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Relationship between childhood stressful events and drug consumption among university students

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 August 2024

S. Rey-March ,
C. Giralt ,
S. Font-Mayolas  and
F. Calvo
S. Rey-March
Affiliation:
1Departament de Pedagogia, Institut de Recerca sobre Qualitat de Vida
C. Giralt
Affiliation:
2Institut Català de la Salut, Centre d’Atenció Primària Blanes 2
S. Font-Mayolas
Affiliation:
3Departament de Psicologia, Institut de Recerca sobre Qualitat de Vida, Girona, Spain
F. Calvo*
Affiliation:
1Departament de Pedagogia, Institut de Recerca sobre Qualitat de Vida
*
*Corresponding author.

Abstract

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Introduction

The purpose of this study is to investigate the potential relationship between stressful events experienced in childhood and subsequent toxic substance consumption among university students majoring in Social Education at a Spanish university during the academic year 2022-2023.

Objectives

The primary objective is to analyze whether an association exists between stressful life events in childhood and patterns of substance consumption among university students.

Methods

A cross-sectional, observational, and analytical design was employed. The target population encompassed 258 students enrolled in the Social Education program in 2023. The final sample consisted of 161 students. A questionnaire incorporating the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire - Short Form (CTQ-SF) and the Severity of Dependence Scale (SDS) was administered to assess trauma history and substance consumption.

Results

A high percentage (95.03%) of students reported having consumed toxic substances at some point in their lives. The most common substances were alcohol (95.03%) and cannabis (52.8%). A statistically significant correlation was observed between childhood emotional abuse and increased alcohol consumption currently (p = 0.015). Furthermore, a significant relationship was identified between childhood sexual abuse and heightened alcohol consumption (p = 0.015). Moreover, positive correlations were found between sexual abuse and the consumption of specific drugs, such as cocaine and psychopharmaceuticals (p < 0.05).

No statistically significant differences were observed in drug consumption with regard to other forms of childhood maltreatment, such as emotional or physical neglect.

Conclusions

The results underscore the connection between childhood stress experiences and substance consumption among university students. Emotional and sexual abuse in childhood are linked to higher alcohol consumption and, in some cases, specific drugs like cocaine and psychopharmaceuticals. These findings emphasize the importance of considering traumatic experiences when addressing prevention and treatment strategies for substance consumption among young student populations.

Disclosure of Interest

None Declared

Type
Abstract
Information
European Psychiatry , Volume 67 , Special Issue S1: Abstracts of the 32nd European Congress of Psychiatry , April 2024 , pp. S246 - S247
Creative Commons
Creative Common License - CCCreative Common License - BY
This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution licence (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted re-use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2024. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of European Psychiatric Association
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