Perception of drug addiction among Turkish university students:: Causes, cures, and attitudes

In this paper, university students' beliefs about different causes of drug addiction and cures for it were investigated. Principal component analysis (PCA) with Causes of Drug Abuse Scale (CADAS) revealed four components: problems and coping, sensation seeking, social environment, and disposition. PCA with Cures for Drug Abuse Scale (CUDAS) produced four components: help seeking and avoidance, self-change, social activity, and change. Separate MANOVAs were performed and significant gender differences were found between two of CADAS' and three of CUDAS' components. Analysis on attitude scale revealed gender and drug main effects and an interaction effect. Men had more positive attitudes toward "drug" vignette. The most negative attitudes were found toward "heroin" vignette and the most positive attitudes were found toward the "cannabis" vignette. Results indicated that those who has known a drug user had more positive attitudes. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.