Violence, Psychological Features, and Substance Use in High School Students in Hatay: a Cross-sectional Study

Objectives: To evaluate the prevalence of substance use among high school students and to examine the relationship between substance use and violence and psychological features. Patients and Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out in 23 high schools in Hatay in 2006 using a questionnaire consisted of General Perceived Self-Efficacy Scale, Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. Results: A total of 1629 students were given study questionnaire. Lifetime substance use prevalence was 38.8 for cigarette smoking, 30.5 for alcohol use, 30.1 for being drunk, 13.9 for regular smoking, 7.1 for volatile substance use, 1.1 for marijuana use, 0.8 for drug use such as heroin, ecstasy, and cocaine. Anxiety scores were higher in smokers while self esteem and self efficacy scores were higher in alcohol users. Exposure to physical violence and use of physical violence within the last year were higher in smokers and in all substance users. Conclusion: Cigarette, alcohol and volatile substances were frequently used among adolescents. The results show that high anxiety is related with smoking, high self esteem and self efficacy are related with alcohol use. Substance use is associated with exposure to and use of violence.