Predictive factors of substance misuse and abuse in South Korean adolescents: a secondary data analysis of the 2021 Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey

Abstract

Purpose: This study aimed to identify the general characteristics and health behaviors of students with non-therapeutic substance use.Methods: This secondary data analysis used data from the 17th Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey (2021). Analyses of the 54,848 adolescents used descriptive statistics, the Rao–Scott χ2 test, and logistic regression.Results: The risk factors for substance use among students were anxiety, loneliness, living separately from family, suicidal ideation, e-cigarette use, and high stress.Conclusion: The findings help identify the risk factors for non-therapeutic drug use among adolescents. Since South Korea does not have a drug prevention program for its adolescent population, an educational plan based on these findings could help prevent adolescent substance abuse.

The Mediating Effect of Depression on the Relationship between Loneliness and Substance Use in Korean Adolescents

“…Loneliness was assessed using the question, “During the past 12 months, how often have you felt lonely?” The original response scale (never, rarely, sometimes, often, and always) was reclassified into “No” (“never” to “sometimes”) and “Yes” (“often” and “always”) [ 8 , 15 ].…”