Namusoke Jane, Amone-P'Olak Kennedy, Nakanwagi Carol Chosen, Kibedi Henry, Mayengo Nathaniel, Ssenyonga Joseph, Omech Bernard
Department of Psychology, Kyambogo University, Kampala, Uganda.
Department of Foundations of Education and Educational Psychology, Kyambogo University, Kampala, Uganda.
Front Psychol. 2024 May 14;15:1297565. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1297565. eCollection 2024.
Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are established risk factors for undesirable consequences in adolescence and early adulthood, including substance use and a lack of self-control. Based on the Social Bonds Theory (SBT), this study aims to expand our knowledge of the pathways from ACEs and self-control to substance use in adolescence and early adulthood.
The extent to which self-control mediates the association between ACEs and substance use was examined in a cross-sectional survey of 358 adolescents and young adults ( = 234, 65.5% girls, mean age 17.7, 0.58, 15-18). Data were gathered using the Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE-10) questionnaire, the Drug Abuse Screening Test (DAST-10), and the 10-item self-control scale to assess childhood adversity, substance use, and self-control, respectively.
ACEs were widely reported and significantly associated with substance use and a lack of self-control. Self-control strongly predicted substance use, independent of ACEs. Among those reporting no ACEs, one to two, three to four, and five or more, there were significant variations in the respondents' substance use ( = 12.69, = 0.001). Self-control explained 51.2% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 41, 61%) of the associations between ACEs and substance use as assessed by linear regression.
Self-control is key to understanding why adolescents and young adults with a history of childhood adversity indulge in substance use. Therefore, there is a need to advocate for psychological interventions such as cognitive and behavioural therapy that have demonstrated efficacy in promoting self-control in adolescents and young adults.
童年不良经历（ACEs）是青少年和成年早期出现不良后果的既定风险因素，包括物质使用和缺乏自我控制能力。基于社会纽带理论（SBT），本研究旨在拓展我们对ACEs、自我控制能力与青少年和成年早期物质使用之间路径的认识。
在一项对358名青少年和青年成年人（n = 234，65.5%为女孩，平均年龄17.7岁，标准差0.58，年龄范围15 - 18岁）的横断面调查中，研究了自我控制能力在ACEs与物质使用之间关联中所起的中介作用。分别使用童年不良经历问卷（ACE - 10）、药物滥用筛查测试（DAST - 10）和10项自我控制能力量表收集数据，以评估童年逆境、物质使用和自我控制能力。
ACEs的报告很普遍，且与物质使用和缺乏自我控制能力显著相关。自我控制能力能有力地预测物质使用情况，不受ACEs影响。在报告无ACEs、有一到两次、三到四次以及五次或更多ACEs的人群中，受访者的物质使用情况存在显著差异（F = 12.69，p = 0.001）。通过线性回归评估，自我控制能力解释了ACEs与物质使用之间51.2%（95%置信区间[CI]：41，61%）的关联。
自我控制能力是理解有童年逆境经历的青少年和青年成年人为何沉迷于物质使用的关键。因此，有必要倡导开展心理干预，如认知行为疗法，这些疗法已证明在促进青少年和青年成年人自我控制能力方面具有成效。
