Drug Use among College Females: Socio-Demographic and Social Psychological Correlates

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine whether socio-demo-graphic and social psychological variables are related to college female drug use. A questionnaire was administered to 38 female drug users and 93 female nonusers. All the participants in this study were undergraduates at the University of Vermont. Of the 37 socio-demo-graphic and social psychological variables tested by the chi square technique, statistically significant differences between drug users and nonusers at the 0.01 level were found for 10 of the variables. Drug users and nonusers were differentiated according to attitudes toward legalization of marijuana use and marijuana use as an enhancer of creativity; present religious affiliation; similarity of own religious affiliation and that of each parent; extent and nature of religious interest; initiation into alcohol use; previous use of cigarettes; frequency of current cigarette smoking; and initiation into cigarette smoking.