Stress, social support and substance abuse among University students.
Abstract
This study investigates the relationship between stress, social support and substance use among adolescents in Kampala city, the objectives of this study focused on examining the relationship between anxiety and stress, the relationship between stress and depression and well as the relationship between anxiety and depression. Community was taken as our study population and an estimated study population of 40000 students was used. Using the sampling table developed by Krejcie and Morgan (1970) a sample size of 100 participants was selected out of the total population. An accidental sampling technique was used to collect the data and using the statistical package for social science (SPSS) data was analyzed to give results. A Pearson’s correlation was used to test the hypothesis. Our study comprised of more male participants s within average of 53% than the female participants with an average of 47%. Many participants were aged 13 to 20 years. The study results implied that there is no significant relationship between anxiety and stress among adolescents (r= -.097, P=.337<0.05). Furthermore, there’s also no significant relation between stress and depression among adolescents (r=.023, P=.820<0.05). however, there’s a significant relationship between anxiety and depression (r=-.421**, P=.000>0.01). In conclusion, these findings can have important implications for understanding the interplay between these mental health factors and may inform strategies for prevention, diagnosis, and treatment in relevant populations. In accordance to the findings and the conclusions of the study, the following are the recommendations presented; Basing on the findings, the study recommends that conducting specific individual assessments to understand the unique factors contributing to anxiety, stress, and depression in adolescents. This could include exploring family dynamics, school related stressors, social pressures, and personal experiences.