Perceived Knowledge of Slovenian Elementary School Students, Teachers, and Head Teachers about Drug Issues

• Published in: Hrvatska revija za rehabilitacijska istraživanja Vol. 51; no. 2; pp. 31 - 40
• Main Authors: Hocevar, Andreja, Mazgon, Jasna, Sebart, Mojca Kovac
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Zagreb University of Zagreb, Faculty of Education and Rehabilitation Sciences 01-12-2015; Sveučilište u Zagrebu, Edukacijsko-rehabilitacijski fakultet; Sveuciliste u Zagrebu, Edukacijsko-Rehabilitacijski Fakultet / University of Zagreb, Faculty of Education and Rehabilitation Sciences
• Subjects: Family and social welfare; Health and medicine and law; School education; Substance abuse and addiction; knowledge about drugs; drug prevention; syllabuses; drugs; teachers
• ISSN: 1331-3010; 1848-7734

In this research study on a representative sample of Slovenian elementary school students (n = 1527), teachers (n = 163), and head teachers (n = 60), we examined how the responding groups assess their knowledge about drugs, prevention, drug use, and abuse. The data we gathered are similar to the data of a 1998 study carried out in Northern Ireland, entitled ‘Drugs: what young people know’. In our study, students, teachers, and head teachers state that students acquire most of their knowledge about drug use and abuse in school, especially from teachers and school counsellors. However, a high share of the respondents thought that the emphasis was not strong enough. Almost half of the elementary school teachers in Slovenia (46.5%) believe that individual subject syllabuses do not contain enough goals and didactic recommendations encouraging the consideration of drug issues. In addition, international study results demonstrate that, during their undergraduate education, teachers do not acquire enough knowledge about drug issues (Allot and Paxton 2000). Therefore, it is not surprising that 61.5% of Slovenian elementary school teachers have expressed a need for additional training in the field.