Adolescent connectedness and its impact on substance use in Jamaican adolescents

Identifying specific type(s) of connectedness (peer, parent, school, church) and their association with adolescents’ self-reported substance use can help to better mitigate health risk behaviour among Jamaican adolescents. High school participants (N = 521; males 229), ages 11–19 years, completed self-report measures on socio-demographic factors, self-esteem, substance use (marijuana, cigarettes, alcohol), school connectedness, peer and parent attachment and church attendance/participation. This study found significant differences in substance use across sex (M > F, p < 0.01) and an increase in prevalence of substance use in late adolescence (16-19y). Stable parental unions and church participation were associated with decreased odds of lifetime use of any substance (p < 0.05), while sexual abuse increased the odds of ever having smoked cigarettes (OR 2.20, p < 0.05). Peer attachment was protective for current use of any substance (OR 0.06; p < 0.05) and high parent attachment protective for current cigarette smoking (OR 0.55; p < 0.05). These findings are consistent with studies worldwide, but yet further highlight an infrequently recognised and uncommonly considered protective factor against substance use in adolescents - church participation. The importance of culturally relevant and unique associations in guiding development of policies and targeted interventions is underscored.