Self-Control and Substance Use Among College Students
The author researched the direct correlation between college students with low self control and substance abuse. The study defined substance abuse as binge drinking, marijuana use, prescription drug use and use of other illicit drug use such as crack, heroin, cocaine, psychedelics, crystal methamphetamine hallucinogens, ecstasy, club drugs and inhalants. The research was done at a public university in the United States. The author used several methods and or models to gather information to compile the data. The findings were that students with low self-control were more likely to binge drink, use marijuana, and abuse prescription drugs.
Several models were used to collect the data from the students. Parameters were set to collect the data and given a code score, 0 = no and 1 = yes. For example, binge drinking was defined as having five or more drinks in a row for a male and four or more drinks in a row for a female during the past two weeks. A drink was defined as a glass of wine, a bottle of beer, a wine cooler, a shot of liquor straight or mixed in a drink. Prescription drug misuse was defined as the use of prescription medications that are not prescribed to the respondent or taking prescription medication for the experience or feeling that it caused.
There were also parameters set to find out the respondents’ race, gender, Greek affiliation, religiosity, and grade point average, the ease of access to alcohol, prescription drugs, and illicit drugs. The survey also wanted to know if their friends abused alcohol, prescription drugs, marijuana or other illicit drugs.
The research revealed that college students with low self-control were not able to consider the long-term consequences of their behavior because they were not looking into the future and are restrained which cause them to try to fulfill immediate gratifying behaviors of crime, such as driving under the influence.
Another factor...