Research Methods
Substance Abuse Treatment:
The Role of Early Education and Access to Treatment Programs for Minority Youth
Patricia Taveras
Rutgers University
In this article, survey techniques are used to examine early drug education and early access to treatment to determine their effects on treatment outcomes among minority adolescents. The literature review serves as a starting point for greater attention in research, to address the lack of representation minorities have in substance abuse treatment. The research proposal is asking minorities (n=200), through a survey method, to answer questions about prior drug education, family history and prior access to clinical treatment. The results will show the youths who received both factors will show a better attitude and compliance towards their treatment.
Substance use and dependency amongst adolescents is a major social issue of today’s youth culture. Teenagers who suffer from addiction face many obstacles like stigma, rejection and social isolation. They are forced to address a life long disease at a time in their life when they do not want to be seen as different. Substance use alters the chemicals in the young and undeveloped brain of an adolescent. These alterations can have long lasting affects in the brain. Research also has shown that teens lack brain development to make rational decisions, for example, seeking treatment or acknowledging the problem. Non-compliance leads a youth to leave treatment early or lack the motivation to complete the program successfully. A youth with access to information and medical treatment has normal hesitations to pursue therapeutic services, which is reinforced by statistics showing low numbers of teenagers seeking support. Research on substance abuse and treatment has shown wide differences between white and minority adolescents. Caucasian adolescents show higher rates of obtaining treatment and overcoming the dieses. The wide statistical differences reinforce the
The Role of Early Education and Access to Treatment Programs for Minority Youth
Patricia Taveras
Rutgers University
In this article, survey techniques are used to examine early drug education and early access to treatment to determine their effects on treatment outcomes among minority adolescents. The literature review serves as a starting point for greater attention in research, to address the lack of representation minorities have in substance abuse treatment. The research proposal is asking minorities (n=200), through a survey method, to answer questions about prior drug education, family history and prior access to clinical treatment. The results will show the youths who received both factors will show a better attitude and compliance towards their treatment.
Substance use and dependency amongst adolescents is a major social issue of today’s youth culture. Teenagers who suffer from addiction face many obstacles like stigma, rejection and social isolation. They are forced to address a life long disease at a time in their life when they do not want to be seen as different. Substance use alters the chemicals in the young and undeveloped brain of an adolescent. These alterations can have long lasting affects in the brain. Research also has shown that teens lack brain development to make rational decisions, for example, seeking treatment or acknowledging the problem. Non-compliance leads a youth to leave treatment early or lack the motivation to complete the program successfully. A youth with access to information and medical treatment has normal hesitations to pursue therapeutic services, which is reinforced by statistics showing low numbers of teenagers seeking support. Research on substance abuse and treatment has shown wide differences between white and minority adolescents. Caucasian adolescents show higher rates of obtaining treatment and overcoming the dieses. The wide statistical differences reinforce the
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