Association of substance-use behaviours and their social-cognitive determinants in secondary school students

Health Educ Res. 2007 Feb;22(1):81-94. doi: 10.1093/her/cyl050. Epub 2006 Jun 28.

Abstract

In two samples of Flemish secondary school students, co-occurrence of different types of substance use was observed: smoking was associated with marijuana use in Sample 1 (n = 597) and alcohol consumption in Sample 2 (n = 403). It was investigated whether social-cognitive determinants of these behaviours were also associated. Low to medium correlations were observed. Confirmatory factor analyses showed that a model with general social-cognitive factors (across different substances) did not have adequate fit. Substance use was mainly associated with variables referring to the specific substance under consideration, with the exception of self-efficacy in buying and smoking cigarettes; this factor was linked not only to smoking but also to alcohol and marijuana use. Adolescents who regularly used two substances generally held positions on social-cognitive scales that were more unfavourable than those who only used one substance. In order to change determinants of use, substance-specific cognitions and skills may be important targets.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Alcohol Drinking / epidemiology
  • Alcohol Drinking / psychology*
  • Attitude
  • Belgium / epidemiology
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Self Efficacy
  • Smoking / epidemiology
  • Smoking / psychology*
  • Social Environment
  • Students / psychology*
  • Substance-Related Disorders / epidemiology
  • Substance-Related Disorders / psychology*