An investigation of junior high students' attitudes toward amphetamine use and related forms of behavior

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the attitudes toward amphetamine use and some forms of behavior related to it. Two different kinds of junior high schools from southern Taiwan participated in this study. Five hundred and sixty-nine students supplied urine samples and filled in questionnaires. The results indicated that the prevalence rate of amphetamine use was 4.0% and the subjects had a fair level of cognition and very negative beliefs toward amphetamine use. Discriminant analyses indicated that access to amphetamine and the unlikelihood of being caught when using amphetamine were the two most important and meaningful variables in the distinction of previous using experience. School, grades, opinions about amphetamine use, the ease with which amphetamine could be obtained, and the severity of misbehavior were the most important variables in the prediction of the probable intention to use it, if amphetamine were available. However, because of the limited number of amphetamine users found in the study, any conclusions based on the results should be used cautiously. Strategies of prevention are suggested.