Prevenção do consumo de cannabis em contexto escolar

: a eficácia do programa Pasa la Vida em função do percurso dos estudantes

Abstract

This study intends first to understand the role of the education path in the use of cannabis and
its related attitudes, by comparing students from vocational education with general education.
This study also intends to verify the efficiency of the Program Pasa la Vida depending of the
students’ education path. 164 teenagers from the 3rd cycle of basic education, including both
vocational and general education, have participated to this study by answering to a
sociodemographic and educational questionnaire, Cannabis Use Intention Questionnaire and
Cannabis Abuse Screening Test. Older male students as well as students from vocational
education with greater absenteeism and school failure appear to have a larger and more
problematic use of cannabis and present overall more favorable attitudes (attitude, subjective
norm, perceived behavioral control and intention) towards cannabis use. More favorable are
attitudes towards use, bigger is the use. This program had a greater impact on attitudes than
on the use of cannabis, with some differences depending of the education path. In vocational
education, it had a positive impact on attitude whereas it had a negative impact on selfefficacy
to avoid using cannabis, both with medium size effect. However, in general
education, it had a positive impact on subjective norm but negative impact on self-efficacy to
use, with a small size effect. Students from the vocational education still have bigger
prevalence of use and intention but less self-efficacy to avoid use. The results of this study
reinforce the need to intervene earlier on and more continuously, implementing promotional
programs of personal and social skills and programs of selective prevention at school.

Date of Award	17 Apr 2018
Original language	Portuguese
Awarding Institution	Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Supervisor	Paulo César Dias (Supervisor)