Sample Interview Transcript

Source: Basics of Qualitative Research, Second Edition by Anselm Strauss & Juliet Corbin [6]

RESEARCH OBJECTIVE 1: What is the perception of young adults aged 20-25 years old who were former
drug users about teenage drug use?

Interviewer: What is your opinion about teens and drug use?

Respondent 1: I think teens use drugs as a release from their parents [rebellious act]. Well, I don’t
know. I can only talk for myself. For me, it was an experience [doing it for the experience]. You hear a
lot about drugs [talk about drugs]. You hear they are bad for you [negative connotation about drugs].
There is a lot of them around [availability]. You just get into them because they’re accessible
[accessibility] and because it’s kind of a new thing [novelty]. It’s cool! [peer pressure] You know, it’s
something that is bad for you, taboo, a “no”. Everyone is against it. [negative connotation about
drugs] If you are a teenager, the first thing you are going to do is try them. [rebellious act]

Interviewer: How often do you think teens experiment with drugs?

Respondent 1: Most just try a few. It depends on where you are and how accessible they are. Most
don’t really get into in hard-core. A lot of teens are into pot, hash, a little organic staff. It depends on
what phase of life you are at. It’s kind of progressive. You start off with the basic drugs like pot. Then you
go on to try more intense drugs like hallucinogens.

Interviewer: What do you think about the accessibility of drugs?

Respondent 1: You can get them anywhere. You just talk to people. You go to parties, and they are
passed around. You can get them at school. You ask people, and they direct you as to who might be able
to supply you.

Interviewer: Is there any stigma attached to using drugs? If so, what do you think are these stigmas?

Respondent 1: Not among your peers. If you’re in a group of teenagers and everyone is doing it, if you
don’t use, you are frowned upon. You want to be able to say you’ve experienced it like the other people
around you. Obviously, outsiders like older people will look down upon you. But within your own group
of friends, it definitely is not a stigma.

Interviewer: Based on your experience as a teen drug user, how did teens talk about the experience of
taking drugs?

Respondent 1: It’s more of sharing the experience rather than talking about the experience. You talk
about doing drugs more than what it’s like when you take drugs. It depends upon what level you are
into it, I guess. Most kids are doing it because it is a trend in high school. They are not doing it because
of the experience in some higher sense. They are doing it because they are following the crowd.
 Open Coding

RESEARCH OBJECTIVE 1: What is the perception of young adults aged 20-25 years old who were former
drug users about teenage drug use?

Interviewer: What is your opinion about teens and drug use?

Respondent 1: I think teens use drugs as a release from their parents [rebellious act]. Well, I don’t
know. I can only talk for myself. For me, it was an experience [doing it for the experience]. You hear a
lot about drugs [talks about drugs]. You hear they are bad for you [Negative connotation about drugs].
There is a lot of them around [availability]. You just get into them because they’re accessible
[Accessibility] and because it’s kind of a new thing [novelty]. It’s cool! [peer pressure] You know, it’s
something that is bad for you, taboo, a “no”. Everyone is against it. [Negative connotation about
drugs] If you are a teenager, the first thing you are going to do is try them. [rebellious act]

Interviewer: How often do you think teens experiment with drugs?

Respondent 1: Most just try a few [limited experimentation]. It depends on where you are and how
accessible they are [Accessibility]. Most don’t really get into in hard-core [hardcore drug use]. A lot of
teens are into pot, hash, a little organic staff [Softcore drug use]. It depends on what phase of life you
are at [Personal developmental stage]. It’s kind of progressive [Progressive drug use]. You start off with
the basic drugs like pot [softcore drug use]. Then you go on to try more intense drugs like
hallucinogens [hardcore drug use].

Interviewer: What do you think about the accessibility of drugs?

Respondent 1: You can get them anywhere [Accessibility]. You just talk to people [socialization]. You
go to parties [socialization], and they are passed around. You can get them at school [Accessibility]. You
ask people, and they direct you as to who might be able to supply you. [Accessibility]

Interviewer: Is there any stigma attached to using drugs? If so, what do you think are these stigmas?

Respondent 1: Not among your peers. If you’re in a group of teenagers and everyone is doing it, if you
don’t use, you are frowned upon [social anxiety]. You want to be able to say you’ve experienced it like
the other people around you. [“bragging rights”] Obviously, outsiders like older people will look down
upon you. [adult disapproval] But within your own group of friends, it definitely is not a stigma.

Interviewer: Based on your experience as a teen drug user, how did teens talk about the experience of
taking drugs?

Respondent 1: It’s more of sharing the experience rather than talking about the experience. You talk
about doing drugs more than what it’s like when you take drugs. [“bragging rights”] [talks about
drugs]It depends upon what level you are into it, I guess. Most kids are doing it because it is a trend in
high school [peer pressure]. They are not doing it because of the experience in some higher sense. They
are doing it because they are following the crowd. [peer pressure]
 Axial Coding

RESEARCH OBJECTIVE 1: What is the perception of young adults aged 20-25 years old who were former
drug users about teenage drug use?

Open codes (16):

Rebellious act Limited experimentation Progressive drug use

Doing it for the experience Accessibility Socialization
Talks about drugs Availability Social anxiety
Negative connotation about Hardcore drug use “Bragging rights”
drugs Softcore drug use Adult disapproval
Novelty Personal development stage Peer Pressure

Verbatim Open Codes Axial Codes

Socialization Means of socialization
Social anxiety
Peer pressure
Talks about drugs
“Bragging rights”

Rebellious act Act of defiance against

Negative connotation about authorities and social norms
drugs
Adult disapproval
 Axial Coding

RESEARCH OBJECTIVE 1: What is the perception of young adults aged 20-25 years old who were former
drug users about teenage drug use?

Open codes (16):

Rebellious act Limited experimentation Progressive drug use

Doing it for the experience Accessibility Socialization
Talks about drugs Availability Social anxiety
Negative connotation about Hardcore drug use “Bragging rights”
drugs Softcore drug use Adult disapproval
Novelty Personal development stage Peer Pressure

Verbatim Open Codes Axial Codes

“I think teens use drugs as a release Rebellious act Act of defiance against authorities
from their parents” Negative connotation about drugs and social norms
“…it’s something that is bad for Adult disapproval
you, taboo, a “no”. Everyone is (3)
against it.”
“…they are bad for you.”
“Older people will look down upon
you.”
“You just talk to people. You go to Socialization Means of socialization
parties…” Social anxiety
“If you’re in a group of teenagers Peer pressure
and everyone is doing it, if you Talks about drugs
don’t use, you are frowned upon” “Bragging rights”
“Most kids are doing it because it is (5)
a trend in high school.”
“You want to be able to say you’ve
experienced it like the other people
around you.”
“Most just try a few” Limited experimentation Form of experimentation
“…because it’s kind of a new thing.” Novelty
“…it was an experience” Doing it for the experience
(3)
“It depends on what phase of life Personal development stage Gradual use
you are at.” Progressive drug use
“You start off with the basic drugs Hardcore drug use
like pot. Then you go on to try more Softcore drug use
intense drugs like hallucinogens.” (4)
“There is a lot of them around.” Availability Convenience
“You just get into them because Accessibility
they’re accessible.” (2)
“You can get them anywhere”
“You can get them at school”
“There is a lot of them around”
 Theme

RESEARCH OBJECTIVE 1: What is the perception of young adults aged 20-25 years old who were former
drug users about teenage drug use?

Verbatim Open Codes Axial Codes Theme

“I think teens use drugs as a Rebellious act Act of defiance Drugs as an
release from their parents” Negative against authorities accessible means of
“…it’s something that is bad connotation about and social norms self-expression
for you, taboo, a “no”. drugs
Everyone is against it.” Adult disapproval
“…they are bad for you.” (3)
“Older people will look down
upon you.”
“You just talk to people. You Socialization Means of
go to parties…” Social anxiety socialization
“If you’re in a group of Peer pressure
teenagers and everyone is Talks about drugs
doing it, if you don’t use, you “Bragging rights”
are frowned upon” (5)
“Most kids are doing it
because it is a trend in high
school.”
“You want to be able to say
you’ve experienced it like the
other people around you.”
“Most just try a few” Limited Form of
“…because it’s kind of a new experimentation experimentation
thing.” Novelty
“…it was an experience” Doing it for the
experience
(3)
“It depends on what phase of Personal Gradual use
life you are at.” development stage
“You start off with the basic Progressive drug use
drugs like pot. Then you go on Hardcore drug use
to try more intense drugs like Softcore drug use
hallucinogens.” (4)
“There is a lot of them Availability Convenience
around.” Accessibility
“You just get into them (2)
because they’re accessible.”
“You can get them anywhere”
“You can get them at school”
“There is a lot of them
around”