Structural Relationships of Substance Use Tendency in Adolescents Based on Sensory Processing Sensitivity and Cognitive Flexibility with the Mediating Role of Emotional Self-Control: A Descriptive Study

Alcohol and drug use in adolescents causes psychological problems and changes in the brain. Emotional self-control includes cognitive, emotional, and behavioral processes that an individual can use to control their emotions; therefore, this study was conducted with the aim of determining the tendency to use drugs based on sensory processing sensitivity and cognitive flexibility with the mediating role of emotional self-control in adolescents.

The method of this descriptive study was structural equation modeling. The statistical population of the study was students studying in junior and senior high schools in the academic year 2023-2024, from which 207 students participated in the study through multi-stage sampling. Data were collected using Farjad’s Consumption Propensity Questionnaire (2006), Aron and Aron’s Sensory Processing Sensitivity Questionnaire (1977), Dennis’ Cognitive Flexibility Questionnaire (2010), and Tanji’s Emotional Self-Control Questionnaire (2004). The data were analyzed using structural modeling.

There is a positive and significant correlation between the tendency to use substances and sensory processing sensitivity (p<0.01; r=0.39) at the 99% level, and a negative and significant correlation between cognitive flexibility (p<0.01; r=-0.35) and emotional self-control (p<0.01; r=-0.38) at the 99% level. In addition to the direct effect, sensory processing sensitivity and cognitive flexibility also indirectly affect the tendency to use substances through emotional self-control.

The results of the present study showed that emotional self-control, high cognitive flexibility, and low sensory sensitivity reduce the tendency to use drugs. It seems that adolescents need to become aware of their feelings and thoughts. Therefore, cognitive and mindfulness exercises are useful.