What our kids are saying about

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What our kids are saying about

• How many of their peers smoke and drink

Prepared by Kenneth J. Steinman, PhD, MPHFor
theFranklin County (OH) Educational CouncilSafe
and Drug Free Schools ConsortiumOctober 13, 2007
This presentation was made possible by the
support of ADAMH Board, Columbus Medical
Association Foundation, United Way of Central
Ohio and the US Dept of Health Human
Services/SAMHSA
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Outline

• Questions to consider
• Survey description
• Results
• So what?

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Questions to Consider

• How much do kids think their peers are using
  drugs?

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What is a norm?

• Norms are specific beliefs
• What is normal behavior for someone like me?

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Questions to Consider

• How much do kids think their peers are using
  drugs?
• How accurate are these beliefs?
• Are these beliefs related to use?

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Survey Description

• Primary Prevention, Awareness, Attitude and Use
  Survey (PPAAUS)
• Anonymous
• Administered in school
• All 6th-12th graders in Franklin County
• 1988, 1991, 1994, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2006
• 78,333 students
• 16 school districts 36 non-public schools
• No out of school youth

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PPAAUS Sample
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PPAAUS Sample
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PPAAUS Sample
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PPAAUS Sample
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(weekly use)
(monthly use)
(monthly use)
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• Results

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How much do kids think their peers are using
drugs?
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Perceived Norms

• Few differences 9-12th grades
• Alcohol gt cigarettes, marijuana

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How accurate arethese beliefs?
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Perceived versus actual monthly substance use
among high school students
Alcohol
Marijuana
Cigarettes
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• School-level norms

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Monthly alcohol use in 31 high schools
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Perceived versus actual monthly alcohol use in
31 high schools
Front row monthly use at each school Back row
average perceived use at each school
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Weekly cigarette use in 31 high schools
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Perceived versus actual cigarette use in 31 high
schools
Front row WEEKLY use at each school Back row
average perceived use at each school
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Monthly marijuana use in 31 high schools
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Perceived versus actual marijuana use in 31 high
schools
Front row monthly use at each school Back row
average perceived use at each school
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Accuracy of Beliefs

• Kids consistently overestimate use
• Especially cigarettes, marijuana
• Kids from schools with greater rates of use have
  higher estimates

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Effects of Perceived Norms
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Monthly alcohol use by perceptions of peer
alcohol use 9th grade only
using alcohol monthly or more often
I think this of students at my school use
alcohol once or twice a month or more often.
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• Willingness to use

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Among 9th graders abstaining from use.
willing to use alcohol
I think this of students at my school use
alcohol once or twice a month or more often.
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Among 9th graders abstaining from use.
willing to use cigarettes
I think this of students at my school use
cigarettes once or twice a month or more
often.
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Among 9th graders abstaining from use.
willing to use marijuana
I think this of students at my school use
marijuana once or twice a month or more often.
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Effects of Perceived Norms

• Higher estimates ? higher use
• Among abstainers
• Higher estimates ? higher willingness
• Only for alcohol, marijuana

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• So What?

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• Correct perceived norms
• Family
• Parent-child discussion of perception and reality
• School vs. county-level social norm campaigns
• Campaign should clearly frame goals
• Specific substance
• Specific ages
• Specific behavior
• Initiation
• Continuation

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• Thank you

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• Additional slides

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Perceived versus actual substance use among 6th
graders
Marijuana
Cigarettes
(monthly use)
(weekly use)
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Perceived versus actual substance use among 9th
graders
Marijuana
Cigarettes
(monthly use)
(weekly use)
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Perceived versus actual substance use among 12th
graders
Alcohol
Marijuana
Cigarettes
(monthly use)
(monthly use)
(weekly use)
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Monthly alcohol use by perceptions of peer
alcohol use
using alcohol monthly or more often
I think this of students at my school use
alcohol once or twice a month or more often.
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Monthly marijuana use by perceptions of peer
marijuana use 9th grade only
using marijuana monthly or more often
I think this of students at my school use
marijuana once or twice a month or more often.
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Weekly cigarette use by perceptions of peer
cigarette use 9th grade only
using cigarettes weekly or more often
I think this of students at my school use
cigarettes once or twice a month or more
often.
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believe that lt25 of classmates use
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Among youth abstaining from use.
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Among youth abstaining from use.
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Among youth abstaining from use.
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Monthly cigarette use in 31 high schools
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Perceived versus actual cigarette use in 31 high
schools
Front row monthly use at each school Back row
aggregate mean perceived use at each school
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