Name of Event: 3rd Annual Symposium for Undergraduate Research in Psychology
Date of Presentation: May 13th 2020
Type of Presentation: Poster presentation
Abstract:
Substance abuse is a major public health crisis in the United States and beyond. Drug overdose rates in the United States have increased by 83.3% from 2010 to 2017 (CDC WONDER, 2019). It is necessary to understand the effects of the addiction crisis and public attitudes towards substance abuse in an effort to implement better policy and resources.
The primary objective of this project is to gain a better understanding of the impact that having a family member, friend, or co-worker with a substance abuse problem has on individuals. Specifically, we are interested in examining whether the level and scope of costs incurred due to relations with an individual with substance abuse problems, measured on multiple dimensions and one’s level of self-control correlate with global attitudes towards substance abuse.
Our research team hypothesizes that individuals who invested more time, health, relationships or reputation during assisting substance abusers and participants with higher self-control are more likely to perceive substance abuse from the moral model (addiction is a choice) than the disease model (addiction is a disease).
Individuals who do not have personal experience with a substance abuser (i.e., do not know someone or have helped someone with substance abuse problems) are hypothesized to be more likely to perceive substance abuse from the disease model of addiction.
This presentation aims to elaborate on the rationale for this study and present supporting evidence for our hypotheses.
Date of Presentation: May 13th 2020
Type of Presentation: Poster presentation
Abstract:
Substance abuse is a major public health crisis in the United States and beyond. Drug overdose rates in the United States have increased by 83.3% from 2010 to 2017 (CDC WONDER, 2019). It is necessary to understand the effects of the addiction crisis and public attitudes towards substance abuse in an effort to implement better policy and resources.
The primary objective of this project is to gain a better understanding of the impact that having a family member, friend, or co-worker with a substance abuse problem has on individuals. Specifically, we are interested in examining whether the level and scope of costs incurred due to relations with an individual with substance abuse problems, measured on multiple dimensions and one’s level of self-control correlate with global attitudes towards substance abuse.
Our research team hypothesizes that individuals who invested more time, health, relationships or reputation during assisting substance abusers and participants with higher self-control are more likely to perceive substance abuse from the moral model (addiction is a choice) than the disease model (addiction is a disease).
Individuals who do not have personal experience with a substance abuser (i.e., do not know someone or have helped someone with substance abuse problems) are hypothesized to be more likely to perceive substance abuse from the disease model of addiction.
This presentation aims to elaborate on the rationale for this study and present supporting evidence for our hypotheses.