SCHOOL BASED ASSESSMENT

SOCIAL STUDIES

Title: Substance Abuse

Name of Candidate: Rebecca Junor

School: Central High

School code: 090013

Territory: Guyana

Name of Teacher: Ms. Trina Sobers

Date of Submission: 15th December 2018

Examination year: 2019

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Acknowledgement …………………………………………………………………. 3

Statement of problem ………………………………………………………………. 4

Reason for selecting area of research………………………………………………. 5

Method of investigation……………………………………………………………. 6

Instrument used to collect data……………………………………………………...7-9

Procedures used to collect data……………………………………………………. 10

Presentation of data………………………………………………………………… 11-14

Interpretation of data………………………………………………………………. 15

Findings …………………………………………………………………………….16

Recommendations …………………………………………………………………. 17

Appendix ………………………………………………………………………….. 18

Glossary ……………………………………………………………………………19

Bibliography………………………………………………………………………..20

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

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First and foremost, the researcher would like to thank God Almighty for giving me the strength,
knowledge, ability and opportunity to undertake this research and to persevere and complete it
with excellence.

The researcher would like to express my gratitude to my subject teacher Ms. Trina sobers for her
overall guidance in the completion of this SBA.

The researcher would like to express my gratitude towards my parents for their kind cooperation,
support financially and encouragement which helped me in the completion of this project
without you none of this would indeed be possible.

STATEMENT OF PROBLEM

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Topic: Substance Abuse

How does the use of marijuana affect the residents in Hugh Ghanie Park?

(i) What factors are responsible for the use of marijuana among teenagers, age 13-19 in
Hugh Ghanie Park?
(ii) How does the use of marijuana affect the individual, their families and their
community?
(iii) What strategies can the government imply to help marijuana users?

REASON FOR SELECTING THE AREA OF RESEARCH?

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The reason for selecting this topic is because it’s the foremost problem in my community, thus it
is important that an investigation be carried out to discover the causes, effects and possible
solutions to this problem.

METHOD OF INVESTIGATION

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To investigate the problem the researcher has selected printed questionnaires as a method of
information.

The questionnaire was used for collecting data. A questionnaire is a set of printed or written
questions with a choice of answers. The method is most effective because:

• It can be done at the accessibility of the persons required to have it completed.

•It guarantees total confidentiality of respondents.

•It is not time consuming to be completed.

DATA COLLECTION INSTRUMENT

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 Dear recipient,

I am a student from Central High School conducting a survey, researching the extent to
which in my community teenagers consume marijuana. In order to acquire the necessary
information a questionnaire was created. . You are required to be completely honest and truthful.
Since you’re not required to write your name, no one will know who answered this particular
questionnaire.

Upon completion of this questionnaire you will be a great help in the successful
completion of my social studies SBA .Thank you for being complaisant.

Yours gratefully,

Rebecca Junor.

QUESTIONNAIRE

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 1. Gender? Female Male

2. Age? 13-16 16-19

3. What is your family type?

Nuclear Single Parent Sibling Extended

4. Do you part –take in the consuming of marijuana?

Daily weekly occasionally no I don’t

5. Were you ever pressured to smoke?

Never Most times Always Rarely

6. When do you smoke the most?

At parties stressed Alone with my friends

When facing domestic problems

7. Why do teenagers in High Ghanie Park smoke?

Peer Pressure Domestic problems

Stress relief Availability and Opportunity

8. Are your parents/Guardians aware that you consume marijuana?

Yes, they do

No, they don’t

9. How does the use of marijuana affect you and your family?
Mistrust, lying and stealing Shame and denial

Financial Distress Low self-esteem

Emotional instability and behavior Conflict among family members

problems

10. Do your friends smoke?

Some of my friends smoke all of my friends smoke none of my

friend
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 11. Do you have emotional problems?

Rarely Most times Never

12. Does marijuana consumption influence your behavior?

Most times Rarely Never

13. Have you ever tried to prevent yourself from smoking?

Most times I don’t smoke

Rarely Never

14.
What strategies do you think the government should imply to help marijuana users
in Hugh Ghanie Park?

Greater education of young people in the community

The establishment of more youth groups?

The establishment of recreational facilities

Greater Parental Guidance

PROCEDURES USED TO COLLECT DATA

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As stated earlier, Hugh Ghanie Park has approximately 500 households. It was calculated that a
sample of 25% was necessary in order to ensure accurate conclusions on the prevalence of
marijuana consumption among teenagers in my community. (25% of 500=25).

The questionnaire was protested by the teacher to a certain whether the questionnaires were
accurate and/or relevant to the research question. The researcher prepared 25 questionnaires for
the residence. The distribution began on the 15 -17of December 2018 which lasted for two days
and all were returned.

The researcher therefore decided to choose the households by a random selection which will
cater for all the above. The amount of all were divided according to race, religion, age and
occupation then randomly selected a few from each category.

The twenty five households were selected then supplied with questionnaires. In instances where
residences were not at home, the questionnaires were left in the mail box with a note to return the
completed questionnaire in my mailbox at 20 Hugh Ghanie Park ECD. Of the respondents 30%
were female and 70% were male.

Task 6: Presentation and Explanation Of Data

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Table one: Showing family types in which the use of marijuana among teenagers are most
prevalent.

Options Total Responses Responses in tally Responses in

Percentages

nuclear family 5 |||| 20%

sibling 7 |||| || 28%

single parents 8 |||| ||| 32%

extended family 5 |||| 20%

Percentage:
5/25 * 100= 20%
7/25 * 100= 28%
8/25 * 100= 32%
5/25 * 100= 20%

Figure one (Pie Chart): Showing family types in which the use of marijuana among
teenagers are most prevalent.

Pie Chart Showing family types in which the

use of marijuana among teenagers are most
prevalent
Nuclear Famly
20% 20% Sibling
Single Parents
Extended Family

28%
32%

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Table Two: Showing why teenagers in High Ghanie Park smoke marijuana

Options Total Responses Responses in tally Responses in

Percentages

Availability and 5 |||| 20%

Opportunity

Stress Relief 5 |||| 20%

Domestic Problems 7 |||| || 28%

Peer Pressure 8 |||| ||| 32%

Percentage:
5/25 * 100= 20%
5/25 * 100= 20%
7/25 * 100= 28%
8/25 * 100= 32%

Fig Two: Bar graph showing why teenagers in High Ghanie Park smoke marijuana

Bar Graph showing why teenagers in Hugh

Ghanie Park smoke marijuana
Availability and Opportunity

Stess Relief
Options

Domestic Problems

Peer Pressure

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35%

Percentage

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Table 3: Showing strategies that can be implied by the government to help marijuana
users.

Options Total Responses Responses in tally Responses in

Percentage

Greater education of 5 |||| 20%

young people in the
community

The establishment of 6 |||| | 24%

more youth group

The establishment of 6 |||| | 24%

recreational facilities

Greater parental 8 |||| ||| 32%

guidance

Percentage:
5/25 * 100= 20%
6/25 * 100= 24%
6/25 * 100= 24%
8/25 * 100= 32%

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Figure 3: Showing strategies that can be implemented by the government to help
marijuana users.

Percentage

Greater parental guidance

24% Greater education of young people
32% in the community
The establishment of more youth
group
The establishment of recreational
facilities

24%
20%

Table 4: Showing how the use of marijuana affects teenagers and their families

Options Total Responses Responses in tally Responses in

Percentage

Financial Distress 6 |||| | 24%

Shame and denial 4 |||| 16%

Low self-esteem 2 || 8%

Conflict among 7 |||| || 28%

family members

Mistrust, lying and 6 |||| | 24%

stealing

Percentage:

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6/25 * 100= 24%
4/25 * 100= 16%
2/25 * 100= 8%
7/25 * 100= 28%
6/25*100= 24%

Figure 4: (Column)Showing how the use of marijuana affects teenagers and their
families

COLUMN SHOWING HOW THE USE OF

MARIJUANA AFFECT TEENAGERS AND THEIR
FAMILIES
30%
.
20%
10%
0%

INTERPRETATION OF DATA
The survey carried out in Hugh Ghanie Park revealed that marijuana among teenagers were
prevalent in the area and much was being done to solve the social Issue. Family types in which
the use of marijuana among teenagers are most prevalent were chosen by the residents with a
total of (5) nuclear, sibling(7),single parent(8) and (5) were from extended families which totaled
to the (25) Questionnaires being distributed.

Based on data collected on why teenagers in High Ghanie Park smoke marijuana (32%) were
pressured by their peers ,(28%) had domestic problems,(20%) used for stress relief and (20%)
used because of availability and opportunity.

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It was detected that (28%) of the times teenagers consume marijuana it affected their behavior
and their families in a negative way causing conflicts among family members,(24%) for mistrust,
lying and stealing,(24%) for financial distress ,(16%) for shame and denial and(8%) for low self-
esteem.

It was observed that strategies that can be implemented by the government to help marijuana
users five of twenty five teenagers wanted greater education of young people in the community
and (32%) that were willing to change believed that greater parental guidance would help them
to stop smoking, (24%) wanted the establishment of more youth group an(24%) wanted The
establishment of recreational facilities.

FINDINGS
The survey revealed a number of deficiencies in relation to marijuana consumption among
teenagers in Hugh Ghanie Park .these include:

1. Teenagers from single parent families’ part take in the consumption of marijuana the
most.

2. Majority of them did so because they were pressured by their peers.

3. Majority of teenagers questioned were affected negatively by the consumption of

marijuana, in other words, it caused conflicts among family members.

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 4. Many students believe that having greater parental guidance would help them to stop
smoking.

RECOMMENDATIONS
The rising rate of teenagers of single parent families takes in the consumption of marijuana the
most in Hugh Ghanie Park, as a result of being pressured by their peers and conflicts among
family members. This indicates that action should be taken urgently in order to reduce the
consumption of marijuana in teenagers. I recommend that:

•Parents should have counselling in which they are encouraged to stay in marriage rather than
divorce .family should ensure that both father and mother figure in the home.

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• Parents should ensure that it becomes their number one responsibility to educate their child
about the consequences of smoking marijuana and they also should ensure that their child doesn't
hang around children that are bad influence.

•Government should implement strategies to have better parental guidance and by establishing
more youth groups that encourage youths to refrain from smoking marijuana.

•I would like to write a letter to the child protection agency and inform them on the marijuana
consumption among teenagers. Hugh Ghanie Park

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APPENDIX

GLOSSARY
Counselling- is a talking therapy that involves a trained therapist listening to you and helping
you find ways to deal with emotional issues. Sometimes the term "counselling" is used to refer
to talking therapies in general, but counselling is also a type of therapy in its own right.

Deficiencies - a failing or shortcoming, a lack or shortage.

Marijuana - cannabis, especially as smoked or consumed as a psychoactive (mind-altering)

drug.

Peer pressure- influence from members of one's peer group.

Prevalent- widespread in a particular area or at a particular time.

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BIBLIOGRAPHY
Betty Ann Rohlehr. Caribbean Social Studies: CSEC Social Studies.

Judith Gill(author), Mark Wilson(author), Stephenson Brathwaite(author). Caribbean Social

Studies for CSEC.

Umraw, R. R (2001). Modules in Social Studies Third Edition. Trinidad: Caribbean and
Educational Publisher

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