Risks and Protective factors for Amphetamine Use Among Adolescent Students, Pathumthani Province: Unmatched case - control study

Abstract

Amphetamine use can be explained by risk and protective factors., however the information in difference of these factors between adolescent users and non-users of amphetamine is limited.

The purpose of this analytic study (unmatched case – control study) was to compare the differences of personal characteristics, risk and protective factors between adolescent users and non - users of amphetamine. A sample consisted of 210 adolescents (case = 50 & control = 160), aged 15–19 years, living in Pathumthani Provin ceparticipated in this study. Instruments consisted of written questionnaires. Data analysis employed t-test and chi–square test.

Results of this study indicated that adolescent users had signifi cantly higher risk factors scores and lower protective factors scores than non-users. Among these, peer risk factors and individual protective factors were mostly differed. Moreover, academic performance was inversely associated with amphetamine use (p = .00), i.e. amphetamine users have lower academic performance than non-users.

Key words: Risk factors, Protective factors, Amphetamine, Adolescent Students