TRAUMA EXPOSURE AND PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTRESS AS PREDICTORS OF SUBSTANCE USE RISK AMONG ADOLESCENTS

Abstract

Substance use among adolescents is an important public health concern because of its adverse consequences for their psychological well-being, health, and social functioning. Therefore, this study investigated trauma exposure and psychological distress as predictors of substance use risk among adolescents. The study adopted a cross-sectional research design involving 160 adolescents aged 14–18 years who were selected from secondary schools in Lagos State, using a random sampling procedure. Data were collected using the Adverse Childhood Experiences Questionnaire (ACE Questionnaire), the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS-21), and the CRAFFT substance use screening instrument. Binary logistic regression was performed to assess the risk of substance use by adolescents. The dependent variable was categorised into low-risk and high-risk substance use risk. The findings revealed that trauma exposure significantly predicted substance use risk among adolescents. The results also showed that psychological distress was also related to the risk of substance use. The combined logistic regression model containing trauma exposure and psychological distress significantly predicted substance use risk among adolescents. Based on the findings, the three null hypotheses were rejected at the 0.05 level of significance. The study concluded that trauma exposure and psychological distress are significant statistical predictors of substance use risk among adolescents. The study recommends early identification of adolescents experiencing trauma exposure and psychological distress, alongside the provision of trauma-informed and mental health-focused interventions in schools and communities to help reduce their vulnerability to substance use.