Assessment of family functioning in adolescents who use substances- a cross-sectional comparative study

ABSTRACT

This study aimed to assess family functioning in adolescents who used substances and to compare them with families of healthy adolescents. This was a cross-sectional comparative study conducted on a total of 80 adolescent-parent dyads, selected from a clinical population by purposive sampling. Confidential interviews were conducted for both separately and included the semi-structured proforma for sociodemographic details of the family, the Modified MINI Screen to rule out mental illness in parents and Family Assessment Device. Responses were recorded and analysed using SPSS v26.0. The most common substances used by adolescents were tobacco, cannabis and opioids. Groups were matched for adolescent age, family structure and socio-economic status. Group A adolescents (substance users) perceived significantly greater problems in family functioning compared to their parents and group B (healthy) adolescents (p < 0.05). Parents of substance users perceived significantly greater problems in various domains of family functioning as compared to parents of non-users. Problem solving, communication, affective involvement and general functioning were major domains in which parents and adolescents differed, both between groups and within the same group. There were significant differences in family functioning of substance using and non-using adolescents. There is a need for larger systematic studies to understand the specific risk and protective factors in the context of substance use among Indian adolescents.

KEYWORDS:

• Adolescents
• substance use
• parents
• family functioning

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No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

The author(s) reported there is no funding associated with the work featured in this article.

Notes on contributors

Gayatri Bhatia

Gayatri Bhatia, currently working as Assistant Professor, Department of Psychiatry at All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Rajkot, completed her superspecialty in Addiction Psychiatry from All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi in 2021. Her areas of interest include addictions in adolescent population, mental health among women and youth, addiction related laws and policies and Biological Psychiatry.

Rachna Bhagava

Rachna Bhargava, MPhil , PhD in Clinical Psychology , Professor of clinical psychology. Dept of psychiatry at All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi. Her areas of interest are child and adolescent mental and behavioral health, psychological interventions, and family therapies.

Biswadip Chatterjee

Biswadip Chatterjee, MD (Psychiatry), Additional Professor, department of Psychiatry at All India institute of medical sciences, new Delhi. Area of interest include child and adolescent substance use and biological psychiatry.

Anju Dhawan

Anju Dhawan, Professor of Psychiatry, department of Psychiatry & National Drug Dependence Treatment Centre, All India institute of medical sciences, new Delhi. Area of interest include child and adolescent substance use