Predicting Use and Maintenance of Use of Substances in Scottish Adolescents

Psychological flexibility, self-compassion, subjective well-being, and substance misuse in college students: a serial mediation model

Substance misuse is a pressing public health concern, especially among emerging adults, with implications for psychological health and overall well-being. This cross-sectional study investigates the mediating roles of self-compassion and subjective well-being in the relationship between psychological flexibility and substance misuse among Turkish college students. The study included 445 emerging adults enrolled at a state university in Türkiye. University participants were recruited via convenience sampling using snowball methods. Data were collected using self-report scales. The sample was 69% female (n = 307) and 31% male (n = 138) and ranged in age from 18 to 26 years (M = 20.85, SD = 1.35). In the study, Pearson product-moment correlation analysis was conducted to examine the relationships between the variables and then the serial mediation model was tested. The findings have revealed that psychological flexibility significantly predicts substance misuse, subjective well-being, and self-compassion. Additionally, the study identifies self-compassion as a mediator in the relationship between psychological flexibility and subjective well-being. While self-compassion contributes significantly to well-being, it does not explain the impact of psychological flexibility on substance misuse. Furthermore, subjective well-being also appears to be a mediator in the relationship between psychological flexibility and substance misuse, emphasizing its potential significance in reducing the likelihood of resorting substance misuse. Overall, the study contributes to understanding the pivotal role of self-compassion and psychological flexibility in fostering well-being and preventing substance misuse in the college setting.

That's what friends are for: adolescent peer social status, health-related quality of life and healthcare costs

BACKGROUND

Social connections at all stages of life are essential for physical and mental well-being. Of particular importance are social relationships during adolescence that shape adult health behaviors and health outcomes.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to estimate the association between adolescent peer status in school and later-life quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) and healthcare costs.

METHODS

This study used social network and health outcomes data from Wave I (ages 12-18 years) and Wave III (ages 18-24 years) of the US National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (n = 10,578) to compare QALYs and healthcare costs (in 2012 US$) by adolescent peer status in US schools. Generalized linear models controlled for school fixed effects, individual and family characteristics, and US census block neighborhood effects. Non-parametric bootstrapping accounted for residual skewness in QALYs and healthcare costs. Net monetary benefit (NMB) was calculated by converting adjusted 5-year QALYs into US$ values and subtracting 5-year healthcare costs. NMB was then compared across quintiles of adolescent peer status in school at Wave I.

RESULTS

Results obtained from non-parametric bootstrapping indicate that adolescents with higher peer status in school experience significantly better health and lower healthcare costs over the next 5 years. At US$50,000 per QALY, adolescents with 8 or more friends achieved NMB of US$214,300 (95 % CI 212,800-215,800) over a 5-year span, in comparison to adolescents with 0-1 friends, who attained US$209,900 (95 % CI 207,900-211,700) NMB. This difference translates into approximately US$4,440 (95 % CI 2,036-6,825) per socially disengaged adolescent in additional health costs and/or reduced QALYs over 5 years.

CONCLUSION

The study calls for randomized controlled trials targeting adolescent peer group structures in schools as a means to promote better health and lower healthcare costs in adulthood.

The contribution of internal resources, external resources, and emotional distress to use of drugs and alcohol among Israeli Jewish urban adolescents

The contribution of selected background variables (age, gender), internal resources (mastery, emotional maturity), external resources (parental and peer support), and emotional distress to alcohol and drug use among 160 Israeli Jewish urban high school students were examined. Analyzing the variables with hierarchical regression, emotional distress contributed most significantly to both alcohol and drug use, and the contribution of age was somewhat less significant for both of them. Emotional distress also contributed indirectly to drug use through an interaction with one's sense of mastery. Gender, internal resources, and external resources contributed differentially to alcohol and drug use. Whereas gender and internal resources contributed only to drug use, external resources contributed only to alcohol use. Specifically, peer support contributed positively to alcohol use whereas parental support contributed negatively. The discussion provides explanations for these research findings and their implications, and the research's limitations are noted.

The relationship between subjective wellbeing, low income and substance use among schoolchildren in the north west of England: a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

The consumption of tobacco, alcohol and illegal drugs by young people is a public health concern. This study aimed to explore the associations between subjective wellbeing, living in a low-income household and substance use by schoolchildren.

METHODS

Data were analysed from a nationally representative cross-sectional survey of schoolchildren in England (Tellus4, 2009). Participants were 3903 children aged 10 and 15 years from two local authorities in the North West. Eligibility for free school meals provided a proxy for living in a low-income household. Multiple logistic regression was conducted with the main outcome measure, a composite indicator of self-reported regular substance use.

RESULTS

More boys than girls had experimented with drugs or alcohol, but in the fourth year of secondary education, girls were significantly more likely than boys to have been drunk (P ≤ 0.001). In the multivariate analysis, older age was the most important factor associated with the consumption of substances. Living in a low-income household was associated with substance use, adjusting for age and subjective wellbeing (adj. OR = 1.78, 95% CI = 1.36-2.34). Respondents who reported being happy (adj. OR = 0.67, 95% CI = 0.52-0.86) or able to communicate with their family (adj. OR = 0.51, 95% CI = 0.39-0.65), were less likely to be regular users.

CONCLUSIONS

Interventions to prevent regular substance use should be carefully targeted by age. Policies aimed at social determinants may be an important adjunct to individual-level interventions to reduce some inequalities in health associated with substance misuse.

Measuring school-related subjective well-being in adolescents

The tripartite model of subjective well-being (SWB) incorporates 3 components: frequent positive emotions, infrequent negative emotions, and an overall positive evaluation of life circumstances (Diener, Suh, Lucas, & Smith, 1999). In light of the large amount of time that youth spend in school, this study investigated a tripartite model of school-related SWB among adolescents, based on 3 measures of SWB appropriate for adolescents. The measures included a measure of school satisfaction (SS) and measures of positive and negative emotions experienced specifically during school hours. Confirmatory factor analysis was conducted to analyze the factorial validity of 3- and 4-factor models of school-related SWB in a sample of 921 adolescents. Results indicated that a 4-factor model comprised of positive emotions, negative emotions, fear-related negative emotions, and SS best described the structure of school-related SWB in the current sample. Results also revealed a comparable factor structure for male and female students. The study points to the possible benefits of a contextualized approach to SWB that takes into account the specific environments in which adolescents live.

Predicting general well-being from self-esteem and affectivity: An exploratory study with Scottish adolescents

The present study investigated the association between the personality constructs of self-esteem/affectivity and General Well-Being (GWB) in Scottish adolescents. A total of 425 secondary school pupils completed the P.G.I. General Well-Being Scale [Verma et al. Ind J. Clin. Psychol. 10 (1983) 299], the Hare Self-esteem Scale (HSES) [Hare, The Hare General and Area-Specific (School, Peer, and Home) Self-esteem Scale. Unpublished manuscript, Department of Sociology, SUNY Stony Brook, New York, mineo, 1985] and the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS) [Watson et al. J Personal Soc Psychol 54 (1988a) 1063]. Combined self-esteem, positive and negative affectivity, age and gender accounted for 49.7% of the total GWB variance, 24.9% of the physical well-being variance, 41.6% of the mood/affect well-being variance, 33.3% of the anxiety well-being variance and 44.3% of the self/others well-being variance. Home self-esteem was found the strongest predictor of mood/affect and self/others well-being domains as well as well-being total. It was also the second best predictor of anxiety well-being domain. School self-esteem was the strongest predictor of physical well-being, whereas negative affectivity was the strongest predictor of anxiety well-being domain. However age and gender were not significantly associated with GWB, total or domain specific. The study adds to previous evidence regarding the high association between GWB and personality factors in adult and adolescent populations. Directions for future research are discussed.