1. Ecstasy : patterns of use in Scotland and psychological disturbance, and research portfolio
- Author
-
Stocks, Ruth
- Subjects
610 - Abstract
Aims. The aim of the study was to assess patterns of Ecstasy-use in Scotland's two major cities and to investigate the predicted association between MDMA and psychological disturbance. Design, Setting and Participants. A survey was conducted using self-report questionnaires, distributed by 'snowballing' to recreational, polydrug-users in Edinburgh and Glasgow. Measurements. Psychological disturbance was measured using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale and the 28-item General Health Questionnaire. Findings. Most of the sample had been using Ectsasy for over five years and almost 20% used it at least weekly. Although the majority usually took no more than a single dose, nearly 10o/o took two and a half or more tablets on each occasion and over 10% had taken more than five tablets at a time. No differences were found between a subgroup of 20 Ecstasy users and a matched group of polydrug-users who had never tried Ecstasy, on scores of psychopathology. Heaviness of use in the previous year accounted for a very small but ignificant percentage of the variance in scores for depression and social dysfunction. Conclusions. Regular use of the drug was found to be more widespread in the sample than has been found elsewhere, and, contrary to previous reports, there was no indication of a tendency to limit use of Ecstasy with time. Heavier levels of Ecstasy-use may be associated with depressive sytnptomatology and social dysfunction.
- Published
- 1997