Zervou Chryssoula, Head of the Research Department of KETHEA PLEFSI Sociodemographic characteristics of individuals who contacted KETHEA-PLEFSI during 2004-2008. Zervou Chryssoula, Head of the Research Department of KETHEA PLEFSI

During the years 2004-2008 the number of adolescents who contacted KETHEA PLEFSI was 281.

SEX The percentage of the boys and girls remains stable. 2 out of the 10 adolescents are girls.

AGE The average adolescent’s age when they come to KETHEA PLEFSI is 17.5 years old

SOURCE OF REFERENCE Most of the adolescents (96.4%) where new members and had no previous experience of therapy (89.3%) The family of the adolescents is the most common reference source, as the parents are the first to ask for services.

EDUCATIONAL LEVEL 83.6% of the adolescents are still in school when they come to KETHEA PLEFSI. Only 9% of the adolescents have dropped out their education, at the average age of 16 years old.

EDUCATIONAL LEVEL Most of the adolescents that are still in school, are at a secondary level, high school and lyceum.

FAMILY ENVIRONMENT The majority of the adolescents ( 95.7%) were Greek. 92.9% of the adolescents lived with their parents. 3 out of 10 were living with one of their parents as the latter were not living together. 18% of the adolescents were living with other drug users at the same house, usually siblings.

FAMILY ENVIRONMENT - FATHER 13.5% of the adolescents reported that their father had alcohol problems

FAMILY ENVIRONMENT- MOTHER At the other side, adolescents reported that their mother had psychological problems.

FAMILY ENVIRONMENT-SIBLINGS As it seems from the diagram above, the main issue of the brothers and sisters is the drug use.

FAMILY ENVIRONMENT A big percentage (46%) of the adolescents who asked for services reported that at least one of the other members of the family (father/mother/siblings) faces psychological or alcohol or drug use problems.

SUBSTANCE USE – FIRST SUBSTANCE USE The average age the adolescents had their first substance use experience, is 15 years old. The first substance they try is Cannabis (91.8%)

SUBSTANCE USE – MAIN SUBSTANCE OF USE After a while, at the average age of 15,2 adolescents start the use of the main substance, which remains Cannabis, at a percentage of 89.7%. These findings are closely related to the profile of our services.

SUBSTANCE USE – MAIN SUBSTANCE OF USE Many adolescents use the main substance at a rate of about once a week. By the time they come to KETHEA PLEFSI they have already an average of 2 years of use.

SUBSTANCE USE – SECONDARY SUBSTANCES The secondary substances the adolescents mostly use are Cocaine, MDMA (Ecstasy) and LSD.

DRINKING AND SMOKING As long as for the adolescent’s drinking habits, most of them (40.6%) refer that they drink 1-2 drinks per week and a percentage of 31.7% refers that they don’t drink alcohol at all. Smoking on the other hand, is a daily habit. 38.4% of the adolescents refer that they smoke more than 20 cigarettes per day. Only a percentage of 10% refers that they don’t smoke at all.

SEXUAL BEHAVIOR Almost half of the adolescents (46%) refer that they have sexual relationship with a stable companion, while a percentage of 40.2% refers that they are not in a permanent relationship. As for the protection they use, most of the adolescents (41.3%) refer that they always use condom and others (23%) that they use it often.

ILLEGAL BEHAVIOR The adolescents that address to KETHEA PLEFSI usually don’t have problems with the law. A percentage of 23.5 reported that they had been arrested at least once, at the average age of 16 years old