Drug/Alcohol Survey

[Tom Borck]

Gave a survey to my students this morning concerning drugs and alcohol.

Here are two of the questions:

1) Have you ever been caught using illegal drugs?
Answers: Never, Seldom, Often, Frequently

2) Have you ever been caught using alcohol?
Answers: Never, Seldom, Often, Frequently

I have some serious problems with these questions!! If the student answers NEVER, they are simply stating they have not been caught. How does this deal with the issue?

 

[QuakerBoy]

I don't see how this is gonna deal with the issue even if it were reworded....many students will lie because they think it's not as "anonymous" as it is claimed to be.

 

[Tom Borck]

I don't see how this is gonna deal with the issue even if it were reworded....many students will lie because they think it's not as "anonymous" as it is claimed to be.

It is anonymous. Most kids in my class were smart enough to catch the question and brought it to my attention. Several of them got tired of answering the same question over and over again. So, they probably just "Christmas Tree'ed" the survey. And of course they will use this information to tell us that we need drug/alcohol courses, workshops, etc..

 

[QuakerBoy]

I'm not saying it isn't...but do the kids believe that?

Most of those types of tests are asking the same question over and over just using different terms. That way yer bound to answer the way they want you to at least one time

 

[Fletchling]

I agree, the question of ever being caught is pretty useless information in and of itself. It may be bit more telling if they were at least accompanied by the question of whether they've ever used any of the drugs before. Then that may be some indication of whether a particular system of drug use prevention is working.
But I agree with RPaul, the likely hood of getting honest answers is very low. I read a study a week or two ago where a group of students where given the question of whether they ever tried a range of controlled substances. These same students were given the exact same survey again at a later date and alot yes answers actually went down. Which of course would be impossible if the students were truly answering honestly.

 

[woody116]

I agree, its a bad question. Should be worded differently.

Also, when ever a survey is taken, there is always a % allowed for the ones that blow it off, and a % for the ones who lie. I'm no math guy, thats why I had to pay a guy big $ for our survey analysis and he explained it too me.

 

[huntfish]

Most kids in my class were smart enough to catch the question and brought it to my attention. QUOTE]

Tom, sounds like you're doing a fine job of teaching.

 

[beginnersluck]

The question is by whom have you been caught? Some people have been caught by friends, brothers/sisters, neighbors, etc. So what does it matter unless they have been caught by the police/authoritative figure? Kids don't care if it's anonymous or not...if they feel guilty they will always say "NO."

 

[Tom Borck]

Most kids in my class were smart enough to catch the question and brought it to my attention. QUOTE]

Tom, sounds like you're doing a fine job of teaching.

I actually did a little lesson about it. Several of the kids who finished early wanted theirs back in order to erase the answer. They did not want it to appear that they have not been caught doing drugs.

 

[red tail]

I don't think many kids that did or do drugs would answer truthfully anways.

 

[southernclay]

We are always caught doing wrong

 

[GeauxLSU]

1) Have you ever done drugs alcohol?
2) Have you ever been caught (by whomever) doing drugs or alcohol?

Those two questions together MIGHT give you some useful information IF they were answered truthfully.

I have some vague memory of a questionairre like that in high school and a memory of all the 'heads' stating they did NOT do drugs.

Hunt/fish safely,
Phil