Prevalence of Substance Use in a Sample of Ghanaian Adolescents Experiencing Parental Divorce

ABSTRACT

Using a cross-sectional nonexperimental design and a convenience sample of 240 adolescents between the ages of 14 and 19 years, this study investigated the prevalence of substance use among adolescents experiencing parental divorce in Ghana. The relative influence of factors such as adolescents' sex, class level, age at parental divorce, and years of experience with parental divorce on the use of substances were also examined. The Adolescent Substance Use Checklist (ASUC) was administered during class hours. Descriptive, bivariate and multivariate analyses were conducted. The results obtained showed that lifetime ever use of substances was 48.8% (N=117), with alcohol being the common used substance by adolescents. Adolescent males were as likely as females to use substances (OR=1.37, CI=.807 –2.325). A significant relationship was found between class level, age at parental divorce, and substance use (p < .05 for both relationships). These two risk factors also proved to be significant predictors of substance use.

KEYWORDS:

• adolescence
• parental divorce
• prevalence
• risk factors
• substance use