Social representations in adolescent users and nonusers of psychoactive substances
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.20882/adicciones.365Keywords:
Adolescents, Social Representations, Drugs, Risk perception, PreventionAbstract
The purpose of this study was to explore drug abuse among adolescents and to design preventive recommendations aimed at replacing those social representations on drugs and their use that could constitute risk factors. A survey was made of 1492 students of both sexes, aged between 13 and 22 years, in Bogotá; a qualitative methodology was also employed in eight focus groups, each composed of seven to nine youngsters. The positive opinions and satisfactions linked to drug use are related to having fun, a decrease in unpleasant sensations and situations, and to the excitement of breaking established norms. Some important differences were found in the social representations of drug users and non-users: users had a low perception of the danger of their preferred drugs, high levels of tolerance, and a belief that their drug use was mainly related to evading reality and obtaining pleasurable sensations. Nonusers were more cautious: they were more preoccupied with the dangers associated with drug use, showed less interest in using them for amusement, or for increasing their productivity or escaping from reality. Consideration of such obvious differences will be important for the planning of prevention strategies.References
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