Towards best practice in school-based drug abuse prevention: a comparative case study of two high schools in Amsterdam and in Zagreb - research plan
Comparative Social Research Plan: Structure Title
Towards best practice in school-based drug abuse prevention: a comparative case study of two high schools in Amsterdam and in Zagreb
1. Introduction based on literature review
Since the beginning of civilisation, people wanted to alter their conscious trying to reach something greater than everyday’s life. In other words, drugs and drug related problems are not new but since the last century have become a global phenomenon which is considered as one of the biggest public-health and sociopsychological problems of the modern society. The complexity of the problem derives from the impact that drug abuse has on the individual person and from the effect on society, law, economics and politics.
While a variety of definitions of terms “drug” and “drug abuse” have been suggested, this paper will use definitions suggested by Buisman (1995, p.2) who saw the term drug as “any substance that, when taken into a living organism, may modify its perception, mood, cognition, behaviour or motor function” and the term “abuse” as a harmful to the human consciousness and to the human body.
Previous studies have reported that prevalence of drug use and abuse is highest among adolescents and emerging adults (Sussman & Ames, 2008; Newcomb & Bentler 1988) and that early initiation predicts misuse later in life (Hawkins, Catalano, Miller, 1997).
There are numerous consequences of drug abuse during adolescence: overdoses and accidents, early creation of family, crimes, educational and emotional problems, social isolation, depression and many others physical and social harms. (Hawkins et al., 1992, World Health Organisation, 1999). During the past decades, there have been a lot of initiatives directed to indentify effective treatment for drug abuse. Because of the often disappointing results and the high costs of treatment, many experts have shifted their focus from treatment to prevention
Towards best practice in school-based drug abuse prevention: a comparative case study of two high schools in Amsterdam and in Zagreb
1. Introduction based on literature review
Since the beginning of civilisation, people wanted to alter their conscious trying to reach something greater than everyday’s life. In other words, drugs and drug related problems are not new but since the last century have become a global phenomenon which is considered as one of the biggest public-health and sociopsychological problems of the modern society. The complexity of the problem derives from the impact that drug abuse has on the individual person and from the effect on society, law, economics and politics.
While a variety of definitions of terms “drug” and “drug abuse” have been suggested, this paper will use definitions suggested by Buisman (1995, p.2) who saw the term drug as “any substance that, when taken into a living organism, may modify its perception, mood, cognition, behaviour or motor function” and the term “abuse” as a harmful to the human consciousness and to the human body.
Previous studies have reported that prevalence of drug use and abuse is highest among adolescents and emerging adults (Sussman & Ames, 2008; Newcomb & Bentler 1988) and that early initiation predicts misuse later in life (Hawkins, Catalano, Miller, 1997).
There are numerous consequences of drug abuse during adolescence: overdoses and accidents, early creation of family, crimes, educational and emotional problems, social isolation, depression and many others physical and social harms. (Hawkins et al., 1992, World Health Organisation, 1999). During the past decades, there have been a lot of initiatives directed to indentify effective treatment for drug abuse. Because of the often disappointing results and the high costs of treatment, many experts have shifted their focus from treatment to prevention
Bibliography: Dusenbury, L., Falco, M. (1995). Eleven Components Of Effective Drug Abuse Prevention Curricula. Journal of School Health 10, 420-431. Hantrais, L., Mangen, S., (1996). Cross-national research methods in the social sciences. London.Pinter. Hanstrains, L., (2009). International Comparative Research. Theory, Methods and Practice. London. Palgrave Macmillan. Kuzman, M., Šimetin Pavić, I., Pejnović Franelić, I., Pejak, M. (2008), European School Survey Project on Alcohol and Other Drugs. Report for the Republic of Croatia and the City of Zagreb, Croatian Public Health Institute, Zagreb Leffert, N., Benson, P O 'Leary, Z. (2009) The Essential Guide to Doing Research. London. Sage Publications. Roviš, D (2010) Capacity building for health promotion and drug prevention in Croatia, Journal of Public Health, vol. 19, 1, pp. 57-68 doi 10.1007/s10389-010-0385-z Seale, C Silverman D., (2010). Doing Qualitative Research. London. Sage Publications.