This Article Full Text (PDF) References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Killen, M. Articles by Cahill, J. Search for Related Content Social Bookmarking                   What's this?

Adolescent Reasoning about Drug Use

Michael Leviton

Jennifer Cahill

Wesleyan University

In this study, adolescents' reasoning about drug use was investigated from a social-cognitive perspective. In an interview and classification task, adolescents were asked to (a) evaluate drug use in comparison to other social and moral transgressions; (b) distinguish between soft and hard legal and illegal drugs; (c) conceptualize drug use in relation to acts of self-harm, such as suicide; (d) weigh legal, societal, physical, and psychological consequences of drug use; and (e) evaluate authorities' jurisdictions to prohibit drug use. Sixty adolescents, evenly divided between males and females, in Grades 10, 11, and 12 participated. Age and gender differences emerged regarding adolescents' judgments about drug use and whether individuals have the right to harm themselves. The findings have implications for research on adolescent social reasoning and for drug education programs.

CiteULike    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    What's this?

This article has been cited by other articles:

				C. Amonini and R. J Donovan The relationship between youth's moral and legal perceptions of alcohol, tobacco and marijuana and use of these substances Health Educ. Res., April 1, 2006; 21(2): 276 - 286. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]