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Contribution title Decoding Adolescent Substance Use: Identifying Key Risk Factors
Contribution code D2.129
Authors
  1. Florina Rad “Carol Davila” University of Medicine and Pharmacy Bucharest Presenter
  2. Mirela-Mihaela Constantinescu University of Medicine and Pharmacy Carol Davila Bucharest
  3. Oana-Ileana Manea Prof. Dr. Alexandru Obregia Psychiatry Hospital
  4. Irina-Maria Dumitru "Prof. Dr. Alexandru Obregia" Clinical Psychiatry Hospital
  5. Lucia Emanuela Andrei “Carol Davila” University of Medicine and Pharmacy Bucharest
  6. Alexandra Mariana Buica “Carol Davila” University of Medicine and Pharmacy Bucharest
  7. Ilinca Mihailescu “Carol Davila” University of Medicine and Pharmacy Bucharest
Form of presentation Poster
Topic
  • T39 - Substance abuse
Abstract Aims
The study aimed to identify and highlight the most common risk factors associated with the onset of substance use among adolescents.
Methods
The study was conducted on a group of 30 patients, aged between 10 and 18 years, substance users, hospitalized at the Pediatric Psychiatric Ward of the Clinical Hospital of Psychiatry „Prof. Dr. Al. Obregia” in Bucharest, Romania, between January and April 2024. The data collected were obtained using a questionnaire developed by the research team, which includes details about the adolescents' substance use behavior and the presence of certain risk factors (e.g., family history of substance use, bullying, academic stress, family structure, abuse, and neglect). In terms of identifying family risk factors, parenting style was also examined, using the Parental Authority Questionnaire (PAQ).
Results and Conclusions
The conclusions of the study indicate the presence of at least one of the risk factors, among which can be mentioned: the presence of a family history of substance abuse, the presence of stressors in the patient's life before the onset of abuse, single-parent families with deceased, divorced or separated parents, as well as association with an environment that encourages such behavior. It is also important to note that hospitalized patients reported an onset of use, most often around the age of 12-14 years, and the most commonly used substances were cannabis, tobacco, and alcohol. In addition, identifying these risk factors could provide a starting point for developing strategies to prevent substance abuse.