Psychosocial Predictors of Drug Use Disorders among Secondary School Adolescents in Abuja, Nigeria: The Role of Emotional Neglect, Family Dysfunction, and Parental Substance Abuse.

Abstract

<ns7:p>Background The study analyzed psychosocial predictors of secondary school adolescents between emotional neglect, family dysfunction, parental substance abuse, and their drug use disorders in Abuja, Nigeria. Methods The paper also adopted the descriptive cross-sectional research design within the quantitative research approach. A sample of 275 was drawn from a population size of 965 through multistage sampling techniques. Data collection instruments included a self-developed questionnaire comprising the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ) for Emotional Neglect Subscale, an adapted Family Assessment Device (FAD), and Parental Substance Abuse Checklist. Five experts validated the instruments: three medical doctors and two secondary school teachers. The Cronbach’s alpha coefficient, finally used on the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ) for Emotional Neglect Subscale, was found to be 0.760; data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Results The results of the findings reveal that there has not been a day in the past year when they drank more than a few sips of alcohol; also, it shows that the relationship between emotional neglect and drug use disorder among secondary school students is concerning. The study shows that the overall family dysfunction score provides very significant insights about the familial relationships observed among students, and finally, the study shows low parental substance abuse. Conclusions The researchers, therefore, conclude that in the quest to reduce psychosocial factors related to drug use disorder among adolescents, family training on how to avoid emotional neglect should be emphasized. Recommendations Finally, it is recommended that there should be a partnership treatment plan between mental health practitioners, teachers, and policymakers to share insightful information concerning emotional well-being that would help establish more supportive conditions for adolescents.</ns7:p>