Anabolic Steroid Use and School Discipline Problems in Teens

Introduction

Anabolic steroid use represents a growing trend in substance abuse among adolescents. Teens take steroids to enhance their performance in sports and other activities. However, the effects of anabolic steroids extend well beyond immediate performance enhancement. Anabolic steroids are associated with increased aggression, depression, and major health problems later in life. This paper examines the use of anabolic steroids and the propensity toward discipline problems in the school system, particularly those involving violent acts toward other students and staff members.

Anabolic steroids have become the substance of choice for a growing number of teens. It is estimated that nearly 500,000 eighth- through tenth-grade students use anabolic steroids on a regular basis (Melloni, 2006). Anabolic steroids can only be obtained by prescription in the United States, but this does not prevent teens from obtaining them through sources shipped from other countries and smuggled across the border (Gober et al., 2006). Anabolic steroids, in combination with exercise and proper diet, can promote increased muscle size and strength (Gober et al., 2006).

The ability to enhance workouts and achieve faster results is a key factor in the appeal of anabolic steroids to teens. Steroids also decrease recovery time between workouts (Gober et al., 2006). Anabolic steroids work in a manner similar to the body's natural muscle-building mechanism, but this does not mean they are safe. Their negative effects — especially for teens — are key reasons for discouraging adolescent use (Gober et al., 2006).

Teen bodies are in a state of transition, often resulting in rapidly fluctuating hormone levels that are particularly volatile during the adolescent years. Anabolic steroids produce many symptoms, including euphoria, increased energy, sexual arousal, forgetfulness, and an inability to concentrate (Gober et al., 2006). These are only a sample of the potential effects on the developing teen. The symptoms can be minor, or they can significantly impair the teen's ability to interact in social settings (Gober et al., 2006). Steroid use can have a devastating impact on the teen, their family, and those around them.

It is the capacity of steroids to affect a teen's social interactions and decision-making ability that is of central interest to this research study. As a school guidance counselor, one of the key responsibilities is to help teens who are struggling with social interactions learn to engage successfully with others. Anabolic steroid use causes many changes in the adolescent body that can be linked to maladjustment in the school setting. This study examines the connection between anabolic steroid use and the tendency toward disciplinary actions at school.

Research Problem and Significance

Anabolic steroid use is not only a significant problem for the individual teen, but it is also problematic for the school system due to the potential for increased aggression, depression, and suicidal tendencies. The objective of the school system extends beyond academics. Schools must also ensure that adolescents grow into responsible adults prepared to face the challenges of the world. Anabolic steroid use can affect a student's academic ability and their capacity to develop the social skills needed to achieve their goals, thereby preventing teens from realizing their full potential. This is the central problem addressed by the proposed research study, which focuses on determining whether a definitive connection exists between anabolic steroid use and disciplinary actions in the school system.

This research problem is important for all those involved in helping teens develop into happy, productive adults. The study examines the impact that steroid use has on the likelihood that a teen will be prone to disciplinary problems in the school setting. It will help guidance counselors and other mental health professionals identify students at risk for developing behavioral problems, and it will assist them in devising appropriate intervention plans. Understanding the connection between anabolic steroid use and school discipline problems is an important step toward developing strategies to prevent steroid use from becoming destructive for the adolescent.

A wealth of literature exists regarding anabolic steroids and their effects on adolescent development. This body of work covers the medical aspects of steroid use — including endocrine, neurological, and neurotransmitter effects — as well as various approaches to treatment. This study draws only on information from credible academic journals published within the past five years.

Literature Review

Current research demonstrates that the aggression experienced by those taking anabolic steroids may cause changes in the brain that result in aggressive tendencies long after steroid use is discontinued (Melloni, 2006). The same study found that changes in aggression rose and fell alongside neurotransmitter levels in the brain's aggression-control region (Melloni, 2006). Although that study used hamsters as subjects, similar effects are suspected in human steroid users due to the many similarities between rodent and human nervous systems (Melloni, 2006). In that study, the aggressive effects of steroids lasted as long as two weeks after the substance was discontinued, and it was suggested that long-term use at critical developmental periods might lead to permanent brain changes.

Anabolic steroid use may be particularly dangerous for adolescents. Teen bodies are undergoing erratic hormonal changes, and testosterone is one of the key hormones responsible for the development of muscle mass, particularly in boys. Taking steroids can boost testosterone levels, creating a volatile situation in terms of mood and other normal developmental factors (Gober et al., 2006). Anabolic steroids also affect cortisol levels, which can trigger a variety of emotional reactions including aggression and depression (Gober et al., 2006). Predicting the reactions of anabolic steroids in the adolescent body is considerably more difficult than in adults, which is one of the key reasons to continue fighting against adolescent steroid use.

Anabolic steroids can produce many unwanted physical and psychological effects in teens, including aggressive tendencies, suicidal tendencies, and other harmful psychological consequences (Gober et al., 2006). Steroids may intensify existing psychological conditions and have been shown to increase impulsive behavior as well as paranoid delusions (Gober et al., 2006). Mood changes can occur within days of initiating steroid use and may persist for some time after use is stopped, suggesting that residual effects may reflect permanent structural and chemical changes in the brain. Anabolic steroid use has also been associated with low self-esteem (Gober et al., 2006).

One of the key questions confronting researchers is whether anabolic steroids can cause psychological conditions in teens who had no preexisting psychological issues prior to beginning steroid use. The literature is inconclusive on this point. While psychological conditions are clearly associated with anabolic steroid use, researchers have not reached consensus on the direction of causality. It may be that certain psychological conditions predispose a teen to use anabolic steroids, or it may be that steroid use causes those conditions. The current literature does not resolve this question.

Teens also face social adversity on a continuing basis. Research indicates that social adversity is a factor associated with the development of psychological problems, and the onset of such problems can be rapid or gradual depending on the degree of adversity and the number of variables present (Goodyer, 2002). This study will consider the level of adversity in a teen's life in an attempt to determine whether adversity affects the propensity toward disciplinary problems independently of, or in combination with, steroid use.

Beyond anabolic steroids themselves, teens also use many over-the-counter supplements such as dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA). While not classified as a steroid, DHEA is a precursor to the body's natural steroid production. DHEA and similar substances form the building blocks of steroidal compounds and are sometimes used in place of steroids. Their effects are similar to those of actual steroids, yet these substances are readily available at pharmacies (Fish, Goldberg, & Spratt, 2005). For the purposes of this study, taking substances such as DHEA that enhance the body's steroidal production will be treated the same as direct steroid supplementation, given that their effects on social behavior may be comparable.

A key area of research focuses on treating the depression and aggression caused by steroid use. Effective treatment has been achieved through the use of common antidepressants (Schule et al., 2003). This is important for guidance counselors, as it provides clear treatment options for students affected by steroid use. Knowing that mental health interventions are available will help in developing strategies for students whose social functioning is being negatively affected.

The literature review revealed many facets of academic research relevant to this study. Research will need to account for any history of underlying psychological illness, as well as adversity in the student's life that may affect their reaction to and successful treatment of steroidal dependence. The literature also confirms that multiple treatment options exist for those who develop anabolic steroid addictions, which will be valuable if this study establishes a connection between steroid use and school disciplinary problems.

Importantly, the literature review indicated that anabolic steroid use has been studied from many angles, yet there is a considerable lack of knowledge regarding its connection to real-world social problems. The link between anabolic steroid use and aggression is well documented in research settings, but this study will apply that knowledge to the actual social interactions of teens in the school environment.