SummaryThe paper presents an evaluation of the stability and consistency of self‐reported adolescent drug use. The data were collected from 1900 high‐school students. Analyses included estimates of alternate forms reliability, non‐response rates, logical consistency in the responses, test‐retest reliability as well as estimates of exaggerated reports. The findings indicate a high rate of stability in self‐reporting of substance use, both cross‐sectionally and longitudinally. These results are in agreement with other studies of self‐reported drug use and suggest that questionnaire may provide highly reliable data for research.

The following hypotheses have been tested: (a) sensation seeking, A-State and Trait and Depressive Mood should positively affect the initiation and continuation of adolescent substance use: and (b) Following Zuckerman's conclusion with regard to the relationships between sensation seeking and drug use, and Khantzian's 'self medication hypothesis', different patterns of relationships between personality variables and substance use should be found: Whereas sensation seeking will be associated with substance use regardless of the specific psychopharmacological properties of a given substance, anxiety and depressive mood will be primarily associated with the use of depressants. One thousand nine hundred adolescents, 14-19 years old, were tested twice, 12 months apart, for alcohol and drug use. The major findings were as follows: (a) Sensation seeking was found to affect substance use among adolescents more than State and Trait Anxiety, and Depressive Mood; (b) Sensation seeking differentiated among abstainers, beginners, and users of all substances. A different pattern of relationship between State-Trait Anxiety, and Depressive Moods and substance use was found. These personality variables appeared to differentiate only among those subjects who used depressants; (c) It is also evident that previous experimentation with drugs significantly affect current-use. The implications of these findings for interventions among adolescents are discussed.

This study tests a multidimensional model of adolescent drug use. The model incorporates sociodemographic variables, personality variables (state and trait anxiety, depressive mood, and sensation seeking), cognitive variables (knowledge, attitudes, and intentions), interpersonal factors (relationships with peers and parents), and the availability of drugs. The model was tested in a longitudinal study, comprising two phases. A total of 1446 high school students served as subjects. The role of cognitive (attitudinal) and interpersonal factors (relationships with parents and peers) was confirmed. In addition, sensation seeking proved to have significant predictive power. Anxiety, depression, and sociodemographic factors, by contrast, had virtually no influence. Availability had a minor effect. The multidimensional explanation was validated longitudinally. The factors related to drug use at the first phase predicted use at the second. This multidimensional explanation accounted for the use of various substances, suggesting that different substances-whether legal or illegal-share a common multidimensional explanation.

The article reviews the various programs and intervention strategies of substance abuse prevention in Israel. It concentrates mainly on the stages of primary and secondary prevention among youth. School-based prevention programs, those designated for detached youth as well as community-based programs, are presented and analyzed. The prevention efforts in Israel are also compared to those in other Western countries. The discussion includes recommendations for future developments in this domain.

The following hypothesis has been tested: sensation seeking, A-state and A-trait, and depressive mood should positively affect adolescent substance use. The personality variables and alcohol and drug use were assessed among 1,900 Israel adolescents, 14 to 19 years old. The major findings were as follows: (a) Sensation seeking and availability significantly affected the "ever" and "current" substance use among adolescents. On the other hand, contrary to our hypothesis, neither A-trait nor depressive mood significantly affected substance use. (b) A-State affected the use of alcoholic beverages and nonprescribed medications. (c) The data emphasized the significant role of availability of drugs in the understanding of adolescents' substance use. The implications of these findings for interventions among adolescents are discussed.

The study examined the hypothesis that the use of psychoactive substances is strongly associated with social deviance. Patterns of alcohol and drug use among two samples of deviant adolescents were investigated and compared to patterns of use among a sample of non-deviant youths. The participants were as follows: ninety-seven juvenile delinquents, inmates in institutions, aged twelve through eighteen; 184 detached youth, aged twelve through eighteen, who are in treatment programs of the Departments of Youth Advancement, Ministry of Education & Ministry of Welfare; and a nationwide representative sample of 8151 high school students, aged twelve through eighteen. Substance use was measured by three self-report indices: frequency of use during the last year, use during the last month, and use during the last week. The results clearly indicate that psychoactive substance use is concentrated among Israeli groups of deviant adolescents. These adolescents use all types of substances, licit as well as illicit, at rates considerably exceeding those found among high school students. However, a great similarity was found between the deviant groups of adolescents and the high school students in several personality correlates (sensation seeking, anxiety, depressive mood and learned resourcefulness) of substance use, and to a much lesser degree in its interpersonal correlates (perceived closeness to parents and to peers). The results' implications for prevention are discussed.

One thousand nine hundred Israeli adolescents--51.8% males and 48.2% females--aged 15 to 18, were questioned twice about their current and "ever" substance use. The first study was undertaken during September-October 1982 and the second about a year later. The findings clearly indicated a slight rise in the incidence and a moderate growth of the prevalence of substance use among Israeli adolescents. The relationships between substance use and several background sociodemographic variables that were studied are discussed.

Epidemiological and sociodemographic findings on alcohol (wine, beer, hard liquor) consumption among the Israeli youth are presented. Three samples of adolescents, aged 12-18, were studied by means of an anonymous self-report questionnaire: a nationwide representative sample of high school students; a sample of detached youth; and a sample of inmates in institutions for juvenile delinquents. Alcohol consumption was assessed by three indices: frequency of use during the last year, use during the last month and use during the last week. Since alcohol is imbibed ceremonially in the Jewish tradition, only non-ritualistic consumption of alcoholic beverages was considered. Prevalence of drinking during the last year was 58%, during the last month 42% and during the last week 25%. Thus, it appears that Israeli youth are approaching the drinking prevalence of European adolescents. The results clearly indicate that alcohol consumption is concentrated among groups of deviant adolescents. These adolescents consume all types of alcoholic beverages at rates considerably exceeding those found among high school students. As for the effect of sociodemographic variables, the results strongly support previous findings showing that the patterns and contexts of alcohol use among Israeli youth are similar to those found among youth in other cultures.