Knowledge and image, an approach to the prevention of consumption of psychoactive substances in school-aged adolescents

Abstract

The consumption of psychoactive substances (PAS) continues to be a problem of interest for its study and management, its increase is visible as are the new and different forms of access and entry to the market. The probability of consumption is linked to multiple factors, and influenced by different environments and contexts. In this dynamic of supply and demand for SPA, both legal and illegal, adolescents appear as linked actors, generally, from a degree of vulnerability and risk, and considering the different environments in which they develop, the school takes relevance both for thinking about the problem of consumption, as well as for identifying prevention strategies.

Objective: Under this problematic framework, the objective of this article is to interpret elements linked to the consumption of SPA that a group of school-aged adolescents takes into account to generate graphic representations of prevention.

Materials and methods: This study corresponds to the qualitative approach, which allows us to approach the understanding of the social events of the participating subjects, interpreting the perspectives that emerge from the reflection processes on the topic of study; a type of research that is understood as a situated activity, directed by interpretive practices to approach routine problems and meanings in the lives of individuals. Adolescents between the ages of 14 and 17 participated in the research, linked to secondary education in a Public Educational Institution in the Yacuanquer, sector in the department of Nariño (Colombia). To guarantee the integrity of the participants, the signing of informed consent was taken into account and the authorization of the student's parents was obtained.

The fieldwork began when the educational institution issued the endorsement for the development of the project. The directives defined that work be done in assigned hours for the development of student social work (academic requirement), thus the project was inserted as an institutional option for the students. Once registered, informed consent was signed, and also authorization from their parents. Six virtual meetings were held in which the topic of SPA consumption was worked on. As a workshop, the exchange of knowledge between participants was made possible, as well as prevention actions from peers. In these spaces, initially, the knowledge and previous experiences on the topic (knowledge) were investigated, and subsequently, feedback was provided from the research team (as a way of reinforcement and awareness).

Two techniques were used to collect information: observation and drawing; the first was implemented in the meetings that took place virtually through the MEET platform, due to the isolation rules defined by the health emergency due to the Covid-19 pandemic. In these meetings, group activities were developed from which, as a way of field notes were extracted from what the participants said about their knowledge and reactions to SPA consumption; the second, implemented to approach the dominant representations and discourses on the topic of consumption, and also to understand the link of these images with personal and social aspects of the participants, drawing was also considered as a form of impact in the context close to the students because the graphic productions were shared with classmates. The analysis of data collected in the group meetings was generated through a content analysis process, which allows permanent return to the data for the generation of interpretations, and under a coding process, the appearance of inductive categories was achieved. In the specific case of the drawings, they were subjected to analysis under the methodology proposed by Ayala and Koch (2019), taking the following stages of the analytical process: 1) contrast, 2) visualization, and 3) coding. In both cases, the qualitative data analysis software Atlas.ti version 8 was used.

Results: As for the results, these show preventive actions linked to a public health model in which graphic representations are built that show two central prevention trends: one focused on knowledge about SPA consumption and another on the valuation of life; In the first, the significant elements regarding the knowledge (knowledge) of adolescents about SPA are condensed, taking into account four aspects: a) definitions of SPA, b) causes of consumption, c) effects of consumption and d) typologies of substances; In the second trend, what was expressed by the participants indicates that the information provided to others through the drawings plays an important role in prevention, and here two relevant perspectives appear: a) based on knowledge about SPA, and b ) focused on valuing life. In the two central tendencies, there are aspects of emotional advertising for the mobilization of change behaviors in their peers, that is, it is found that there are graphic elements that incite an emotion.

Conclusions: It is concluded that the study constitutes an approach to the peer-to-peer prevention experience, allowing us to approach the experiences and meanings generated by SPA consumption in adolescents. A psychosocial conception of the problem appears as the basis for issuing preventive actions in an adolescent group. Regarding the graphic representations, it is concluded that the emotional component is relevant for the transmission of a message and therefore the group appeals to the mobilization of emotions such as fear and joy to incite a change in consumer behavior.