Page 394 - Contributed Paper Session (CPS) - Volume 2

CPS1899 Ira Joy H.M.
study showed that those who are dating are 3.42 times more likely to try drugs
than those who do not date.
Another variable included in the model is having a family that eats
together at least once a day, where those who reported that they frequently
or almost always eat together at least once a day have lower odds of using
drugs having an odds ratio of 0.83 compared to those who reported that they
almost never eat together as family. Family meal offers an avenue for better
communication with family members and an opportunity for parents to
monitor their children, this may lower the risk of the youth in using drugs. The
same association was found out in the study of Meier and Musick where more
frequent family meals, especially dinner, resulted to a lower probability of
substance abuse. The study further stated that high-family relationships are
related to the well-being of the adolescent.
A youth who perceives gambling as wrong activity are less prone to drug
use compared to one who perceives it as right. The odds of engaging in drug
use is 31% lower for those who disapprove gambling relative to those who
approves. Several studies like Steinberg et al. reported high correlations
between problems on gambling and substance abuse, this association can be
attributed to the idea that gambling and drug use are both functions of
underlying behaviors like impulsiveness, low parental supervision, and
influential deviant friends.
Life satisfaction as a whole was also a significant factor where those who
are more satisfied if their life has a lower risk of using drugs compared to those
who rated dissatisfied. This result agrees with previous studies. A graduate
study conducted by Rooks showed that life satisfaction has a negative
correlation with substance abuse. The study further reasoned that youth may
respond to decrease in life satisfaction and associated emotions by opting to
engage in various risky behaviors, like drug use, in an attempt to improve the
way that they feel about their lives.
The membership to a fraternity or sorority also increases the risk of a youth
to use drugs by 3.83 times than those who are not affiliated with such
organizations. This result agrees with previous study in USA published by
National Institute of Health (Scott-Sheldon, et al.). Findings showed that Greek
members, or fraternity/sorority members, have higher rates of drug use aside
from cigarette and alcohol use, the paper stated that the result is not
surprising since alcohol and drugs play a central role in some of the
organization’s socialization and bonding activities. Peer influence and the
need to be socially accepted within the fraternity and sorority also promotes
greater drug use.
The table also shows that students who experienced being suspended in
the school are 2.51 times more prone to using drugs than those who have not
been suspended. A study (Kelly et al., 2015) also shows the increased odds of

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