Stress, peer pressure and substance abuse among adolescents in Bwaise Slums Kawempe Division

Abstract

The aim of the study was to examine the relationship between stress, peer pressure and substance abuse among adolescents in Bwaise slums a settlement area located in the valley between Mulago Hospital and Makerere University its found in Kawempe division and by Mulago hospital to the east, Katanga slums in the north, Wandegeya to the west and Nakasero to the south. A correlational design was used and 100 adolescents out of school participated in the study the perceived stress scale by Sheldon Cohen, Kamarck & Mermelstein,1983 was used to measure stress ,the peer pressure inventory scale by brown for the peer pressure variable by brown, 2002 and the substance abuse questionnaire(SAS- National Drug Authority Uganda ,2013)to measure the substance abuse variable .data was analysed using the statistical package for social scientists (SPSS v20) Pearson correlation coefficient (r)was used to determine the level of significance of the hypotheses it was meant to determine whether there was a significant relationship between stress and substance abuse among adolescents, weather there was significant relationship between stress and peer pressure among adolescents and if there was a significant relationship between peer pressure and peer pressure and substance abuse among adolescents hypotheses tested using Pearson rank correlation coefficient results showed there is no significant relationship between stress and substance abuse among adolescents(r= -.005,p=.959). Results showed there is no significant relationship between peer pressure and substance abuse among adolescents (r=-.333, P=.028 *).