Drug attitude factors: comparisons of samples from 1985 and 1992

The Stanislaus Chemical Effects Survey, which contains the names of twenty-four substances and asks subjects to rate the relative harm and benefit of each to society, was given to male and female undergraduates in 1985 and 1992. Factor analysis of the responses from each sample were done separately and then a comparison was made of the resulting factors. Fifteen of the twenty-four drugs retained their approximate same position in the structure of drug attitudes between the two samples. Attitudes about three substances, tobacco, oral contraceptives, and PCP, notably appeared to have undergone significant shifts. Discriminant analysis revealed significant differences between the two samples, between males and females regardless of year, and an interaction between year and gender. Findings suggest that attitudes remain conservative about drugs in general and that public policies may be contributing to the shifts in attitudes seen.