Self-handicapping is a maladaptive strategy that students employ to protect their self-image when they fear or anticipate academic failure. Instead of increasing their effort, students may harm their chances of success by procrastinating, strategically withdrawing effort, or engaging in destructive behaviors like drug abuse, so that potential…

Describes issues and implications associated with personality conceptualizations of addictive behaviors. Directs attention toward characterizing the sociopolitical climate's effect on identification, evaluation, and management of substance abuse disorders. Explores alcohol and drug use in conceptual schemata encompassing multifactorial,…

This report focuses on children who are at risk for abusing alcohol and other drugs. It notes that the concept of risk factors is only one component necessary to understanding the range of youth drug-related behaviors. A second component, protective factors, is identified and defined as those aspects of a person's biology, psychology, and…

Discussed hidden curricula of dichotomous drug education teaching methods. Suggested that hidden curriculum of traditional drug education teaching style reinforces some qualities characteristic of substance abusers. Proposes that hidden curriculum of nontraditional teaching methods is more likely to teach attributes consistent with appropriate use…

Presents the complex factors, i.e., social determinants, drug types, personality characteristics, reasons for drug use and misuse, which characterize the drug experience. Defines awareness of these characteristics as a developmental approach to treatment and prevention of addiction. (RC)

The paper examines the literature concerning drug and alcohol abuse among handicapped adolescents. An introductory section noting the relative lack of research on this problem is followed by a review of adolescent drug research identifying longitudinal studies involving more than 70,000 subjects, studies of associated personality variables, and…

Describes adolescent satanic practices of affected families in three Southwestern states in a seven-year period. Counselors need to understand how satanism is related to religion, family dynamics, and adolescent rebellion. A systemic perspective is suggested. Counselors must be aware of their own biases to be able to help satanically involved…

This paper reviews literature on the psychosocial aspects of drug addiction in youth, with specific reference to youth in Quebec, Canada. It notes trends in drug use and discusses three factors in drug usage: availability of the drug, the environment in which the drug use occurs, and the personality of the adolescent. (JDD)

The literature found in current journals, periodicals, theses, books and other media was reviewed to study the use/abuse of drugs as an indicator of the bilingual/bicultural assimilation difficulties of Mexican Americans as they coped with the Anglo-American mainstream. Three areas were emphasized: (1) the general characteristics of the drug…

This collection of papers begins with a presentation on the role of mass media campaigns in drug abuse prevention, emphasizing the need for skill development and family involvement. The next presentation addresses general and specific influences on health behavior including society, the family, peers, the school, and the individual. A…

This volume presents various theoretical orientations and perspectives of the drug abuse research field, derived from the social and biomedical sciences. The first section contains a separate theoretical overview for each of the 43 theories or perspectives. The second section contains five chapters which correspond to the five components of a drug…

The special needs of young adults with concurrent mental health and substance abuse problems are discussed. This article presents federal initiatives and research findings, and describes state-of-the-art approaches to treatment and rehabilitation. Strategies for training mental health professionals to diagnose and treat dually disabled persons are…

This chapter moves toward defining high-risk youth as young persons with low probabilities of gaining an education, getting a job, parenting effectively, or being able to participate in the political process. Five snapshots are presented of the latest information on the prevalence of the five categorical behaviors of interest: (1) substance abuse,…