Personal Construct Theory and constructivist drug education.

In recent years drug education has come under scrutiny. Research has found that drug education is having minimal impact. Questions have been raised as to the appropriateness of theories underpinning drug education programmes as well as the aims and purpose of programmes. As such, there is a call for new approaches. This paper explores the potential of a personal construct approach to drug education. Personal Construct Theory (PCT) has been used to understand drug use and treatment as well as an approach to education and training. Although generally thought of as an individualistic approach, there are also social, interpersonal as well as educational aspects to the theory. In this paper, we argue that drug education needs to remove itself from the political and moral arena and ground itself in a theory that relates to young people and drug use in today's society. In so doing it should aim to facilitate and educate young people in making informed and healthy choices. PCT offers one such approach.