Strote, J., Lee, J., Wechsler, H. (2002, January). Use of ecstasy among college age students. Journal of Adolescent Health 2002;30:64-72.

 

 

 

 

OVERVIEW

 

This article is an explanation of research developed in the 1997 and 1999 Harvard School of Public Health College Alcohol Study.

The study found an increase in the usage of ecstasy in college age students. The prevalence rose from 2.8% to 4.7% between 1997 and 1999, and increase of 69%. It also noted that ecstasy users were more likely to use marijuana, engage in binge drinking, smoke cigarettes, have multiple sexual partners, consider arts and parties as important, religion as less important, spend more times socializing with friends, and spend less times studying. It was also important that most of the students who take ecstasy would use marijuana at some point. The research explains that the abuse of this drug occurs mostly in social settings.

 

DESIGN

This research experiment says that it was a survey of a nationally representative sample of over >14,000 college students at 119 U.S. four-year colleges. The surveys were mailed to the students and only schools that had at least a response rate.

 

FINDINGS

1.  There are some findings on groups that use, but there are some specifics. "This rise held regardless of gender, year in school, and member of fraternity/sorority. However, the rise from 1997  to 1999 was not significant for minority ethnical groups, students older than 24 years, married students, residents in fraternity/sorority house...A sharp increase of ecstasy use was found among sophomores and dormitory residents."

 

2.   There were also sharp increases among small schools (less than 5000), highly competitive schools, northeastern schools, women-only schools, private schools, and high binge campuses. An important finding that was revealed about the use of marijuana and the use of ecstasy. These findings existed at 10 high binge schools across the nation. While past year marijuana use rate did not significantly change from 1997 to 2000, past year ecstasy use increased dramatically from 1997-2000 (4.7% vs 10.6%)

 

CONCLUSIONS

The authors have concluded that Ecstasy use is a high-risk behavior among college students that has increased rapidly in the past decade. They also conclude that there is evidence that, unlike other drugs, MDMA (Ecstasy) may be more likely to be first tried in college. In addition, college students are of particular importance since they constitute a wide age group for which life-long habits are established.

 

CRITIQUE AND EVALUATION

The only critique and concern that I have with this research is that it only went to four-year institutions. I believe that the numbers could be even higher because of the normal demographics that are attending two-year vocational or community colleges.

 

 

QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION AND DISCUSSION

1.        What can we conclude from this study?

2.        What would you do to help students understand the dangers of ecstasy?

3.        What would you do to help students understand the dangers of ecstasy?

4.        How else could this study be performed?

 

 

IMPLICATIONS

For college age youth, the implications are obvious. Pastors of youth and young people need to be aware of the trends and the pressures that are drawing on their students. Although it seems like only a small number in the student-population, your specific campus could have more or less than the norm and you should be investigating and discreetly interviewing your students to see what type of pressures they have dealing with ecstasy. Knowledge can lead to better understanding of your flock and their struggles.

 

 

 

Tyler Reagin  cCYS

< 1999 to 1997 >< at existed>