Ecstasy & Teenagers

By Jamia-lyn HopeTravona JacksonCristina Herrera

Gwen HillardBreana Alcantara

HEA 477 DR. E. ORTEGA FALL 2015

Group Research Question

What are the mental health predictors of Ecstasy use among

teenagers?

Background: CountryThe differences in countries...

Italians Dutch● Family oriented● Highly conservative● Seed of Catholic church● High user of Marijuana

● Individualistic● Liberal● Less family oriented● Alcohol/ Marijuana Use

Background: GenderThe difference in Gender Roles...

MALES FEMALES● Sports, Outdoor Activities● Math, Science● Career driven● Confident/ cocky

● Cooking, Indoor Activities● English, Art, Music● Homemaker driven● Family/ Community driven

●Does adolescent ecstasy use associate with:

●depression

●anxiety

●aggression

●stress

●self esteem

Research Questions

Research Hypotheses● Adolescents with symptoms of depression are at greater risk of ecstasy use● IV: ECSTASY DV: DEPRESSION

● Adolescents with higher stress levels are greater risk of ecstasy use● IV: Ecstasy DV: Stress

● Teens with low self-esteem are greater risk of ecstasy use.○ IV: Ecstasy DV: Self esteem

● Adolescents with symptoms of anxiety are greater risk of ecstasy use○ IV:ECSTASY DV: ANXIETY

● Adolescents with symptoms of aggression are greater risk of ecstasy use

○ IV: ECSTASY DV: AGGRESSION

Adolescent Ecstasy Use: Histogram Chart

Primary Hypothesis: Higher rates in Adolescent Depression leads to higherecstasy use in

Secondary Hypothesis: Is the association between ecstasy and depression higher in males, than females.

2 Constructs: Adolescent ecstasy user and depression

IV Definition: Adolescent ecstasy user will be defined as teenagers from the ages of 11 to 16 who experience in substance abuse, known as ecstasy or MDMA.

DV Definition: Depression is defined as a state of mind of low mood, low spirits, sadness, misery, and a heavy heart.

Ecstasy & Depression

Adolescent Ecstasy Users and Depression: Charts

Levene's Test for Equality of Variances t-test for Equality of Means

F Sig. t dfSig. (2-tailed)

Mean Difference

Std. Error Difference

95% Confidence Interval of the Difference

Lower Upper

Depressive Feelings

Equal variances assumed 4.057 .045 -5.097 465 .000 -.428 .084 -.593 -.263

Equal variances not assumed -5.090

455.246

.000 -.428 .084 -.593 -.263

Ecstasy_Use Equal variances assumed .345 .557 2.023 406 .044 .43106 .21311 .01211 .85000

Equal variances not assumed 2.024

403.749

.044 .43106 .21298 .01236 .84975

Adolescent Ecstasy Users and Depression: Charts

Primary Hypothesis: Higher anxiety levels will be associated to higher ecstasy use.

Secondary Hypothesis: The association between anxiety and ecstasy will be higher amongst females than males.

2 constructs: Anxiety and Ecstasy

IV definition: y users will be defined as teenagers from the ages of 11 to 16 Adolescent ecstasy who experience in substance abuse, known as ecstasy or MDMA.

DV definition: A nervous disorder characterized by a state of excessive uneasiness and apprehension, typically with compulsive behavior or panic attacks.

Ecstasy & Anxiety

Adolescent Ecstasy Users and Anxiety: Charts

Adolescent Ecstasy Users and Anxiety: Charts

Ecstasy & AggressionPrimary Hypothesis: Adolescents with symptoms of aggression are more likely to use ecstasy

Secondary Hypothesis: The association between ecstasy and aggression will be stronger in males than in females.

2 Constructs: Ecstasy and Aggression

IV Definition: Adolescent ecstasy user will be defined as teenagers between the ages of 11 to 16 who experience in substance abuse, known as ecstasy or MDMA.

DV Definition: Aggression is defined as hostile or violent behavior or attitude.

Adolescent Ecstasy Users and Aggression: Charts

Ecstasy and StressPrimary Hypothesis: higher rates of stress will be associated with higher rates of ecstasy use.

Secondary Hypothesis: The association between ecstasy and stress is stronger in females than in males.

2 Constructs: Ecstasy and Stress.

IV definition: MDMA popularly known as ecstasy or more recently, as Molly , is a synthetic , psychoactive drug that has similarities to both the stimulant amphetamine and the hallucinogen mescaline.

DV definition: Stress can be defined as the brain’s response to any demand.

Adolescent Ecstasy Users and Stress: Charts

Primary Hypothesis: Higher rates in adolescent ecstasy use leads to a low level of self-esteem.

Secondary Hypothesis: The association between ecstasy is stronger in females than males

2 Constructs: Ecstasy and Self Esteem

IV Definition: Self-esteem is your overall opinion of yourself — how you feel about your abilities and limitations. When you have healthy self-esteem, you feel good about yourself and see yourself as deserving the respect of others. When you have low self-esteem, you put little value on your opinions and ideas.

DV Definition: Adolescence ecstasy user will be defined as teenager from the ages of 11 to 16 years old who experience in substance abuse, known as ecstasy or MDMA

Ecstasy & Self-esteem

Adolescent Ecstasy Users and Self-Esteem: Charts

Adolescent Ecstasy Users and Self-Esteem: Charts

Strengths:Depression

Self-Esteem

Weakness:Stress

Aggression

Anxiety

Hypothesis support

Discussion:

According to our research, not all mental health predictors associate with Ecstasy use among

adolescents. In Europe, it seems that there is a stronger association between depression, self-

esteem and high ecstasy use.

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