Peer pressure and social adjustment as predictive indicators of substance abuse among selected sample of psychiatric patients in a teaching hospital in south-west, Nigeria

Abstract

Segun-Martins IO, Dennis UD, Ilori OP

Substance abuse is a major public health challenge the world over. Adequate research connection has not been fully established between peer pressure and social adjustment as predictors of substance abuse particularly among psychiatric patient. Therefore, this study examined the roles of peer pressure and social adjustment in predicting perceived substance abuse among Psychiatric patients. Using cross-sectional survey design, 198 patients (Male=119; Female=79) participated in the study. Their ages ranged from 18-40 (M=28.45, SD=4.22). Instruments used were 10-item Peer Pressure Inventory (PPI), 45-item Social Adjustment Inventory (SA), and 10-item Drug Abuse Screening (DAS). Three hypotheses were formulated and tested. The result showed that, peer pressure (β=0.33; p<0.05 level of significance) and social adjustments (β=0.61;p<0.05 level of significance) were significant predictors of substance abuse among Psychiatric Patients. The result of the regression analysis showed that peer pressure (β=0.38,p<0.01) significantly predicted substance abuse, social adjustment (β=0.25,p<0.01) showed a significant relationship to substance abuse and the two variables jointly predicted substance abuse (F(2.198)=3.97,p<0.05). It was recommended that the health sector should engage in enlightenment campaign on the negative consequences of substance abuse among psychiatric patients.

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