EXPERIENCES AND REASONS FOR SUBSTANCES ABUSE AMONG THE STUDENTS ATTENDING THE DEPARTMENT OF PRIMARY EDUCATION AT THE UNIVERSITY OF PULA

Abstract

This research's general aim is to get an insight into the experiences, reasons and differences in substances abuse by the the first to fourth-year students of the Department of Primary Education University of Pula (N = 108) with the intention of planning prevention activities. The results show that there are differences in experiences and reasons for substances abuse by students from different study years. Fourth-year students do not use ecstasy, but they have tried it because they wanted to experiment or out of boredom. They do not use heroin and they have not tried marijuana unlike students from other years. Such indicators show a relatively favourable situation of substances abuse among students from the oldest group of examinees, especially when it is the first-year students who have the furthest experiences and reasons from the ones mentioned. This research's results give guidelines for prevention activities taking into consideration risk factors linked to substances abuse among students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]