PPSEAWA International

A Life Worth Living: Teenagers, The Family, and Health

Bangkok, Thailand - 3 March 1997

Introduction

The teenage years are an important stage of human development and require particular attention because this period is the turning point between childhood and adulthood. During this time, physical, intellectual, emotional and social development occurs rather rapidly. Teenagers become interested in understanding themselves and searching for their own identities by learning from people and the environment around them.

Narcotic drug problems have rapidly spread among teenagers and are becoming more serious. This can be seen from the increasing number of drug addicts who are mostly teenagers, and the average age of drug addicts is steadily declining. If teenagers cannot avoid narcotic drug problems, both they and society at large will be affected. For example, their health will deteriorate, making them susceptible to diseases which may incapacitate them to the point where they become unable to work. Relationships within their families will be disrupted; family members will drift apart until the family ties are broken. The country will lose the valuable human resources it needs to develop its economy and society.

To solve these problems and prevent the spread of narcotic drug problems among teenagers, we have to understand teenagers' views and use them as guidelines for educating this group and building positive attitudes and appropriate lifestyles.

Objectives

  1. To educate teenagers on narcotic drugs.
  2. To identify the causes of narcotic drug use among teenagers today.
  3. To solicit teenagers' opinions on narcotic drug problems.
  4. To identify approaches and solutions to prevent the user of narcotic drugs among teenagers.

Target Groups

48 students living in Bangkok and studying in Mathayom 4 (which is equivalent to Grade 10) at Haw Wang School, under the Department of General Education, Ministry of Education.

Presentations

  1. Current Situation of Narcotic Drug Problems
  2. Factors in Drug Addiction: Drugs
  3. Factors in Drug Addiction: Individuals
  4. Factors in Drug Addiction: Environment

Small Group Discussions

A series of small group discussions were held to brainstorm the roles of social institutions in solving and preventing narcotic drug problems. Participants were divided into two groups including 24 male and 24 female students. After the discussions, the groups reported the results to the whole assembly. Panelists included Miss Charoonporn Panchawattanan, a psychologist from Thanyarak Hospital; Miss Suchada Timudom, a nurse from Thanyarak Hospital; and Mr. Sakdina Boonpium, a lecturer from King Mongkut's Institute of Technology, Thonburi.

Male teenagers' opinions on the roles of social institutions were as follows:

  1. Family institutions: Parents must give their children love and warmth, and implant positive values in their family members. Parents should also exercise appropriate family and financial planning.
  2. Educational institutions: These institutions should promote the extension of education to reach people in all walks of life.
  3. Religious institutions: These institutions should promote morals.
  4. Judicial institutions: These institutions should enact more severe laws to penalize and suppress drug manufacturers, vendors and addicts. Additional budget should also be allocated for use as rewards for leads on these violators.
  5. Recreational institutions: There should be more sports venues and recreational areas.
  6. Media institutions: These institutions should publicize and organize anti-drug campaigns aimed at various target groups.

Female teenagers' opinions on the roles of social institutions were as follows:

  1. Family institutions: Parents must have knowledge and understanding of how to bring up their children. They should have time to listen to their children, offer them warmth, instill them with positive values, and be good examples.
  2. Educational institutions: These institutions must educate students on the danger of narcotic drugs because they are very young. They should implant social discipline in students, and hold various activities which will teach them how to make use of their leisure time.
  3. Religious institutions: These institutions should build faith in religion among teenagers and teach them how to mediate so that they will be stable mind. They should also teach them how to take moral approaches to solving their problems.
  4. Judicial institutions: These institutions must enact strict laws and regulations to deter violators. Law enforcers must be good examples, and they themselves must not break the laws.
  5. Recreational institutions: These institutions should organize more recreational activities which allow the public to participate. They should also provide more recreational venues.
  6. Media institutions: These institutions should publicize information on the dangers of narcotic drugs and avoid releasing inappropriate pictures which may be imitated by teenagers.

According to the presentations and discussions, it can be summarized that all social institutions can take part in solving and preventing narcotic drug problems. Therefore, every institution should fully cooperate and coordinate with one another to alleviate narcotic drug problems.

After the presentations of the results by the groups and further discussions on the results, participants were requested to answer questionnaires on narcotic drug problems. The analysis of the answers breaks down as follows:

General information on participants

Information on relationships in the family and child rearing methods

Information on relationships with friends

Information on mental and emotional conditions

Information on narcotic drugs

Reported by Pornsiri Dirabhatana


Last Modified: June 05, 2010