Predicting the Tendency towards Substance Abuse in Female High School Students Based on Psychological Coherence and Self-Compassion

This study evaluates the impact of psychological coherence and self-compassion on the tendency towards substance abuse among female high school students in Tehran, aiming to identify effective factors in preventing high-risk behaviors.

This was a descriptive-correlational study. The population comprised all female high school students in Tehran's public schools during the 2023 academic year. A sample of 180 students was selected through multi-stage cluster random sampling, considering Plant's formula for sample size determination (8M + 50 ≤ N). Data were collected using a demographic checklist, addiction propensity questionnaire-juvenile edition (Zinali,2013), the sense of coherence scale (Flensborg et al.,2006), the self-compassion questionnaire (Neff,2003) and adult attachment inventory (Hazan & Shaver,1987).

Data analysis was conducted using descriptive statistics (frequency, percentage, mean, and standard deviation), tests of parametric assumptions, correlation matrices, and multiple linear regression with SPSS-v26. The results indicated a significant inverse correlation between overall psychological coherence scores (r = -0.65, p < 0.012) and its dimensions with the tendency of female adolescents towards substance abuse. A significant inverse correlation was also found between overall self-compassion scores (r = -0.47, p < 0.018) and its aspects including self-kindness, mindfulness, and common humanity with the tendency towards substance abuse, while the dimensions of self-criticism, isolation, and over-identification showed a significant positive correlation (p < 0.05).

The findings emphasize the importance of enhancing psychological coherence and self-compassion to reduce the propensity for substance abuse in female adolescents, highlighting their value in prevention and educational programs.