This document is a school-based assessment project on alcohol consumption among students ages 13-18 in Kingston, Jamaica. The student researcher conducted a survey of 30 students at Wolmer's Boys and Girls High School using a questionnaire to understand the extent of alcohol use and factors influencing consumption. Key findings included that 30% of students drank most at ages 15-16, 50% began drinking by personal choice, and 43% reported alcohol affected their behavior negatively. The researcher recommends educating parents on consequences of underage drinking, limiting youth access to parties promoting underage alcohol use, and enforcing strict rules for event promoters.

1. CARIBBEAN SECONDARY EXAMINATION
COUNCIL
SCHOOL BASED ASSESSMENT: SOCIAL STUDIES
To what extent do students in the area, 2A Marescaux Road
Kingston 10, whether male or female, ages 13-18 engage in
The consumption of alcohol and what measures can be
Implemented to minimize the problem?
CANDIDATE #: 1001293336
CANDIDATE: SASHAY POTTINGER
CENTRE: WOLMERS’ GIRLS’ HIGH SCHOOL
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2. TABLE OF CONTENS
Acknowledgement
Statement of the Problem
Reason for Selecting the Area of research
Method of Investigation
Instrument Used to Collect Data
Procedures Used to Collect Data
Presentation of Data
Analysis and Interpretation of Data
Presentation of Data
Recommendation and Implementation Strategy
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3. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
It is in my great desire to thank those who made it possible
for the completion of this assignment. First and foremost let
me thank the students of the Wolmer’s Boy’s and Girls’ High
school for their massive support and cooperation, also for
finding time to answer the questionnaire given.
Members of my family have been a constant support of
encouragement and support. I would like to thank my dear
friend, Oshin Crawford, who has found precious time to give
her assistance. I would also like to thank my Social Studies
teacher, Ms. Lawrence, for giving a basis outline in what is to
be done. Finally, I give thanks to god in giving me the
strength and courage to press on, keeping me through the
late nights and finding that determination within me
through this exercise.
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4. STATMENT OF THE PROBLEM
To what extent do students in the area, 2A Marescaux Road
Kingston 10, ages 13-18 engage in the consumption of
alcohol and what measures can be implemented to
minimize the problem?
I. What are the factors that contribute to students, ages 13-18, to
engage in the consumption of alcohol?
II. Did the behaviour of the students change, resulting from alcohol
consumption?
III. What measures can be implemented to control the issue of students
consuming alcohol?
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5. REASON FOR SELECTING THE AREA
OF RESEARCH
It is now evident that it has become the norm for under aged
teenagers to be part takers in the consumption of alcohol. As
a student of going to a prominent high school, I have heard
of fellow school mates talk about the type of alcohol they
have consumed, which has become a popular topic to speak
about. I found this topic to be very interesting mainly
because of the mere fact that under aged students are part
taking in drinking alcohol, which should not be happening.
In addition, students can be influenced to consume alcohol
by diverse factors. The main factor is social events. When
students attend parties, ‘dance’ or clubs, they tend to
consume alcohol, even more than they should. Not only am I
interested in finding the extent to which they consume
alcohol, but the measures that could be executed to lessen
the problem.
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6. METHOD OF RESEARCH
In order to collect data, a printed questionnaire was used for
the research. A questionnaire has a number of advantages.
It takes little or no time to be completed
It guarantees total confidentiality of the respondents.
It is not time consuming and it as the convenience of the
person required to fill it out.
The thirty (30) questionnaires consisted of fifteen (15)
questions. The answers for the questions only required a tick
or a short answer question. The questionnaires were carried
out in complete confidentiality. Hence, respondents were not
required to include any personal data such as their names
and addresses.
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7. DATA COLLECTION INSTRUMENT
QESTIONNAIRE
I am a Social Studies student, from Wolmer’s high school for girls, researching
the extent to which high school students consume alcohol. This is being done
for my Social Studies School Based Assessment. You are required to be
completely honest and truthful. Since you are not required to write your
names, no one will know who answered this particular questionnaire.
1. What is your age?
13-14 years
15-16 years
17-18 years
2. What is your family type?
Nuclear
Single Parent
Sibling
Extended
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8. 3. Do you part take in consuming alcohol?
Daily
Weekly
Occasionally
No I do not
4. Were you ever pressured to drink?
Never
Most times
Rarely
5. Why do you drink?
Peer Pressure group
For Leisure
Domestic problems
Other ___________________________________________________
6. Which type of alcohol do you consume?
Beer
Wine
Spirits (colour less alcoholic beverage)
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9. 7. Are your parents/guardians aware that you consume alcohol?
Yes, they do
No, they do not
8. Do your friends drink?
Some of my friends drink
None of my friends drink
All of my friends drink
9. When do you drink the most?
At parties
When facing domestic problems
Stressed
Other _______________________________________________________
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10. 1. Do you have emotional problems?
Rarely
Most times
Never
2. Does alcohol consumption influence your behaviour?
Most times
Rarely
Never
3. Does alcohol affect your health?
Yes
No
Sometimes
4. What age did you begin to drink?
13-14 years
15-16 years
17-18 years
Do not drink
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11. 5. Have you ever tried to prevent yourself from drinking?
Most times
Rarely
Never
I do not drink
6. Are you willing to stop drinking alcoholic beverages?
Yes I am willing
No I am not willing
Not sure
7. Which measure you think would be more effective in helping you or
others to stop consume alcohol?
Seminars
Therapy
Avoid going to parties
Avoid peer pressure group
Other_______________________________________________________
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12. PROCEDURE FOR COLLECTING DATA
It would have been quite impossible for me to get a response
from every high school student, within the ages of 13-18, in
Kingston where the research is done. Hence, two specific
prominent high schools within the area were targeted. Both
Wolmer’s Boys and Girls School approximately consists of
about 1200, which only 15 students from each were necessary in
order to ensure accurate conclusions.
I therefore decided to choose the students by randomly selecting
students. The thirty selected students were provided with
questionnaires, instances where the students, who were
interested, could not fill out the questionnaires at the spur of the
moment were allowed to return them the next day.
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13. PRESENTATION OF DATA
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14. ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION
According to the collected, it can be said that thirty percent (30%)
of the students of Wolmer’s Girls and Boys mostly consume
alcohol at the ages of 15-16. Whilst you have five of thirty students
(17%) who does not drink alcohol.
Based on data collected, it can also de said that majority of
students (50%) who began to consume alcohol, did so based on
their own decision. Whilst, ten of the thirty students (33%) were
pressured to drink by their peers.
One can also develop, from the data collected, that students mostly
when attend social events such as parties and ‘dance’ etc.
Also, it was detected that forty three percentage (43%) of the times
students consume alcohol, it affected their behaviour in a negative
way, meaning they got drunk. Hence, loosing self control and
consciousness.
Data collected have shown that six out of the thirty students (20%)
actually want to change and are willing to stop consuming alcohol.
At the same time, nineteen of the thirty students (63%) said they
were not willing to stop consuming alcohol, despite the fact that it
influences their behaviour negatively.
Apparently, for students who are willing to change, they prefer to
avoid friends who pressure them to drink rather than avoid going
parties. It was also observed that no student wanted a therapist and
seventeen percent (17%) of the students who were willing to
change, believed that other methods could have helped them to
stop drinking alcohol.
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15. PRESENTATION OF FINDINGS
Students, the ages of 15-16 part take in the consumption of
alcohol the most.
Majority of the students, who consumes alcohol, did so
base on their own decision.
Majority of students questioned were affect negatively by
consumption of alcohol. In other words, the alcoholic
beverage made them drunk, leaving them partially
unconscious and some not having self control.
Many students are not willing to stop drinking, but the
minority who do, do not believe that avoiding parties is the
answer to stop consuming alcohol. They prefer to drop a
friend that influences them to.
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16. RECOMMENDATIONS
Parents should ensure that it becomes their number one
responsibility to educate their child about the consequences
of drinking. Parents should ensure that their child do not
attend social events that encourages under aged children to
part take in consuming alcoholic beverages.
Parents should limit the amount of parties their child attend.
Also adults who promote these events should encourage
under aged children to refrain from drinking alcohol or
from consuming too much in order for it not to influence
their behaviour.
Government should implement strict rules and penalities
for promoters of social events who condone under aged
children consuming alcoholic beverages. The government
should ensure that these social events have strict security
measures.
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