Home > Adolescent social bonding and substance use: a local study in Co. Mayo.

A survey of 522 2nd Year second level pupils was carried out in Co. Mayo. The pupils were asked about their attitudes and behaviours in relation to substance use, and about their feelings of bonding to their family, school, community, and to religion. This study aims to address a gap in knowledge about what young people in a local small urban and rural community feel about important areas of their social lives, such as family, school, community and religion. It also aims to explore what they think and do in relatin to substance use. Following permission from the school Principals from six second-level schools in Co. Mayo and notification to the parents/guardians, the survey data were collected between October 1999 and the end of January 2000. The pupils were in 2nd Year (boys -n=289, girls -n=221), and had an average age of 14.3 years.

In this study more than three-fifths (62%) of boys and two-fifths (45%)of girls said that they had a whole alcoholic drink. Almost one half (49%) of the boys and more than one-third (38%)of girls were current drinkers. Forty-five pupils (9%) said that they had tried drugs other than those prescribed by a doctor. Cannabis was the most popular substance with 76% of those who had tried any other drug. Boys were more likely than girls to have tried other drugs.

Overall findings from the present study tend to lend support to the concept of normalisation of drug use. That is, young people who are reasonably bonded to social institutions may smoke cigarettes, drink alcohol, and try other drugs, as part of their recreational activities, particularly when they are bored and hanging around.