Alcohol and drug use on an Historically Black College and University (HBCU) campus

摘要

This thesis examines the extent and patterned use of alcohol and other drugs on the campus of the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (one of the Historically Black Colleges and Universities in the United States) during the fall of 1990. The sample consisted of 245 upper (N=73) and lower (N=167) level students; 126 males and 119 females. The study has two major objectives: (1) The construction of a profile of the sample along three dimensions (demographic characteristics, use of alcohol and other drugs, and awareness of alcohol and other drugs); and, (2) Testing of the following hypotheses: (1) College students use alcohol more frequently for social reasons than for relieving tension or depression; (2) Males use alcohol more frequently than females; (3) Males consume alcohol in larger quantities than females in any one usage situation; (4) Students with a stronger sense of well-being (as measured on the Generalized Content Scale and Index of Self-Esteem) use drugs and alcohol less frequently than those with a weaker sense of well-being; (5) Alcohol and drug users have more positive attitudes toward alcohol and drugs than do non-users; (6) Students whose parents use drugs and alcohol, use alcohol and drug more frequently than do students whose parents do not use drugs; and. (7) Students who are products of two-parent families use alcohol and drugs less frequently than those who are products of a one-parent family.Hypotheses 1.2, and 3 were confirmed and 6 was partially confirmed. The most significant finding was that the use of alcohol and drugs constituted no major campus problem. A very small proportion used alcohol regularly or heavily and a minuscule number used other drugs. Furthermore, all students used alcohol and drugs for social rather than psychological reasons.