Social Influence and Drug Addiction among Adolescents in Nyarugenge District, Rwanda

ABSTRACT 

Drug addiction is when an individual persists in use of alcohol or other drugs despite problems related to use of the substance, substance dependence may be diagnosed. Compulsive and repetitive use may result in tolerance to the effect of the drug and withdrawal symptoms when use is reduced or stopped (Passer & Smith, 2009). The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between social influences and drug addiction among adolescents in Nyarugenge District. It was guided by four specific objectives namely: Identify common types of drugs adolescents are abuse to, determine the level of social influences, determine the level of drug addiction and establish the significant relationship between social influences and drug addiction among adolescents in Nyarugenge district. The study used a descriptive correlation design that employed both qualitative and quantitative methods of data collection. The research tool that was applied in this study was devised questionnaires to determine level of social influences and drug addiction. The findings indicated that social influences was generally high with average mean of (2.671), drug addiction was found to be high on almost all aspects of signs of drug abuse including the average mean (2.518) and basing on the results, the null hypothesis was rejected and conclusions made that social influences and drug addiction among adolescents in Nyarugenge District are significantly correlated using Pearson where r=(.994) and significant-value (.000), This is shown by the fact that the sig. value was less than the maximum sig. value of 0.05 considered in social sciences. Therefore, the researcher recommended the following: There is need to educate youth in Nyarugenge district and the society at large about dangers of consuming drugs. Researcher also recommends education ministry in Rwanda change the curriculum in schools to incorporate lessons on drug abuse. Parents, educators and communities need to play a leading role by protecting children against exposure to drug substances at a tender age.

TWO: REVIEW OF LITERATURE 10

Concepts, Opinion, Ideas from Authors/experts 10

Theoretical perspective 20

Related studies 23

THREE: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 26

Research Design 26

Research Population 26

Sample Size 26

Sampling Procedure 27

Validity and Reliability of the Instrument 28

Data Gathering Procedures 29

Data Analysis 29

Ethical Considerations 30

Limitations of the Study 31

FOUR: DATA PRESENTATION, INTERPRETATION AND ANALYSIS OF

RESULTS 32

Demographic characteristics of respondents 32

Common types of drugs adolescents are abused to 34

Level of social influences among adolescents 36

Level of drug addiction among adolescents 40

Relationship Between social influences and drug addiction 42

Discussion of findigs 43

FIVE: CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS 47

Conclusion 47

Recommendations 47

Areas for Further Research 48

BIBLIOGRAPHY 51

APPENDICES 54