Odeta Merfeldaitė

Psychoactive substance use and preventive trends in higher education institutions in Lithuania

Abstract This paper focuses on the analysis of psychoactive substance use situation and preventive trends within communities of HE institutions in Lithuania. The researchers used a questionnaire, thus applying the quantitative research method. The research results: strong alcohol drinks among students of HE institutions are not popular; the respondents used psychoactive substances for the first time while still at secondary school; more than one tenth of the respondents indicated having driven a vehicle while under alcoholic intoxication at least once over the last 12 months. The alcohol, tobacco and other psychoactive substance use situation among students could be related to psychosocial factors: the possibility to relax, to reduce stress, to experience pleasure, to overcome boredom and to communicate. The results of the survey reveal an imperative to start a discussion about the formation and implementation of preventive measures against psychoactive substance use within communities of Lithuanian HE institutions.

THE PREVALENCE OF ALCOHOL, TOBACCO AND OTHER PSYCHOTROPIC SUBSTANCE AMONG THE STUDENTS OF HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS IN LITHUANIA

Studies in a higher education institution is a new period in the life of a young person, filled with personal as well as academic or social challenges. This period is characterised by high mental and physical activity, the ability to quickly change one’s habits and take on new models of behaviour, which can have negative consequences in the future. The research reveals that students the use of psychotropic drugs seen as a constructive (eases adaptation into the higher education institution (e.g. it is easier to strengthen interpersonal relations, face new challenges and demands); experimenting with the use of these drugs is considered normal; students intend to discontinue the use of these drugs upon finishing studies) as well as a destructive (negatively affects the results of studies and the quality of studies; long-term consequences to mental and physical health, etc.) phenomenon. An attempt is made to answer the following questions: what are the habits of use of alcohol, tobacco and other psychoactive substances among students, and what factors affect students’ alcohol, tobacco and other psychoactive substance use? In order to answer the raised questions, a quantitative analysis of a questionnaire was carried out. The aim of the research is to identify the prevalence of alcohol and psychotropic drugs among the students of higher education institutions. 1118 students of Lithuania’s higher education institutions participated in the research. Multistage sampling (a type of sampling when at each stage of the selection, applying a certain probability sampling method, the number of the sample is reasonably reduced) was used for the selection of participants. The research found that the vast majority of students began to use alcohol, tobacco and other psychoactive substances even before higher education. Less than half of the participants do smoke or have smoked cigarettes (pipes, cigars) at least once. Less popular are electronic cigarettes, which were used at least once by a third of the students. The vast majority of research participants have never used chewing tobacco (snuff). It was found that strong alcoholic beverages like vodka or brandy are unpopular among students. Meanwhile, almost three quarters of high school students use cider, beer, wine or champagne. More than half of the research participants have used liqueurs and alcoholic cocktails. Almost a fourth of the students have drunk energy drinks at least once or twice per month and drink one or two cans at once. More than every tenth student has smoked “weed”/marijuana or hashish. Other narcotic substances are not popular among students; the overwhelming majority of the students have not used them. The most significant factors influencing the students’ habits of alcohol, tobacco and other psychoactive substances use are gender, nature of work and incomes. Less significant are the place of residence at the time of study and high school type.

ALL DAY SCHOOL IMPLEMENTATION IN THE FOREIGN COUNTRIES

All day school concept has been actively promoted and realized during past decade in several EU countries. This concept is related with attempts to guarantee child ‘s welfare and equal possibilities for academic success, to decrees social inequalities as such. All day school model is implemented in West, South and East Europe, but its implementation differs by school types, forms, etc. Even definitions, titles, descriptions of all day school vary from country to country in all Europe. Such variety is determined by different in-countries needs and contexts, different ways of school’s life organization and implementation. Differences exist not only in separate countries, but also in separate schools of a same country. The authors of this article aim to present positive, challenging and to be improved aspects of all day schools’ in five EU countries. Those aspects were analysed on student’s, teacher’s, family’s and community’s levels. The scientific work was carried on by meta -analysis of secondary sources. The first step was search for countries to be analysed and decision to choose concrete ones. The second one - identification and selection of reliable sources. At general level all day school is understood as regular school with prolonged in time curriculum and additional (non-formal) activities, that last till certain afternoon hours. The authors of this article reviewed and analysed experience of 5 EU countries - England, Greece, Germany, Finland and Portugal. The analysis revealed that all day school concept depends on in-country culture, educational tradition, and general socio-economic and political context. Positive aspects of all day schools are related to: possibility of individual choice; variety of educational forms; participation of parents and wider community in a school life; promotion of equal learning opportunities; growing motivation to learn and general satisfaction with school. Support for families is considered to be one of essential positive aspects in all day schools in all researched countries. Parents may combine their work with family duties and get social-pedagogical supervision. Usefulness of such school type for poor learners, especially immigrants, and others, coming from socio-economical background, is evident in all five countries. Challenging issues are related to: free choice possibilities; variety of activities at school; students’ tiredness because of work overload and time spent in one place; applicability of physical environment; involvement of social partners; work overload of school teachers. Additional funding of all day schools is considered to be great challenge in all researched countries. Funding is necessary for implement of all days’ school goals in full scope and comprehensive way.

Verslumo ugdymo/si galimybės universitetinėse studijose

The objective of the research: to show the possibilities of developing entrepreneurship in university studies. The objective of the research is to show the possibilities of developing entrepreneurship in university studies. Students of MRU, VU, VGTU and LEU participated in the research. Research methods were the following: 1. Theoretical – analysis of scientific literature, analysis of EU and Lithuanian documents regulating entrepreneurship, analysis of study curriculum and strategic plans in MRU, VU, VGTU and LEU; 2. Empirical research – questionnaires for students about possibilities of developing entrepreneurship at university; 3. Statistical method – descriptive statistics. The results of the research. Having analyzed the data, the results showed that conceptions of entrepreneurship and its development do not differ in all 4 universities; they are the same in MRU, VU, VGTU and LEU. Students agree that it is a must to develop entrepreneurship in institutions of higher education but they do not know if such studies can be chosen in their curriculum. Also, they are not interested in the activities about developing entrepreneurship and have no idea if they are enterprising themselves. Students do not know if such a subject as developing entrepreneurship is present in their curriculum and if they can freely choose it themselves. Students would like to have developing entrepreneurship as a subject in their study curriculum which they would be able to choose freely by themselves. The results of the research have shown that entrepreneurship is best developed in MRU and VU. It is less developed in VGTU and the least developed in LEU.