Low Family and High Substances Satisfaction as Important Predictors of Adolescent Hashish Use#

ABSTRACT

Aims: We investigated the hypothesis, that hashish use among adolescents is strongly related to low levels of satisfaction at home within the family and high gratification from substance usage.

Methods: A survey was conducted among 1406 students whose ages ranged from 15 to 22 years old. More specifically, the students all from 16 different Secondary Schools, located on the island of Crete, Greece, were asked to anonymously complete a questionnaire, which referred to their family relations, family size, and substance usage. Hierarchical analysis was used.

Results: It was found that in hashish users, there is 2.5 times less family satisfaction (p=0.002), including the absence of both parents from home (p=0.03) and 9 times more substance satisfaction (smoking p=0.001, and consumption of alcohol p=0.026) compared to non users.

Conclusions: There is a low family satisfaction and high satisfaction from smoking and alcohol characterizing hashish’s users. The present findings may have implications for the prevention and intervention in hashish use by adolescents.