Mark Hochhauser

Reliability and Validity of Adolescent Self-Reported Drug Use in a Family-Based Study: A Methodological Report

Given the sensitive topic of drug abuse and the private nature of the family, researchers must overcome a number of methodological obstacles when studying drug abuse and the family. The purpose of this study was to determine whether adolescents would provide honest and accurate answers to drug use questions in the context of their homes with their families participating in the same survey. Although there is no direct objective validation of the self-report measures used in this study, evidence from the analysis of the survey data suggests that adolescent self-reports are, in most cases, reliable and valid, and that the setting in which respondents complete questionnaires does not, in general, result in systematic reporting bias.

AIDS and Chemical Dependency: Prevention Needs of Adolescents

Prevention of adult AIDS cases should begin during childhood and adolescence, taking into account such issues as personal vulnerability, perceived control, and behavioral change. High-risk sexual and drug using behaviors in adolescents should be viewed within a developmental perspective, focusing on cognitive development (Piaget), psychosocial development (Erikson), and moral development in males (Kohlberg), females (Gilligan), and children (Damon). Public health educators have emphasized the high-risk behaviors of unsafe sex and needle sharing, with considerably less attention given to the role of alcohol and other drug intoxication in the transmission of human immunodeficiency virus. Adolescents are often uncomfortable discussing sexual matters with their partners. Therefore, alcohol or other drugs may be used to reduce sexual anxiety. Such drug use prior to sexual activity may impair judgment, and risks may be taken that might not have been taken in a more sober condition.

Adolescent Drug Abuse and the Development of Behavior

Extensive research has revealed that illicit drug use often commences during adolescence, a critical period of physical and psychological development, and it is my intent to selectively focus upon some of the potentially significant interactions between illicit drug abuse and the development of behavior during the adolescent period.

Educational Implications of Drug Abuse.

Observing the steady decrease in SAT scores during the past decade, while noting the steady increase in licit and illicit drug use during the same time period, several conclusions emphasized the potentially deleterious effects of such drug use upon emerging adolescent cognitive processes, especially learning and memory. Possible drug-behavior relationships were viewed from a developmental perspective (e.g., sex, age, and maturation rate), insofar as drug effects will be directly related to the level of physiological and psychological maturation achieved by the drug user. Consequently, proposals were made dealing with drug education in the schools, as well as the need for graduate and undergraduate programs in substance abuse.

Chronobiological Factors in Drug Abuse

Numerous experiments have shown that chronological events (i.e., biological rhythms) play a significant role in partially determining an individual’s responsivity to a wide variety of drugs. Among the many chemical agents reported to be affected by circadian rhythms are; ethanol, barbiturates, opiates, etc., with each drug presumed to have its own unique chronobiological rhythm.