engleski

The Relationship Between Perceived Parental Acceptance-Rejection and Drug Abuse Among Adolescent Boys and Girls

This study investigated the relationship between parental acceptance-rejection and adolescent drug abuse. The research was carried out in Zagreb, Croatia among 572 high school students (318 boys and 254 girls), aged between 14 and 19 years. Adolescents completed Rohner’s Parental Acceptance-Rejection Questionnaire (Mother and Father version) and self-report questionnaire about drug abuse and sociodemographic status. Data were analysed for adolescent boys and girls separately. Results showed that the prevalence of lifetime drug use was 16.1% for the whole sample, 17.7% for adolescent boys and 14.2% for adolescent girls. Lifetime drug abuse was positively correlated with perceived rejection from both fathers and mothers in the adolescent girls sample, but not in the adolescent boys sample. Hierarchical regression analyses were conducted with perceived parental acceptance - rejection as predictors and lifetime drug abuse as a criterion variable. Sociodemographic variables (age, school success, parent's marital status and parent's education level) were control variables. Results showed that age and school success significantly predicted lifetime drug abuse among adolescent boys. Sociodemographic variables didn't predict lifetime drug abuse among adolescent girls. When controlling for sociodemographic variables, perceived parental behavior wasn't significant predictor among adolescent boy’s, while father’s warmth - affection predicts lifetime drug abuse among adolescent girls. Adolescent girls who perceive less warmth and affection from their fathers are more likely to use drugs.

drug abuse; acceptance; rejection; gender differences; adolescents

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