Self esteem, depression and substance use among the adolescents in secondary schools in Zombo district

Abstract

The study was carried out to investigate whether there’s a significant relationship between selfesteem, depression and substance use among the adolescents in secondary school in Zombo district. The specific objective of the study was to examine the significant relationship between self-esteem, depression and substance use among the adolescents The study was expected to have 100 respondents who were randomly selected from S1-6 both male and female in Aluka secondary school. Self-administered questionnaires were used to collect the data. The data was then analyzed using the Statistical Software package for Social Sciences (SPSS). Pearson product moment correlation coefficient was used to determine that significance of the relationships that exist among the three variables. The findings showed that there’s no significant relationship between self-esteem and depression among the adolescents (r = -.155, P =.123). Again, the results showed that there’s no significant relationship between self-esteem and substance use among the adolescents (r = .187, P= .062). Furthermore, the findings showed that there’s a strong significant relationship between depression and substance use among the adolescents The discussions were made following other literatures that were read to show other literatures that agrees or disagree with the research findings. Recommendations were made emphasizing that much as the two results showed that there’s no significant relationship between self-esteem and depression and also self-esteem and substance use, stake holders should not be relaxed since there are other factors that lead to depression and low self-esteem among the adolescents in secondary school. The result revealed a very strong relationship between depression and substance use among the adolescents. Meaning depression is one of the major causes of substance use among the adolescents. Thus, it has to be dealt with seriously. Areas for future research were identified.