ISSUP Chapter Ecuador /” Instituto Prevén” Foundation / Secular University “Eloy Alfaro” Manta, Ecuador/Hemisferios University
Abstract
Preventive Intervention program for the consumption of psychoactive substances of a selective nature for university students incorporated in the curriculum of all careers
The research agrees with a constant increase in the consumption of psychoactive substances in the university population due to the transition from a safe and controlled environment (secondary education system) to an environment of self-regulated freedom, the general view of low risk perception and great social tolerance to the substance use that has become normalized and generalized among young people’s consumption.
For this reason, the Ecuadorian legislation establishes that all higher education institutions, on a mandatory basis, should include in the curricula of all careers and academic programs, prevention strategies for drug use and consumption (Art.# 4 of the Law against the Consumption and micro-trafficking of drugs of Ecuador).
We have built a selective primary and preventive intervention model that has been incorporated into the universities curriculum. The studies are based on the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) by Ajzen (1991) with the components of the TPB (perceived behavioral control, subjective norm, attitudes and real behavioral control), as well as the self-efficacy and emotional intelligence factors to reduce the consumption of psychoactive substances with the highest incidence/use (alcohol, tobacco and marijuana) and the intention of consumption among university students.