Drug testing in any arena has been a topic of argument for years and many argue it infringes on our civil rights. A new description published in the Los Angeles Times concerning a research group with the University of Pennsylvania indicates drug testing has petite to no consequent on preventing substance abuse in high schools. The study, which can be seen online at the Journal of Youth and Adolescence, surveyed 940 youth across the nation via telephone in 2007 and 2008.
According to the description 27% of the 940 students surveyed attended schools with a drug testing policy in place. Results showed high school girls were more likely to be influenced by drug testing if the school had a inevitable collective influence and respectful adult-student relationships. Surprisingly drug testing had petite to no consequent on high school male students outlook on drug abuse per the search for results.
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Very petite facts is given in the La Times article, or on the DrugFree.org website about the wide questions answered but you can see where the study is published at the Journal of Youth and Adolescence, where it is available for purchase. Having been complex with outcomes studies and surveys for the last several years I know there are myriad of questions that have to be asked to get an correct photo of the outcome.
From what I see, without having seen the actual study because I am not willing to purchase it for .95, there are many cracks to fall through. Although the surveyed students were a national representative sample, were these students picked at random or what parameters were put in place? I was unaware that a phone interview could qualify as a valid study for publication but apparently it can.
This study seems to have a bit of a slant to it from what I see but with a few questions answered I would be willing to turn my opinion. I would like to know if the kids surveyed were active drug users, or ever tried drugs. I have found that for kids who do not do drugs their opinions about abusing them will not turn so a drug testing schedule would not have no consequent on them. Additionally if the kids are actively abusing drugs their honesty, of course, would be in question. I am not sure if these parameters were determined.
I would think a study based on a school with a essential drug qoute contribute a much more correct photo as to the wide effectiveness of a drug testing program. This would want surveys before and after testing, along with a control school with the same demographics with no drug testing policy being surveyed close to the same time frame. That would be a better indicator and does not look like that occurred with this singular study.
Besides what kind of message do we want to send out to kids? That we are not implicated for their well-being or care if there is drug connected performance in their schools? Are we supposed to take an apathetic viewpoint towards drugs and let the chips fall where they may. Having struggled with an addiction qoute for years I know from personal touch having these kinds of parameters in place sends a message as to what we expect out of our young people.
Study Shows Drug Testing Ineffective in Schools