Peer Pressure, self Esteem and Substance Abuse among adolescents

Abstract

The study sought to establish the relationship between peer pressure, self-esteem and substance abuse among adolescents. The study used a correlation design that was quantitative in nature. Quantitative research was used to measure and explain the relationship between variables through correlations and statistics and involved the use of questionnaires and surveys in data collection. An estimated population size of one hundred students was selected for the study. The respondents were between the ages of 11-18 years old. Data was coded according to the results got from the questionnaires after the participants had filled them. Coding frames were used to summarize the results. Statistical Package for Social Scientists (SPSS) version 24 was used for data analysis. The Pearson Correlation Coefficient (r) was used to test the significance of hypothesis 1, 2 and 3. Correlation results in Table 2 showed that there is a significant relationship between peer pressure and substance abuse among adolescents (r= .317**, p=0.01).Therefore, the null hypothesis is rejected and it is concluded that there is a significant relationship between peer pressure and substance abuse among adolescents. Correlation results in Table 3 showed that there is no significant relationship between peer pressure and self-esteem among adolescents (r=.060, p=0.05). Therefore, the null hypothesis is retained and it is concluded that there is no significant relationship between peer pressure and self-esteem among adolescents. Last but not least, correlation results from Table 4 showed that there is a significant relationship between self- esteem and substance abuse among adolescents.(r=-.220*,p=0.05).Therefore, the null hypothesis is rejected and it is concluded that there is a significant relationship between self-esteem and substance abuse among adolescents.