Task 3 A Essay Example

Task 3 A Essay Example Task 3 A Essay Task 3 A Essay Task 3 A Name: Course: Date: Task 3A Relationship between Drug Abuse and Academic Performance in the United States of America Quantitative Research Plan Drug abuse can be defined as the destructive constant use of one or more substances leading to problems such as changes in disposition that cause spontaneous behavior. This intake of drugs may be for medical purposes or mental stimulation. Prescriptive drugs are abused only when used for other purposes other than what they were intended or in disparity with the required dosage. Some of the most commonly abused drugs include cocaine, marijuana, tobacco and alcohol. There has been a significant rise in the number of students involved in drug abuse. This figure is set to rise in future if measures are not taken to curb this emerging trend in schools. Many students are either unaware of the consequences of drug abuse or have depreciated to the level of addiction. It is not clear why these students are abusing drugs at such an alarming rate yet the results are detrimental not just to their health but to their performance at school. These youngsters are initiated into drug use at an early age mostly in their teens. It could be attributed to having friends or acquaintances that use drugs, coming from dysfunctional families, or just the desire to experiment. These drugs serve the purpose of entertainment through mental stimulation, enhancement of stamina, done by students engaging in sports or a way of fitting into a certain clique. Hypothesis There is a relationship between drug abuse and academic performance in the United States of America. Null Hypothesis: There is no relationship between drug abuse and academic performance in the United States of America. Literature Review This is a common trend in among American students. The effects of abusing drugs vary with the kind of drug being used. However, some are common to all of them such as alterations in brain functioning, emotional problems such as depression, and behavioral problems. The tendency to engage in risky sexual behavior has affected girls in that they get unwanted pregnancies and they eventually have to drop out of school. Their chance of contracting sexually transmitted illnesses also increases. The worst of it is gradually getting addicted. Bearing this in mind, this research sets out to investigate the extent to which students abuse drugs and how it affects their academic performance. This way, a solution to the problem could be arrived at. Findings The study conducted revealed the reasons for drug abuse among students. It showed that they engage in it due to problems at home, stress caused by difficulty understanding the school curriculum, boredom and pressure from friends. This affects their schoolwork negatively through various ways. For instance, they confessed to skipping classes, not doing their assignments, engaging in bad behavior that got them suspended from school. This has a direct effect on their performance. They lose attention and can therefore not focus on their schoolwork and eventually achieve poor grades. Conclusion From the findings, we can tell that indeed there is a relationship between drug abuse and academic performance. All the above facts point to the reality that students who abuse drugs perform poorly than those who do not. This is because of the effects of the drugs on their ability to function properly. When their minds are stimulated by the drugs, their brain functionality decreases and they can no longer pay relevant attention to their academics. The students who drop out of school because of abusing drugs miss out entirely on education. Therefore, it is important that a solution for this problem be found quickly to prevent further damage.