Development and Evaluation of a Model to Predict Drug Use among University Students: The Role of Religious Attitudes, Worryabout not Achieving Wishes, Depression, and Anger and Irritation

The purpose of the present study was to develop and evaluate a model for predicting drug use among University students in Tehran. The current study was applied by purpose and correlational by method. The statistical population included all students of Tehran University (47,605 individuals) studying in the academic year 2018-2019. In this project, 200 students (male= 119 & female= 81) were selected by stratified-proportional random sampling and answered the National Scale of Students Life Profile (NSSLP). Data were analyzed using frequency, mean, standard deviation, analysis of variance, logistic regression analysis, and path analysis by SPSS23 and AMOS23. The results of logistic regression analysis showed that frequency of brushing teeth, daily fruit consumption, number of study hours per day, religious attitude, worrying about not achieving wishes, depression, anger and irritation, using a car whose driver used drugs and alcohol, risky sex, and suicide attempts significantly predicted drug use. The results of the path analysis method showed that religious attitude directly and negatively predicted drug use (standard coefficient - 0.26), and the effect of religious attitude and worry about not achieving wishes on drug use was mediated by depression and anger and irritation (standard coefficient 0.18). The results of this study suggest that low religious belief and worry about not fulfilling wishes play an important role in drug use through the development of depression and anger. It is recommended that the university identify students at risk and develop a prevention plan for them according to the identified risk factors..