title: Alcohol and drug problems in the schools: results of a national survey of school administrators.
abstract: A mail survey of public high-school administrators in the United States was conducted to gather information about the nature and extent of school problems with student alcohol and drug use. Of the 728 schools selected for the national metropolitan probability sample, 543 (75%) returned a completed questionnaire. The results indicated that from 1980 to 1985, about one in six students attended schools that reported a serious problem with student alcohol use. In contrast, the proportion of students attending schools with a serious drug problem decreased from about one in four in 1980-81 to about one in seven in 1984-85. The most common explanation provided for a decreasing student alcohol or drug problem was changes in the school's discipline policy or increased enforcement of the existing policy. Few respondents attributed a reduction in student alcohol or drug problems to prevention or treatment programs. Limitations of the survey data are discussed as well as directions for future research.
mesh_terms: D000288:Administrative Personnel; D000293:Adolescent; D000428:Alcohol Drinking; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D012574:Schools; D012940:Social Problems / Q000639:trends*; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders; D014481:United States