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ISSN: 1935-1232 (P)

ISSN: 1941-2010 (E)

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Research Article - Clinical Schizophrenia & Related Psychoses ( 2022) Volume 16, Issue 2

Attitudes of Mutah University Students Towards the role of Economic, Cultural and Social Changes on Drug Abuse
Yassar Ghassan Abd Karim Althoneibat*
 
Department of Health, University of Calicut, Malappuram, Kerala, India
 
*Corresponding Author:
Yassar Ghassan Abd Karim Althoneibat, Department of Health, University of Calicut, Malappuram, Kerala, India, Tel: 9652806704, Email: dr.yassar@bau.edu.jo

Received: 01-Mar-2022, Manuscript No. CSRP-22-58605; Editor assigned: 04-Mar-2022, Pre QC No. CSRP-22-58605; Reviewed: 18-Mar-2022, QC No. CSRP-22-58605; Revised: 30-Apr-2022, Manuscript No. CSRP-22-58605; Published: 09-May-2022

Abstract

This study aimed at identifying the role of economic, cultural and social changes on drug abuse from the perspective of the students of Mu'tah University in the governorate of Al-Karak. In order to achieve the study objectives, the researcher used the descriptive analytical approach and a questionnaire that consisted of (31) items was used. The study sample consisted of (500) male and female students who were chosen randomly. The results revealed that the economic, play a major role in the orientation of young people towards drug abuse. The results also revealed that the economic changes have more effect as compared to the cultural and social changes.

In the light of the results, the study recommended the necessity of holding more courses and seminars to educate the youth about the risks and negative consequences of drug abuse and promotion as well as authorizing the community institutions to combat this phenomenon using all the possible mechanisms, in addition to developing counselling programs that focus on the economic, social and religious domains to raise the awareness of the youth concerning drug abuse and urge them to behave wisely in the face of this phenomenon.

Keywords

Milk yield • Somatic cell count • Chemical composition • Egyptian buffaloes

Introduction

Substance abuse is risky phenomenon that significantly prevailed in almost all communities, where such a phenomenon turned into a serious risk that threatens those communities and predicts their decline. Drugs are fatal toxins that adversely affect the human willingness, harm his mentality, drive him toward the most serious diseases and stimulate him to commit sins [1].

Drugs represent socially-destructive phenomenon that needs the collaborating efforts by all the community parties, such as the family which is viewed as the basic foundation in the construction of the human communities; considering the family as the first defense line in facing all the problems and challenges faced by the human communities. Also, civil society institutions, such as schools and mosques have a great effect on promoting the individuals' abilities to encounter all the negative phenomena, such as drug abuse and trafficking.

The increased prevalence and availability of drugs enhanced more levels of drug abuse and trafficking, where they became as a serious problem that widely spread in the Muslim communities during the last period; a problem that requires rapid intervention to avoid its adverse consequences on the future of the youth, since drug-abusers are hopeless. Communities that suffer from the risk of drug trafficking are tackling more disadvantages, since the individuals who abuse drugs will be at more risk of addiction, diseases and even psychological disorders; such people we live in isolation from other people, where they will have no role or hope in life [2].

Furthermore, drug abuse and trafficking, especially among the youth is considered as one of the most important barriers in front of the efforts of development due to the deviances and social difficulties resulting from addiction as well as its adverse economic, healthy and political consequences that impede development.

Additionally, the problem of drug addiction is not a security one, it is rather a social, economic, healthy, psychological, religious, educational and cultural problem. Therefore, it requires the attention and specialty of most institutions and authorities in the state, and thus it should be planned well and addressed based on a national comprehensive plan for social and economic development [3].

In the light of the above-mentioned, it is important to determine the factors affecting the extended prevalence of this phenomenon among all the categories of the Jordanian community. Therefore, the current study aimed at identifying the most important factors leading individuals to drug abuse and detecting the impact of economic, social and cultural changes on drug abuse.

The study problem and questions

During the last years, the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, with all its governorates witnessed a number of rapid changes in all the social, cultural and economic domains that were accompanied with further changes in the living and educational circumstances as well as social services. All these factors resulted in deep changes in the structure of the Jordanian community, where these changes extended to a loss in the future of a high ratio of the young people due to the adverse effects resulting from the prevalence of the phenomenon of drug abuse.

Many studies suggested that drugs, with their multiple dimensions, are considered as a highly-complex problem both at the national and international level, where its economic, financial, social and environmental factors interact with each other; each factor has its own weight and differ from one community to another and from one social class to the other. Also, these factors include the human being's psychological and cognitive immunity which rejects the idea of drug abuse. Despite the difficulty of the problem of drug abuse with its vary factors, the simplest way to solve the problem is to employ these dimensions based on the rules of religion which forbid abusing drugs and alcohol, and based on the good society and family upbringing [4,5].

All these factors motivated the researcher to investigate the factors affecting the phenomenon of drug abuse in order to reduce its prevalence and negative consequences. Therefore, the study problem is formulated in the following main question:

What is the role of the economic, cultural and social changes from the perspective of the students of Mu'tah University?

The following sub-questions are derived from this main question:

  • What is the level of respondents' perceptions for the social changes leading to drug abuse in the governorate of Al-Karak?
  • What is the level of respondents' perceptions for the cultural changes leading to drug abuse in the governorate of Al-Karak?
  • What is the level of respondents' perceptions for the economic changes leading to drug abuse in the governorate of Al-Karak?

The study objectives

The current study mainly aimed at investigating the role of economic, cultural and social changes on drug abuse from the perspective of the students of Mu'tah university. The following sub-objectives are derived from this main objective:

  • Identifying the perceptions of the study sample individuals about the social changes leading to drug abuse in the governorate of Al-Karak.
  • Identifying the perceptions of the study sample individuals about the cultural changes leading to drug abuse in the governorate of Al-Karak.
  • Identifying the perceptions of the study sample individuals about the economic changes leading to drug abuse in the governorate of Al-Karak.

The study importance

The study importance lies in addressing a very important phenomenon, which is drug abuse, where this phenomenon significantly and negatively affected allthe domains in the Arabic and Islamic communities. This phenomenon is a serious threat that depraved these communities from its most precious components represented by the youth who are the real human capital of the present and the future. Also, the issue of drug abuse gains an advanced rank concerning the difficulties faced by the Arab Islamic nations, following the other adverse issues represented by backwardness and low levels of development that attract the interest and attention of all the Arabic and Islamic countries.

The study importance lies in the following

The theoretical importance

  • Supporting the Arabic and Jordanian libraries with additional information and knowledge about the topic of the economic, cultural and social changes and their effects on the phenomenon of drug abuse.
  • The importance of the study topic represented by detecting the impact of economic, cultural and social changes on drug abuse.
  • Providing more space in front of researchers to address the topic of the current study from other domains that are vital for communities.

The applied importance

  • The findings of the current study have an impact on attracting the attention of the Jordanian community and the developers of social policies to the risks of the phenomenon of drug abuse in the community which lead to societal disintegration as well as the prevalence of crime other anti-social behaviors.
  • The results of the current study could be beneficial for developing programs to reduce the prevalence of the phenomenon of drug abuse.
  • The results of the current study could be beneficial in the domain of educational, social and psychological domain to avoid the negative consequences of this evil.

The study hypotheses

This study aimed to test the following hypotheses:

  • There are no statistically significant differences at (α ≤ 05) regarding the level of respondents' conceptualizations for the social changes leading to drug abuse in the governorate of Al-Karak attributed to the variables of (gender, specialty, academic year).
  • There are no statistically significant differences at (α ≤ 05) regarding the level of respondents' conceptualizations for the cultural changes leading to drug abuse in the governorate of Al-Karak attributed to the variables of (gender, specialty, academic year).
  • There are no statistically significant differences at (α ≤ 05) regarding the level of respondents' conceptualizations for the economic changes leading to drug abuse in the governorate of Al-Karak attributed to the variables of (gender, specialty, academic year).

Materials and Methods

The theoretical framework

The phenomenon of drugs abuse: Defining drugs is an important thing in order to understand the nature of these substances, their characteristics and the different consequences related to drug abuse and trafficking. Drug is linguistically derived from shelter, which is a cloth barrier that is extended to divide a certain part of the house, and from the drugged and numbed refer to extreme darkness, and the drugged refers to the lazy person, while the numbness resulting from drink or medication refers to the heaviness and weakness that affect the one who drinks that medicine.

Conceptually, drugs have been defined by a set of definitions, including the substance whose abuse leads to partial or complete heaviness, accompanied or not accompanied by unconsciousness. This substance gives a false feeling of euphoria and happiness, with an escape from the real world into a virtual one.

Drugs refer to each substance that leads to inability to feel the events that take place for the individual who takes the substance; these substances may lead to the need for sleeping, since they include materials that result in weakness, pain killing or even alerting effects. When the individual takes these drugs without consulting a physician, he could suffer from harmful physical, psychological or social effects.

Arun, et al, 2010 defined drugs as each substance that results in impeding or changing sensation in the nervous system among humans and animals. As for the legislative domain, drugs refer to each substance that leads to addiction and negatively affects the nervous system. Drugs are scientifically defined as a chemical substance that causes feelings related to the desire to sleep or to unconsciousness accompanied by pain-killing.

Types of drugs: There are various types of drugs that cause numbness, unconsciousness as well as lack of perception. Drugs can be classified into natural and artificial drugs, as follows:

First, natural drugs: they are the drugs taken from poppy, cannabis, cocoa and Qat, where the leaves, flowers and fruits of these plants contain narcotic substances.

Second, the chemically-produced drugs: this set of drugs is not extracted from natural plants, but they are made inside factories based on certain chemical compounds, such as hallucination drugs, and sedatives.

The causes of drug abuse: In the domain of sociology, it is well-known that each phenomenon has its causes and consequences and that each phenomenon has its own therapy. The success of the therapeutic process for this phenomenon is more related to the causes that led to it. Therefore, in order to prescribe the right medicine for the phenomenon of drugs prevalence, particularly among the youth, it is necessary to determine the most important causes leading to the prevalence of drugs and drug abuse, as follows.

Family disintegration: it is considered as one of the factors that contributed to the prevalence of drugs among the youth in the Arab countries, where families suffer from instability of marital relationships as well as increased levels of divorce and separation; they represent distinctive models for the families in which drug abusers live.

Mass media: International and national mass media either directly or indirectly played an important role in the prevalence of drugs based on their contribution to displaying misleading images of the facts and information related to drug abuse.

Misleading culture: the factors that contribute to the prevalence of drugs are related to the individuals' beliefs that drugs have an impact on sexual desire, in terms of excitement and longer sexual intercourse.

The ease of drugs availability: the availability of drugs and the ease of obtaining them are important factors that contribute to the prevalence of the phenomenon of drug abuse in the community divided the causes of drugs prevalence into three.

Civilized causes: They are the causes related to the social environment, such as the absence of Islamic values, the existence of spiritual emptiness (lack of connection with god) in the community in general, the absence of complete social awareness about the harmful effects resulting from drug abuse, as well as not using the mass media in a sufficient way to combat drug abuse and trafficking.

The human causes: they are the causes resulting from family relationships, such as the lack of family awareness concerning the risks of drug abuse, the family failure in warning the youth about those risks, the existence of family disintegration and conflicts, the father's and mother's engagement in many other tasks outside the house for long periods of time.

Causes related to the drug abuser:

These refer to the personal characteristics of the abuser, such as the abuser's desire to try using the forbidden things, the inappropriate employment of the free time in activities that benefit the individual and the community, academic backwardness and frequent failures at school as well as the existence of psychological disorders and stimulators of psychological stress.

Theories explaining the phenomenon of drug abuse

Behavioral Theory: The behavioral theory, in its explanation of the reasons for human resort to drug abuse, depends on the basic laws of learning theory created by the Russian physiologist (Pavlov), this school confirms that every behavior that comes from a human being is nothing but an old and learned behavior. It happens to the drug user that he learned through his behavior, as when he used a drug, his worries disappeared, so he learns that the demise of worry is related to taking a dose of these substances, and so he continues in the next stages of his life until he reaches addiction [6-8].

The behavioral theory also considers that drug use is a solution to some of the problems of maturity that cause tension and anxiety, so drug use is a kind of educated response to deal with the problems facing the individual, whether it is intended to relieve anxiety and tension or his intent is to protect himself from feelings of helplessness and deficiency.

The behavioral theory has paid great attention to the cause of drug abuse, in order to develop multiple treatment techniques based on behavioral postulates, which is that a person's behavior, whether it is normal or abnormal behavior, is the result of learning. As for drug-taking behavior, the emphatic principle is that people will repeat actions for which they have been rewarded, and will refrain from actions for which they have not been rewarded or punished. In conclusion, the behavioral theory sees that a person's drug use is, in fact, a learned behavior from the environment in which he/she lives, and through the different stages of his/her life, in many different ways.

Cognitive theory: This theory is based on the great role that thinking or belief plays in the emergence of psychological disorder of the human being, and this theory does not overlook the importance of factors affecting human behavior and emotion, whether these factors are environmental or chemical, and Aaron T. Beck explain the phenomenon of drug abuse. Mainly on the importance of beliefs, where he sees that people who have a positive attitude towards drug abuse have distinctive beliefs, which are active under the influence of some conditions, which he called high-risk conditions, which can be external or internal.

The external conditions are represented in the influence of the group of friends that abuse cocaine, contact with drug sellers, living in some areas where drug abuse is frequent, while the internal conditions are represented in various emotional states of tension, such as: depression, anxiety and pessimism. According to Beck, all of these circumstances can play the role of a stimulant, eliciting an individual's positive beliefs about drugs, or an urgent desire to use drugs if he is not a drug abuser.

The previous studies: Al-Khozaai, 2010 conducted a study entitled “stopping drug abuse and its impact on improving life quality, a social applied study". The study aimed at identifying the impact of terminating drug addiction on improving life quality. The researcher used the social survey approach. The study sample consisted of (203) drug sobers. The results revealed that the percentage of drug abusers who stopped addiction was higher among males as compared to females, among singles as compared to married individuals and the percentage was higher among those with less than a secondary stage qualification. The results also revealed that there is a positive relationship between income and addiction ratio.

Matthew conducted a study entitled “the youth and the problem of drug abuse". The study aimed to investigate the causes leading the youth in the USA to abuse drugs. The results revealed that the most important causes leading the American youth to drug abuse are feeling bored, depression, feeling unacceptable by family members and others, in addition to some other social variables, such as divorce, and bad family treatment. There are a number of negative effects resulting from drug abuse, such as rapid breathing, inhibition and frustration.

Horwitz conducted a study entitled “the role of the American drug combats committee in facing the problem of illegal drugs in the USA". The study aimed to investigate the phenomenon of drugs and its relationship with the rates of committing crimes in the American community. The results revealed that there are many ways through which we can avoid the prevalence of drug abuse by emphasizing the consequences of this phenomenon in terms of its role in increasing the rates of committing crimes among the youth. The results revealed that the weak governmental surveillance on drugs dealers and the absence of joint coordination between the interested parties to face this problem are amongst the most important cause’s that led to destruction in the American social structure.

Arun, et al, conducted a study entitled " the attitudes towards drugs and alcohol addiction: a survey of the rural area and the disadvantaged headquarters in Shandighar in India". The study aimed at identifying the attitudes of the youth towards the problem of drug and alcohol abuse. The study sample consisted of (2292) individuals who were all (15) years old or more. The results showed that the phenomenon of drug abuse is widely prevalent among the young people in India, especially in the rural areas and the disadvantaged places. The results indicated that in order to solve the problem, we should identify the attitudes of the community towards the problem of drug and alcohol abuse.

Al-Khawaldeh and Al-Khayyat, conducted a study entitled “the causes leading to drugs from the perspective of their abusers in the Jordanian community". The study aimed at identifying the most important causes that lead to drug abuse from the perspective of drug abusers in the Jordanian community. The study sample consisted of (384) drug abusers of those visiting clinics and hospitals that provide them with treatment services. The results revealed that the most important causes for drug abuse are related to family problems, obtaining fun and enjoyment, escaping the financial crisis, coping with peers and forgetting one's own problems and concerns.

Al-Tweisi, et al, conducted a study entitled “the attitudes of youth towards drugs, a field study in the governorate of Maan". The study aimed at identifying the attitudes of the young people towards drugs in the governorate of Maan. The study sample consisted of (6) communities and (538) young people. The results revealed that the most prominent young group are the unemployed young people (26.6%), followed by the University students (12.1%). The results revealed that the most trusted parties who gain the confidence of the youth with regard to reducing the prevalence of drugs are the men of religion, the department of drugs combat and school teachers. The results showed that the most effective common methods in reducing the prevalence of the phenomenon of drugs are related to implementing strict laws against drug dealers.

The study methodology: The study used the descriptive approach by reviewing the relevant theoretical literature and previous studies, either in books and scientific periodicals. The study also used the field approach by developing the questionnaire as a main study tool for data collection.

The study population: The study population consisted of all the students at Mu'tah University for the academic year (2020-2021) with total of (27.000) male and female students.

The study sample: According to Cavana et al. the required sample size for this study was about (476) founded on the rules provided by Krejcie and Morgan (1970) for sample size decisions. According to Leveugle with 95% assurance level and +/-5% margin of error, therefore the study sample consists of (500) individuals in case of the occurrence of unused data.

The study sample was chosen in simple random way with total of (500) male and female students. Table 1 shows the distribution of the study sample individuals according to their demographic variables.

Percentage Number Level Variable
60% 300 Human Specialty
40% 200 Scientific
100% 500 Total
10% 50 First Academic year
18% 90 Second
32% 160 Third
40% 200 Fourth or more
100% 500 Total
54% 270 Male Gender
46% 230 Female
100% 500 Total

Table 1. The characteristics of the study sample individuals according to the demographic variables.

The study instrument: The researcher developed a questionnaire based on Likert 5-point scale that includes (5) choices that range between (1) strongly agrees to (5) strongly disagree. The questionnaire was divided into two parts; the first part is related to the personal data of the study sample individuals, while the second part is related to the study topic and consisted of a number of questions relating to the causes of drug abuse and trafficking.

The validity of the study instrument: The study instrument, in its primary image, was introduced to (10) arbitrators from the faculty members in the specialties of sociology, criminology and psychology at Mu'tah university, where they were asked to judge the validity of the study instrument by determining the inclusiveness of the items, its connection with the axes and procedural definitions and the extent to which the questionnaire's items for implementation. Therefore, the arbitrators cited their notes about some concepts and some items were paraphrased based on their notes in accordance with the relationship between the items of the questionnaire.

The reliability of the study instrument: Reliability was calculated using (Cronbach alpha). After applying the test to the study sample, the value of reliability coefficients for the study axes were as shown in Table 2.

Variables Number of items Cronbach Alpha
Social changes 13 0.79
Cultural variables 11 0.85
Economic variables 7 0.83
Total degree 31 0.84

Table 2. Reliability coefficient (Cronbach alpha) for the domains of the study instrument.

Table 2 revealed that the study instrument with all its domains have a high degree of reliability that ranged between (0.79-0.85), indicating that the study instrument has a high degree of reliability.

The statistical methods: The collected data were inserted to the computer using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS-25), and the following statistical methods were used:

  • Descriptive statistics measures to describe the characteristics of the study sample individuals by using the percentage answer the study questions and order the variables in a descending way.
  • Cronbach Alpha to verify the reliability of the study instrument.
  • One way Anova to detect the differences in the estimations of the sample respondents for the social, cultural and economic variables according to the demographic variables.

Displaying the results: This chapter includes a detailed display of the study results in the light of its raised questions and hypotheses. It also includes a discussion and interpretation for the study results according to the sequence of the study questions and hypotheses, taking into account that the used scale is rated as follows:

Strongly disagree Disagree Neutral Agree Strongly agree
(1) (2) (3) (4) (5)

Based on that, the mean values of the study will be used to interpret the study data as follows:

High Medium Low
3.66 and more 3.65-2.33 Less than 2.23

Therefore, if the mean value of the items was more than or equal (3.66), where the level of perceptions is high, which means that the sample individuals agree on the item. If the mean value of the items ranged between (2.33- 3.65), the level of perceptions is medium, and if the mean value of the items was less than (2.32), the level of perceptions is low. Here is a detailed display of the study results.

Answering the study questions

Answering the first question, stating "What is the level of respondents' perceptions for the social changes leading to drug abuse in the governorate of Al-Karak?"

In order to answer this question, means and standard deviations were calculated for the perceptions of the study sample individuals regarding the level of each item and the overall domain for the social changes. Table 3 shows the results.

Item number Rank Item Mean SD Level
1 8 Bad company 4.04 1.01 High
2 14 Weakness of family control 3.91 0.98 High
3 11 unemployment 3.99 1.05 High
4 4 The prevalence of drugs 4.37 0.89 High
5 6 The negligence of the responsible authorities 4.1 0.95 High
6 5 The absence of good example 4.13 0.91 High
7 7 The lack of control, guidance and follow-up 4.08 0.98 High
8 13 The wrong upbringing of children, such as negligence or excessive pampering 3.94 0.99 High
9 9 The economic status of the family 4.07 0.9 High
10 10 The absence of the role of community institutions, such as the school, the mosque and the media 4.05 0.92 High
11 12 The prevalence of entertainment places 3.96 0.97 High
12 1 The degeneration of the surrounding environment 4.45 0.87 High
13 2 The ease of deterrent laws 4.43 0.85 High
14 3 Keeping up with friends and courtesy 4.4 0.91 High
- - Total 4.14 0.82 High

Table 3. Means and standard deviations for the perceptions of the study sample individuals for domain of social changes.

Table 3 showed that the mean for the perceptions of the study sample individuals for domain of social changes was high with a mean of (4.14) and a standard deviation of (0.82). Item (12) “The prevalence of entertainment places” gained the first with a mean of (4.45) and a high degree, while item (2) “Weakness of family control" was in the last place with a mean of (3.91) and a high level.

Answering the second question, stating “What is the level of respondents' perceptions for the cultural changes leading to drug abuse in the governorate of Al-Karak?”

In order to answer this question, means and standard deviations were calculated for the perceptions of the study sample individuals regarding the level of each item and the overall domain for the cultural changes. Table 4 shows the results.

Item number Rank Item Mean SD Level
1 8 Free time and bad utilization of time 4.12 0.59 High
2 9 Low mental level 4.08 0.94 High
3 10 Low educational level 3.99 0.95 High
4 1 The mistaken information about drugs 4.39 0.87 High
5 2 The absence of religious and moral restraint 4.34 0.86 High
6 3 Media, touristic and cultural openness 4.3 0.94 High
7 4 The study failure 4.27 1.17 High
8 5 A belief that there is a strong relationship between drugs and sex 4.23 0.93 High
9 6 The prevailing culture in community 4.19 0.99 High
10 7 Filling gaps and fun satisfaction 4.15 1.13 High
11 8 The lack of healthy means to release the energy of young people 4.12 0.59 High
- - Total 4.2 0.77 High

Table 4. Means and standard deviations for the perceptions of the study sample individuals for domain of cultural changes

Table 4 showed that the mean for the perceptions of the study sample individuals for domain of cultural changes was high with a mean of (4.20) and a standard deviation of (0.77). Item (4) "The mistaken information about drugs” gained the first with a mean of (4.39) and a high degree, while item (3) “Low educational level" was in the last place with a mean of (3.99) and a high level.

Answering the third question, stating "What is the level of respondents' perceptions for the economic changes leading to drug abuse in the governorate of Al-Karak?”

In order to answer this question, means and standard deviations were calculated for the perceptions of the study sample individuals regarding the level of each item and the overall domain for the economic changes. Table 5 shows the results.

Item number Rank Item Mean SD Level
1 5 The high cost of living standards. 4.23 0.93 High
2 6 The prevalence of unemployment. 4.19 0.99 High
3 7 The increasing life demands in general. 4.15 1.13 High
4 1 The prevalence of consumption inclination 4.39 0.87 High
5 2 The lack of sufficient income. 4.34 0.86 High
6 3 The inability of the family’s head to, financially, does his role towards his children. 4.3 0.94 High
7 4 Money abundance 4.27 1.17 High
- - Total 4.26 0.77 High

Table 5. Means and standard deviations for the perceptions of the study sample individuals for domain of economic changes.

Table 5 showed that the average mean for the perceptions of the study sample individuals for domain of economic changes was high with a mean of (4.26) and a standard deviation of (0.77). Item (4) "The prevalence of consumption inclination” gained the first with a mean of (4.39) and a high degree, while item (3) " The increasing life demands in general " was in the last place with a mean of (4.15) and a high level.

Testing the study hypotheses

Answering the first hypothesis: There are no statistically significant differences at (α ≤ 0.05) regarding the level of respondents' conceptualizations for the social changes leading to drug abuse in the governorate of Al-Karak attributed to the variables of (gender, specialty, academic year). In order to test this hypothesis, One Way Anova was used. Table 6 shows the results.

Source of variance Total squares Degrees of freedom Mean squares f-value Sig. level
Gender 0.079 1 0.079 0.184 0.668
Academic year 1.754 3 0.585 1.369 0.252
Specialty 0.477 3 0.159 0.372 0.773
Error 163.526 493 0.427
Total 6506.814 500

Table 6. Analysis of multiple ways Anova to detect the differences in the estimations of the study sample individuals regarding the social changes attributed to the variables of (gender, specialty, and academic year).

Table 6 showed that there are no statistically significant differences at (α ≤ 0.05) regarding the level of respondents' conceptualizations for the social changes leading to drug abuse in the governorate of Al-Karak attributed to the variables of (gender, specialty, academic year).

Answering the second hypothesis: There are no statistically significant differences at (α ≤ 0.05) regarding the level of respondents' conceptualizations for the cultural changes leading to drug abuse in the governorate of Al-Karak attributed to the variables of (gender, specialty, academic year).

In order to test this hypothesis, One Way Anova was used. Table 7 shows the results.

Source of variance Total squares Degrees of freedom Mean squares f-value Sig. level
Gender 0.002 1 0.002 0.005 0.945
Academic year 2.686 3 0.895 1.97 0.118
Specialty 2.102 3 0.701 1.542 0.203
Error 174.05 493 0.454
Total 5908.812 500

Table 7. Analysis of multiple ways Anova to detect the differences in the estimations of the study sample individuals regarding the cultural changes attributed to the variables of (gender, specialty, and academic year)

Table 7 showed that there are no statistically significant differences at (α ≤ 0.05) regarding the level of respondents' conceptualizations for the cultural changes leading to drug abuse in the governorate of Al-Karak attributed to the variables of (gender, specialty, academic year).

Answering the third hypothesis: There are no statistically significant differences at (α ≤ 0.05) regarding the level of respondents' conceptualizations for the economic changes leading to drug abuse in the governorate of Al-Karak attributed to the variables of (gender, specialty, academic year).

In order to test this hypothesis, One Way Anova was used. Table 8 shows the results.

Source of variance Total squares Degrees of freedom Mean squares f-value Sig. level
Gender 2.852 1 0.713 1.569 0.182
Academic year 1.754 3 0.585 1.369 0.252
Specialty 3.183 3 0.796 1.864 0.116
Error 163.526 493 0.427
Total 6506.814 500

Table 8. Analysis of multiple ways Anova to detect the differences in the estimations of the study sample individuals regarding the economic changes attributed to the variables of (gender, specialty, and academic year).

Table 8 showed that there are no statistically significant differences at (α ≤ 0.05) regarding the level of respondents' conceptualizations for the economic changes leading to drug abuse in the governorate of Al-Karak attributed to the variables of (gender, specialty, academic year).

Results and Discussion

The study achieved the following results:

The study result indicated that the mean for the perceptions of the study sample individuals for domain of social changes was high with a mean of (4.14) and a standard deviation of (0.82).

This result is attributed to the role of socialization in forming convictions among individuals not to use drugs and the formation of anti-addiction tendencies among young people. Therefore, attention must be paid to helping the family to play its role in terms of instilling values and principles that motivate integrity in children, especially interest in instilling Islamic principles that protect young people from falling into drugs. Parents and mothers must be enlightened with sufficient information about drugs and their harms through fathers’ councils and mothers’ councils that held in schools.

In addition, the family’s responsibility here is strong and is represented in instilling clear values and goals that can be applied in the hearts of its children through the process of socialization, so that they have a solid foundation and avoid them from falling into the pitfalls of deviations, especially drug abuse, and thus parents should extend their hands towards the children, to open free and frank dialogue with their children and to exchange with them a love that increases trust between everyone. At the same time, the discussion and understanding must continue and the dialogue between them should not be interrupted in order to reach a common understanding, regardless of the results.

The results of the study were in agreement with the study of Matthew and the study of Al-Khawaldeh and Al-Khayyat.

The results showed that the mean for the perceptions of the study sample individuals for domain of cultural changes was high with a mean of (4.20) and a standard deviation of (0.77).

This result indicates that individuals who are drug addicts, addicts, or traffickers have a low level of culture, whether about their information about the negative effects of drugs or about the extent of their health and mental impact on them, so they tend to take drugs without awareness or thinking, and this result is attributed to the fact that the globalization phenomenon has made the individual close to everything, in addition to the ease of obtaining what he wants, and with the absence of the internal religious and moral scruples of the individual, it has become easy to turn to drug abuse, addiction or trafficking [6].

Perhaps the youth’s explanation for the spread of the phenomenon of abuse for cultural reasons confirms the crisis of transformed societies, that is, which is witnessing a wide social and cultural change, and the contradictions and imbalances imposed by this change between the standards of social control expressed by social and cultural realities, specifically religious, and the practices in daily life.

The results of the study were in agreement with the study of Tweissi et al. and the study of Al-Khawaldeh and Al-Khayyat.

The study results pointed that the average mean for the perceptions of the study sample individuals for domain of economic changes was high with a mean of (4.26) and a standard deviation of (0.77).

This indicates the significant impact of economic changes on the rise in drug abuse rates from the point of view of Mutah University students in Karak governorate. The researcher attributes this result to the fact that the economic conditions greatly affect families in our society in all respects, especially the economic weakness that families suffer from these days, and this leads to individuals resorting to drug abuse to escape from their reality due to poor economic conditions, and the inability of the father to create adequate living conditions for his wife and children, this will lead to the children's deviation and their tendency towards drug abuse [7].

The results of the study were in agreement with the study of Al-Khawaldeh and Al-Khayyat.

The results indicated that there are no differences in the factors affecting drug abuse, addiction and trafficking due to demographic factors, whether in social factors, cultural factors or economic factors, and this result is attributed to the fact that the students' viewpoints of different sexes are similar, because the cultural, social and economic factors of drug abusers are stable and known for both sexes, and drug abuse factors do not change with the student's specialization or academic year. All of this confirms that cultural, social and economic factors have a strong influence on the number and level of drug users [8].

Conclusion

The results revealed that the conceptualizations of the study sample individuals for the causes of drug abuse were high. The results indicated that the economic changes were in the first place with a mean of (4.20), followed by the cultural changes with a mean of (4.20), while the domain of social changes was in the last place with a mean of (4.14).This finding showed that drug abusers have a low cultural level and little information about the negative consequences of drugs or the extent of their mental and healthy effects on them. Therefore, they abuse drugs unconsciously and without any thinking about that. This finding is attributed to the global openness resulting from the phenomenon of globalization which made individuals closer to all the various things in addition to the ease of obtaining all the targeted desires and the absence of internal moral and religious motives, where all these factors facilitated drug abuse and trafficking.

This finding is also attributed to the nature of social upbringing and its role in formulating the individual's beliefs about not abusing drugs as well as generating attitudes that reject addiction among the youth. Therefore, it is necessary to help the family to perform their role related to instilling the principles and values that motivate integrity among children, especially instilling the Islamic principles that protect the youth against drug abuse and trafficking. Also, we should educate parents and provide them with the necessary information about drugs and their adverse effects through parents' councils that are held at schools.

Here, we focus on the responsibility of the family, which is represented by instilling clear and applicable values and objectives through the socialization process, where these values and objectives form a solid basis that protect the young people against the risks of drug abuse. Therefore, parents should establish an explicit dialogue with their children in an atmosphere of empathy and confidence between them. At the same time, mutual discussion and understanding should continue in order to reach a mutual understanding regardless the results.

The young people's interpretation for the prevalence of the phenomenon of drug abuse for social, cultural and economic causes confirms the crisis of converted communities that witness a wide-range social and cultural changes and the conflicts imposed by such changes, including the standards of social control that are manifested through the social, cultural and religious facts as well as the daily life practices.

Recommendations

In the light of the results, the study recommended the following:

  • The necessity of holding courses and seminars to educate the young people about the negative consequences and risks of drug abuse and trafficking.
  • Empowering the institutions of the community with sufficient authorities to combat this phenomenon using all the possible methods.
  • Developing counseling programs to promote the youth awareness about the risks of drug abuse and trafficking, where they include religious, social and economic programs to face this problem and behave wisely.
  • Conducting further studies about the causes and factors of drug abuse concerning the family factors due to their impact on the level of drug abuse.
  • Promoting the youth awareness and knowledge concerning their ability to overcome problems, resist social and psychological stressors and achieve satisfaction using other methods, such as spending more time in doing beneficial things, including sports activities, reading and worship.

References

Citation: YGAK Althoneibat. "Attitudes of Mutah University Students Towards the role of Economic, Cultural and Social Changes on Drug Abuse ." Clin Schizophr Relat Psychoses 16 (2022) : 1

Copyright: © 2022 Althoneibat YGAK. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the creative commons attribution license which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.