Drug Use in Soldiers: Family and Peer Contextual Associations

ABSTRACT

Background: Given the stressful nature of military life, people in the armed forces are vulnerable to substance use. Objectives: The aim of this study was to explore the relationship between family and peers with drug use among military forces in Iran. Methods: Convenience sampling was used to recruit a total of 422 draftees doing military service in army units in Tehran, Iran. Measures of family and peers' risk and protective factors, alcohol use, and other drug use were administered. Results: Findings indicated significant relationships between family (i.e., family models for risk behavior, parent sanctions, and family controls) and peers (i.e., peer modeling for risk behavior, peer controls, support from friends) with drug use. A multiple regression analysis revealed that peer modeling for risk behavior, family models for risk behavior, and parent sanctions were significant predictors of drug use in soldiers. Conclusions: These results were consistent with the influence of family and peer on drug use amongst soldiers. Programs designed to reduce alcohol and other drug use may benefit from tailoring to fit risk and protective files amongst peer and family networks.

KEYWORDS:

• Family factors
• peers
• drug use
• soldiers

Declaration of interest

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the article.