The purpose of the study was to examine the effect of substance abuse among high school students. The results confirmed that substance abuse has a negative effect on secondary school development.
STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
- GENDER
- Educator/teacher
- Parent
- Secondary school learner
- Substances (drugs)
- Substance abuse (drug abuse)
- Substance (drug) addiction
The person who undertakes to fulfill the obligations of a person referred to above, in relation to the pupil's education in the school. According to the World Health Organization (Bezuidenhout), addiction is the repeated consumption of a drug that produces a state of intermittent or chronic intoxication that adversely affects both the individual and society.
Physical Addiction
Addiction is a disease that begins with substance abuse and has nothing to do with weak morals or weak willpower. When the person who is physically addicted stops using the drugs, they suffer from withdrawal symptoms such as diarrhea, delirium tremens (tremors) and feel absolutely terrible.
Psychological Addiction
Education
Effect
Development
The two response categories will ensure that respondents fall into one of the categories allowing the measurement of direction and intensity of feeling. An analysis of the problem, statement of the problem/hypothesis, the aim of the study and the method of research were presented in this chapter.
LITERATURE REVIEW
INTRODUCTION
REASONS FOR DRUG ABUSE
IDENTIFICATION OF DRUG ABUSERS IN SECONDARY SCHOOL
SECONDARY SCHOOL LEARNER
Physical development
The student's brain reaches the size and mass of adults; breathing becomes slower and deeper, while blood pressure rises, but heart rate slows. The student enjoys physical strength and vitality with an emphasis on their skills and power and abilities in the sports field.
Psychological development
The learner has a conscious focus on the world and acquires knowledge of the world in a cognitive and formal way. The learner may experience problems with reading, calculating, writing and incorporating new concepts into his knowledge structure.
Social development
Drug abuse at school is likely to label the student as an outcast, limiting his opportunities to make friends (Rutherford, 2004: 8). The greater the student's involvement with friends who consume alcohol, the greater his chances of becoming addicted.
Normative development
Substance abuse impairs the learner's ability to make healthy choices and decisions according to acceptable standards, putting the learner at greater risk (Lifescope, 2004: 4). The student strives to be part of the peer group and will do everything that is expected of him (Gavin, 2004: 6).
SUMMARY
INTRODUCTION
PREPARATION FOR THE DESIGN OF THE RESEARCH
- Sampling
According to De Vos, a sample is the element of the population considered for actual inclusion in the study. A sample is a small part of the total set of objects, events or persons which together form the subject of the study.
THE RESEARCH INSTRUMENT
- The questionnaire as a research instrument
- Construction of the questionnaire
- Characteristics of a good questionnaire
- Advantages and disadvantages of the questionnaire
- Validity and reliability of the questionnaire
A well-designed questionnaire enables the reliability and validity of the data to acceptable tolerances (Wolhuter, Van der Merwe, Vermeulen & Vos and 2003: 14). For this study, the researcher used a Likert response scale (Agree, Disagree and Uncertain) in constructing the questionnaire. The purpose of the survey was to obtain information about substance abuse among high school students.
The validity of the questionnaire indicates how worthwhile it is to give a measure situation. The validity of the questionnaire as a research instrument reflects the certainty with which conclusions can be drawn. In the coding process of the answers to the questions, the researcher noticed that the questionnaires were completed with the necessary dedication.
PILOT STUDY
As a result, it is difficult to determine the extent to which respondents' responses were reliable. It allowed for preliminary hypothesis testing leading to more precise hypothesis testing in the main study. It allowed a full control of the planned statistical and analytical procedures, thus allowing an assessment of their adequacy in handling the data.
This saved the researcher great expenditure of time and money on aspects of the research that would have been futile. Questions and instructions that were misinterpreted in the pilot study were reformulated in the main study. By using the pilot study as a pre-test, the researcher was satisfied that the questions asked adequately met the requirements of this study.
ADMINISTRATION OF THE QUESTIONNAIRE
THE PROCESSING OF THE DATA
- Descriptive statistics
- Application of data
It provides percentages that reflect the number of responses to a given question relative to the total number of responses. The questionnaire (cf. Appendix A) was designed to determine whether there is substance abuse by high school students.
LIMITATIONS OF THE INVESTIGATION
Despite the limitations identified, the researcher believes the study will provide a much-needed foundation for future research on substance abuse among high school students.
SUMMARY
PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS OF THE RESEARCH DATA
INTRODUCTION
DESCRIPTIVE STATISTICS
- Gender of respondents
- Years of teaching experience
- Qualification
- Phases taught
- Average number of learners in class
- Types of school
- School Post
- Location of school
- Substance abuse policy
- Physical development
According to a random sample, which was focused only on secondary school, there are more women than men in teaching professions (cf. 3.2.2). There may be more females than males in high school, which may have contributed to the steady increase in substance use among high school students. In general, the first-level educator comprises slightly more than seventy percent of the teaching staff (DOE, 2002:2-8).
The frequency table (Table 10) shows that (14%) of the respondents are not sure whether their school has a resource policy. According to the Ministry of Education, all school policies must be displayed in appropriate places, e.g. According to the frequency distribution of responses in Table 11, the majority of respondents shared the view that substance abuse affects the physical development of the student in high school.
Appetite (2.1.)
Among other factors, drug use among high school students can affect their physical development (cf. 2.4.1).
Damage to lungs (2.2)
Continued smoking causes the breakdown of lung tissue and clogging of the air sacs, affecting lung power, making the learner less active and hampering his athletic and sporting performance.
Co-ordination (2.3.)
Heart damage (2.4.)
Drug use causes cancer (2.5.)
Smoking drugs such as dagga, cigarettes and opium causes cancer of the mouth, throat, larynx, esophagus, bladder, pancreas and kidneys (cf. 2.4.1).
Physical dependence (2.6.)
Retardation of physical growth (2.7)
Slurred speech (2.8.)
Brain damage (2.9.)
Immune system (2.10)
Cognitive development
Cognitive development refers to the continuous and cumulative development of the intellect and proceeds at the individual's own pace (Van den Aardweg & Van den Aardweg, 1990: 39). According to the frequency table (table 12), the majority of the respondents shared the idea that the cognitive development of the high school student is affected by drug abuse.
Thinking process (3.1)
Memory (3.2)
Concentration (3.3)
The majority of respondents (82%) confirmed that high school students' drug use impairs their concentration and thus their ability to understand concepts in class (cf. 2.4.2).
Ability to learn (3.4)
Interest in school (3.5)
Schoolwork (3.6; 3.7.)
Judgement (3.8.)
Ability to follow instruction (3.9.)
Affective Development
Affective development deals with those aspects related to emotions, feelings, passions, moods, sentiments and whims. The high school student's emotions are easily aroused and the reaction can take the form of tantrums, genuine fears and unreasonable displays of jealousy. The more independent the learner becomes, the easier it will be to frighten, annoy, anger and frustrate him (Van den Aardweg & Van den Aardweg, 1990: 41).
The frequency distribution Table 13 indicates that the majority of respondents shared the thought that the affective development of the secondary school learner is influenced by the abuse of substances.
Inhibitions (4.1)
Behaviour (4.2)
The use of drugs causes the learner to exceed the limits of acceptable behaviour, which results in chaos and disturbances in the class and in the school system (cf. 2.3.4.).
Conscience (4.3)
Feelings (4.4.)
Fear of people (4.5.)
Mood Changes (4.6.)
Emotions (4.7; 4.8)
Aggressive behaviour (4.9.)
Depression (4.10.)
SUMMARY
In this chapter, an attempt has been made to provide some order in the range of information that the respondents have given in their answers to the questions in the questionnaire. Some of the data were demographic in nature, which enabled the researcher to construct a broad profile of the sample selected for this study.
SUMMARY, FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
PAGES
SUMMARY
- Statement of the problem
- Literature review
- Planning of the empirical research
- Presentation and analysis of research data
- Aims of the study
Drug abuse affects the learner's total development which causes him to continue with his immature behavior into adulthood. The aim of formal education is to shape the learner into a responsible and accountable person and to equip him with the necessary skills to take his rightful place as a contributing adult member of society. The literature study revealed that drug abuse affected the physical psychological (cognitive and affective), social and normative development of the secondary school learner.
Substance abuse can cause stress and anxiety, which may cause the student to increase the dose of the substance to cope with the situation. The purpose of the questionnaire was to obtain information about the educator's perception of the impact of substance abuse on the development of high school students. The data contained biographical information and the impact of substance abuse on the physical, cognitive and emotional development of the high school student.
FINDINGS FROM THE RESEARCH
- Findings from the literature review
- Findings from the empirical study
The majority of respondents (60%) said that drug use by high school students inhibits the thinking process. Substance abuse by secondary school students impairs the effective functioning of the brain, disrupting the student's ability to think (see 4.2.12). Constant reprimands by the educator for poor attendance and school work reinforce the student's apathy towards school (see 4.2.12).
The majority of respondents (82%) confirmed that drug use among high school students worsens their concentration and consequently their ability to understand concepts in class (cf. 4.2.12). Most respondents (70%) agreed that drug use causes mood changes in high school students. If a student experiences rapid mood changes, it will be difficult for him to concentrate in class, follow the teacher's instructions, or meaningfully participate in class discussions (cf. 4.2.13).
RECOMMENDATION
- Policy on drug/substance abuse
Workshops
FURTHER RESEARCH
While drug use has increased dramatically in recent years, the information collected on high school drug use can still be incomplete in many ways. Some reasons for drug abuse among high school students have not yet been discovered. The effects of drug use on a student's physical, cognitive, and emotional development in high school may not be comprehensive.
When introducing new and modified drugs, there is a possibility that the symptoms and effect of the new drug may differ from those already known.
CRITICISM
FINAL REMARK
LIST OF SOURCES
Kids' Health: Managing Addiction http://www.kidshealth.org/kid/grow/drugs_alcohol/alcohol_P2.html.
