Attitude towards substance abuse and its outcomes: The predictive role of personality traits and demographical factors

Substance abuse is the most important problem for mental health specialists in the contemporary societies. This study was aimed to examine the role of personality traits and demographical factors in attitude towards substance abuse and its outcomes. In this cross-sectional descriptive study, from students of Damghan University, 95 boys and 105 girls selected by simple random sampling and they completed the The Attititde to Addiction Scale, The Personality Five-Factor Questionniare and Demographical Questionniare. Data were analyzed using correlation and stepwise multiple regression through SPSS v. 19. There was a significant relationship among neuroticism, extraversion, openness, agreeableness, conscientiousness and income with attitude to substance abuse and related outcomes (p<0.001). Also, gender, literacy and age merely have significant relationship with attitude to outcomes of substance abuse (p<0.001). Agreeableness, neuroticism, conscientiousness, openness and income had significant role on prediction of inclination to substance abuse (p<0.001). Also, conscientiousness, openness, neuroticism, gender, agreeableness, literacy and age had significant role on predicting the outcomes of substance abuse (p<0.001). Personality traits and demographical factors have important role in tendency towards substance abuse and related perceived outcomes. For primary prevention of substance abuse it is important to pay attention to these factors in planning and implementation of preventive programs during clinical trials