The relationship between involvement in unstructured unsupervised leisure and substance use in a cohort of adolescent male skateboarders
Year: 2011
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: The purpose of this study was to analyze the relationship between skateboarding and substance use among a cohort of adolescent male skateboarders residing in two metropolitan regions in the Eastern United States.The tenets of the individual level routine activity theory (Osgood, Wilson, O'Malley, Bachman, & Johnston, 1996), provided the theoretical foundation for this study.The routine activity theory suggests activities that combine: (a) socializing with peers, (b) freedom from adult supervision, and (c) a lack of structure provide an environment uniquely conducive for problem behavior including substance use.Using a location-based intercept protocol, a purposive sample of 124 male skateboarders in grades 9-12 was recruited from 14 skate parks and street skating spots.Skateboarding involvement and substance use data were collected using a self-administered, 45-item instrument.Objective measures of skateboarding included time spent skating, primary skating location, and skating with peers.Subjective measures assessed leisure identity and enduring involvement with skateboarding.Current (within the previous 30 days) alcohol, tobacco, and marijuana use data were analyzed as dichotomous variables (has used/has not used) in chi square tests and Generalized Linear Modeling (SPSS).It is with great humility that I express my sincerest appreciation to the individuals who gave to me their support, guidance and encouragement throughout my studies at Kent State.I am certain that without your support, pursuing this long-standing dream of mine would not have been possible.I would like to thank Dr. Cynthia Symons for so artfully balancing the roles of mentor, teacher, critic and ally.To say that you have been instrumental in my development as a health educator and a scholar would be sorely inadequate.Throughout the dissertation process, your careful consideration and feedback on draft after draft after draft was indispensable and truly appreciated, even if I was not always very gracious about receiving it.I must also thank you for the opportunity to share in what must certainly be one of the oddest of legacies in academia at Kent State-the annual Fishing Rodeo.What a wonderful thing that simple afternoon of fishing, gardening, and Boggle in the company of good friends has become.I want to express my gratitude to the other members of my committee.Thank you, Dr. Ding.As a co-advisor, your patient guidance in instrument design and statistical analysis helped me create a sound and logical research design.Thank you, Dr. Balan.In addition to the insightful feedback you provided at my proposal, your connection to the skate community in Kent played an integral role in facilitating the pilot testing of the data collection instrument and sampling protocol used in this study.I want to express my appreciation to Jackson Tankersley for providing technical assistance with the pilot study and for sharing his knowledge of skateboarding from a skater's point of view.More importantly, I want express my admiration for Mr. Tankersley as he exemplifies the valuable contribution that participating in the sport of skateboarding can make to positive youth development.v I want to express my deepest gratitude to Sandy and the rest of my family for their unconditional love and encouragement while I was away at school.As a family, we have been through a lot over the past six years.I am not sure I could have muddled through school without knowing I had your support.Thank you.Finally, I would like to dedicate this dissertation in loving memory of my mother, who also went by the name of Judy (or Big Judy, as around our house I was relegated to Little Judy).She was convinced that I could do anything I set my mind to doing.
Author: Judith A. Johns
Institution: Kent State University
Language: English
Subfield: Epidemiology
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W287459271