Relationship between perceived life satisfaction and adolescents' substance abuse.

PURPOSE

To explore the relationship between perceived global life satisfaction and selected substance use behaviors among 5032 public high school students.

METHODS

The 1997 South Carolina Youth Risk Behavior Survey substance abuse and life satisfaction variables were used. An adjusted polychotomous logistic regression analysis utilizing SAS/SUDAAN, revealed a significant race/gender interaction. Subsequent multivariate models were constructed individually for four race/gender groups. Adjusted odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals were calculated to assess the magnitude of risk for selected substance abuse behaviors and their association with reduced global life satisfaction.

RESULTS

Cigarette smoking, chewing tobacco, marijuana, cocaine, regular alcohol use, binge drinking, injection drug, and steroid use were significantly (p < .05) associated with reduced life satisfaction for specific race/gender groups (white males; black males; white females; and black females). In addition, age (< or = 13 years) of first alcohol drink, first marijuana use, first cocaine use, and first cigarette smoked were also significantly (p < .05) associated with reduced life satisfaction.

CONCLUSION

Longitudinal studies are needed to determine whether dissatisfaction with life is a consequence or determinant of substance abuse behavior for adolescents.