/husbands were reported by significantly higher percentages of drinkers than nondrinkers. Wantedness and support of significant others were significantly related. Knowledge of the potential harm that all types of alcoholic beverages pose to fetal development was reported by over 70% of the sample. Key sources of knowledge about alcohol and fetal risk were subjects' mothers, pamphlets or books, school health class, the RMH Clinic and television. Boyfriends were also a key source of information for drinkers. Implications of these findings for clinical and educational practice are discussed. / Ed. D.

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Thesis ((M. A.(Social Work)) -- University of Limpopo, 2018 / The influences of alcohol abuse amongst the youth have been linked to multiple risk factors. Alcohol abuse among the youth is costing the country a lot of money every year. The aim of the study was to explore and describe risk factors of alcohol abuse amongst the youth in Musina Town, Limpopo Province. The researcher used both qualitative and quantitative approaches (mixed method). An exploratory-descriptive research design was utilised. The population of the study was drawn from learners and church leaders. A triangulation of sampling designs were employed in this research project: stratified-target and purposive sampling designs. Data was analysed using Statistical Package for the Social Science and Nvivo software. The study revealed that an easy access to purchase alcohol, affordability of alcohol, peer pressure, self-esteem, stress, permissive parents, family members who drink and poor legislations enforcement put young people at risk of indulge binge drinking. Moreover, the study revealed that those above-mentioned risk factors have a negative impact on the well-being of young people. Young people who indulge into alcohol abuse end up contracting sexual transmitted infection and/or having unplanned pregnancy which later result in abortion. Alcohol abuse amongst the youth has been a contributing factor to social problems. The above study indicated, peers pressure, poor legislation enforcement, accessibility substances, affordability of alcohol, self-esteem and stress plays a significant role in influence youth’s decision to use or not use alcohol. To that end, the risk factors of alcohol abuse amongst the youth influences the behavioural change which later encourages maladaptive behaviours such as heavy episodic drinking at parties. The findings of the study point to the disbursements of funds for research purposes and in particular to Social Work scholars to do more research on risk factors of alcohol abuse in deep rural areas.

Adolescent substance use research has yet to consider victimization as a potential risk factor contributing to alcohol and marijuana use among American Indian youth living on or near reservations, despite the presence of traumatic experiences, childhood adverse events, racism, and discrimination. Contribution to this lack of attention may be due to little being known about American Indian youth victimization. Even less is known about its association with alcohol and marijuana use in general and for those youth living on or near reservations in particular. This study utilizes mixed methods with a nationally representative sample of American Indian youth living on or near reservations in the first phase. A qualitative study in the second phase followed up with a group of practitioners serving American Indian youth living on or near a reservation to explore the association between victimization and alcohol and marijuana use. Understanding the perceptions of practitioners presents an opportunity for collaborative knowledge creation on the conceptualization of victimization and its relationship to alcohol and marijuana use. A secondary data analysis utilizing ordinary least squares regression yielded several significant contributions to alcohol and marijuana user levels when the models were run with the sample intact and when run by gender and compared side-by-side. Extending these findings to a qualitative follow-up produced themes that illustrated practitioner conceptualizations of victimization and perceptions about the influence of these experiences on alcohol and marijuana use among the American Indian youth they serve. Study findings inform or enhance substance use treatment design, delivery, and policy, and to advocate for tribal sovereignty and self-determination.

Despite the implementation of legal prohibitions and regulatory policies to limit the commercial availability of lottery products to minors, published research continues to document a high prevalence of participation in and ease of access to lottery playing amongst adolescents. This study systematically investigated the influence of individual-level factors in vendor compliance with youth access statutes and policies for lottery and alcohol products. Six underage youths each attempted to purchase a lottery ticket, a beer, or both products together in the same 313 convenience stores, for a total of 1,219 purchase attempts. The results revealed that only a moderate proportion of vendors surveyed in this study were compliant with existing statutes and policies, and that gender and vendor age variables playa significant role in youth purchasing of lottery tickets and alcohol. These findings were interpreted in terms of their implications for strengthening regulatory policies and future research.

Thesis (M. A. (Social Work)) -- University of Limpopo, 2019 / Background: Alcohol abuse amongst the youths is one of the major problems the world is facing today, especially in rural communities where most young people are unemployed and have little to do with their time. Aim: This aim of the study is to understand risk factors contributing towards alcohol abuse amongst the youth of Solomondale community. Methods: This study adopted a qualitative research approach to explore risk factors that contribute to the prevalence of alcohol abuse amongst the youth of Solomondale community of Ga-Dikgale Traditional Authority, Limpopo Province. Exploratory research design was used in this study. The population of the study was youths of Solomondale community between the ages of 14 and 35 who consume alcohol. The researcher used a non-probability sampling method through the application of a snowball sampling technique. The technique suggested that each person may be asked to provide information that may suggest how other respondents maybe located for semi-structured face-to-face interviews. Data saturation was reached at respondent number six. Data was analysed through thematic content analysis. Findings: The findings of this study are anticipated to have the capacity to assist in the prevention of alcohol abuse at a rural community level. The findings of the study revealed that the physical availability of alcohol in a community has the potential to create an opportunity for youth to indulge in alcohol. They further revealed that children/youth learn more from observations of the adults’ behaviour, and therefore, if adults drink in front of a young person, that person is likely to drink when they shift away from that adult. Moreover, according to the respondents, generally the unavailability of a parent in a child’s life has negative effects towards their upbringing, which ultimately creates unfavourable social conditions that may lead to alcohol abuse by such persons. Finally, domestic violence has not been found to have effect on any form of alcohol abuse amongst the youth of Solomondale community. viii Recommendations: This study has made a number of recommendations. Alcohol and other substance abuse call for preventative and intervention measures in rural communities. Issues such as educating the parents and guardians on how to improve their parenting skills in relation to alcohol consumption and the dangers thereof can go a long way if taken into consideration. The government of the Republic of South Africa should come up with programmes that are culturally relevant and appropriate aimed at keeping young people off the streets, and at developing their skills in order to enhance their wellbeing and ultimately communities in the country. / University of Limpopo

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Thesis (MA (Psychology))--Stellenbosch University, 2008. / South Africa’s violence and injury death rates pandemic are steadily growing. Global estimates reported by the World Health Organisation (2000) have revealed that there is an increase in worldwide deaths. Approximately 5 million people die as a result of injuries each year and hundreds of thousands more are left physically or psychologically scarred (World Health Organisation, 2000). There are alarmingly high incidences of violence, crime and injury deaths in South Africa and the impact of these injury fatalities is imposing an immense burden on government, communities, families and even individuals. The burden of fatal injury mortalities has not fallen evenly. In South Africa, low socio-economic communities have borne the brunt of this epidemic. This study presents a focus on mortality and injury patterns and emerging problem areas for children and youth in a peri-urban setting. The aim of this study was to provide an overview of the fatal injury mortality and suicide data of children and youth in the Stellenbosch district, in order to develop a comprehensive understanding of the problem areas of injury deaths such as the main causes and consequences and age, sex, race and other pertinent comparisons. The study also aimed to consider the impact and relationship between alcohol abuse and youth injury deaths. Mortuary data were compiled from 591 children and youth cases for the period 2001-2005 in the Stellenbosch district using the National Injury Mortality Surveillance System data form. The present study highlighted several key findings. Transport-related deaths were indicated as a serious cause for concern among both children and youth in peri-urban settings. The importance of specific road safety awareness initiatives within peri-urban areas and among specific age groups were also indicated. Violence-related deaths were determined to be a leading cause of death among the older age groups in the youth category, with sharp force objects being the leading external cause of violent deaths. This highlighted an additional key finding reporting that sharp force objects death are a more serious cause for concern than firearm deaths in peri-urban areas, which challenges previous urban data. vi Burns and drowning were indicated as pertinent cause of unintentional deaths among both children and youth within peri-urban areas. This was suggested to be due to the high use of paraffin enabled heating systems in house in peri-urban areas and the lack of safety surrounding materials such as matches in the home. In addition, suffocation deaths among infants were also identified as a concern. Furthermore, the link between alcohol abuse among the youth age group was indicated by a key finding that alcohol is a prominent risk factor for fatal injury mortalities among youth. However more studies are needed to explore the effects and risks of other substances on youth fatal injury deaths. Several implications of the research findings are identified for health care professionals, policy developers, government departments and non-government organisations to consider in reducing the mortality rates of children and youth. These implications are critical in informing preventative interventions and initiatives aimed at enhancing safety to children and youth living in peri-urban areas within South Africa. vii