ADOLESCENT SUBSTANCE USE: THE ROLE OF PEER PRESSURE AND SOCIAL INTELLIGENCE

Authors: Mr, Happiness Okoka, Professor Jabulani Kheswa & Mr. Ikwe Kennedy

ABSTRACT

The study examined peer influence and social intelligence on substance use by adolescents. The study participants were 257 in-school adolescents randomly selected from comprised of 135 males and 122 females sampled from five secondary schools in Keffi, Nassarawa State. The age range of the participants was between 12-19 years. The study adopted the descriptive survey design of the ex post facto type.  The Adolescent Peer Influence Scale (APIS) (Leary, Kelly, Cottrell & Schreindorfer, (2001) was used to measure peer pressure, while the Thomso Social Intelligence Scale (TSIS), (Silvera, Martinussen& Dahl 2001) was used to measure social intelligence, and the Alcohol, Smoking, and Substance Involvement Screening Test (ASSIST) (WHO, 2002) was used to measure substance use. Three hypotheses were tested in the study with 2-way ANOVA and results revealed there was no significant influence of peer pressure on adolescent substance use, F (1, 253) = 1.032, p = 0.31, results revealed that there was a significant influence of social intelligence on adolescent substance use, F (1, 253) = 5.596, p = 0.019, furthermore, results also revealed there was no significant interaction of peer pressure and social intelligence on adolescent substance use, F (1, 253) = 1.977, p = 0.161. The study concludes that a higher social intelligence level is a protective factor for the risk of substance use among adolescents. The study therefore recommended among others that intervention programs tailored toward developing the social intelligence of substance abusers should be encouraged.

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