Attitudes regarding drug abuse among a group of ex-addict staff members

Thirteen male and 11 female ex-addict staff members of a therapeutic community were surveyed to assess their attitudes on nine factors related to drug abuse and the drug abuser. Each factor was assessed according to the critieria established by Marcus. Both male and female groups held positive beliefs that psychological problems were contributing factors in the development of addiction. Among the remaining eight factors there was considerable variation in agreement regarding these male and female ex-addicts' attitudes toward drug abuse and the drug abuser.