Relationship Between Drug Abuse and Academic Achievement free essay sample

Gazarelli, Hoxter amp; Lester (1987) in studying the drug usage patterns of Jamaican teens, discovered that while drug usage was not dependent on sex, it bore positive correlations with other anti-social behaviours and emotional disturbance. In 1989, 78 percent of teen males and 40 percent of teen females were using one of four drugs (alcohol, cocaine, marijuana and tobacco) (Soyibo amp; Lee, 1995). Between 1994 and 1995, it is indicated that 60 percent of teens had tried one or more drugs including marijuana while 1. 3 percent had used cocaine (Soyibo amp; Lee, 1995). These alarming levels of reported drug continued to rise as in 2006 , 1 in every 3 students in secondary schools admitted to using ganja while 1 in every 10 students admitted to currently using drugs (Cops Step Up Anti-drug Message In Schools ,Jamaica Gleaner, 2010). With the levels of drug abuse currently reaching alarming proportions, finding a plausible explanation for such behaviors and determining its impact on student achievement has become imperative. We will write a custom essay sample on Relationship Between Drug Abuse and Academic Achievement or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The negative relationship between drug abuse and academic performance is instinctively appealing and to some extent this kind of relationship has been proven. King, Meehan et. al (2006) have established that drug abuse could result from many variables, with poor academic performance being a key variable in explaining students initial and continued abuse of drugs. While poor school achievement can be viewed as a causative agent for drug abuse, it has also been established that drug abuse can affect student attainment whether by impairing cognitive development and functioning or the disengagement of teens with schooling activities which result in truancy and igh dropout levels (Block, Farnham, et. al (1990);King, Meehan et. al ,2006) Jamaican Students Performance in CXC Jamaican students have experienced some levels of underachievement to some extent in some core academic areas. Data presented from the CXC Database (1991-2000) indicate that only 31. 27 percent of students who sat the Mathematics examination in 1991 were able to do so successfully as compared to 26. 84 percent who passed English A. A similar trend of low percentage passes is noted in 2005 where only 35 percent of students sitting Mathematics from Jamaica were able to do so successfully ( Policy Analysis Research and MIS Unit, Ministry of Education, 2002-2005). While it is accepted that drug abuse among Jamaican teens is steadily on the rise and that drug abuse can negatively affect student academic achievement, little is known about the extent to which a true relationship exists between the low levels of academic attainment experienced by Jamaican Students in English A and Mathematics and the increasing levels of drug abuse among Jamaican teens. Research Problem In light of the prevalence of drug use among teens (Jamaican) the purpose of this research is to quantify the factors contributing to drug abuse among Jamaican students and appraise the relationship between drug abuse and the academic performance in CXC-CSEC Mathematics and English A of upper school (grade 10-11) students. Justification for Research This study will be useful in identifying whether or not the poor grades experienced by many students in Math and English at CXC level could be explained by an increase in drug usage and abuse among teens of that age. The study will be useful in identifying whether or not the trend of low academic achievement experienced by many students in Math and English at CXC-CSEC level could also be explained by an increase in drug usage and abuse among teens in grades 10 and 11. The information obtained from this study will also inform policy and decision making by the Ministry of Education and other stakeholders in relation to plans and strategies that can be put in place to stem drug usage an abuse. Research Questions and Hypotheses This research intend to answer the following questions: 1) What are the most common drugs used by students? 2)Which gender engages more in the use of drugs in school? 3) What is the relationship between student academic performance and drug use? The researchers hypothesize that: a) There is no relationship between student performance and deviant behaviour and b) No Gender is more predisposed to drug use/abuse than another. Definitions Academic performance for the purpose of th is research is defined as the level student achievement or attainment of the objectives and outcomes outlined by the CXC Syllabi for Mathematics amp; English A .