Abstract
Background: The aim of the study was to analyze the existing relational dynamics between religious involvement and substance use in schoolchildren in Northern Chile. It has been estimated that religious involvement can be a protective factor against the use of substances in adverse or stressful conditions, especially in children and adolescents, who currently have registered higher levels of consumption. Methods: The research design is transectional correlational-causal type, the sample included 2318 primary and secondary school children and adolescents from public and private schools in the city of Arica, at North of Chile. Their age range was between 12 and 19 years old. To assess emotional and behavioral problems, the Child and Adolescent Assessment System (Sistema de Evaluación para Niños y Adolescentes SENA) was used, religious involvement was measured through Universal Age I-E-12 and ethnic identity through the Revised Multigroup Ethnic Identity Scale (MEIM-R). Results: The findings of the study suggest an explanatory model of consumption composed by the intrinsic orientation of religious involvement (ß = -0.048, p<0.014), age (ß = 0.374, p <0.000), sex (ß = 0.039, p < 0.040) and ethnic identity (ß = 0.051, p < 0.008), which explains 15% of the variability of substance use in adolescents. Conclusions The intrinsic orientation of the religious involvement acts as a protective factor of the use of substances, probably because their practices are oriented towards the discovery, knowledge and understanding of themselves and the search of own senses or meanings in relation to the life favoring the subjective well-being.
Presenters
Alejandra Caqueo-UrízarProfessor, Centro de Justicia Educacional CJE, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Región Metropolitana de Santiago, Chile Erika Peroza
Physician, Centro de Salud Mental Comunitario Norte and Hospital Dr. Juan Noé Carolang Escobar
PhD Candidate, Universidad de Tarapacá Jerome Flores
Professor, Centro de Justicia Educacional y Universidad de Tarapacá Alfonso Urzúa
Professor, Universidad Católica del Norte Matías Irarrázaval
Professor, Universidad de Chile Karina Raygada
Universidad de Tarapacá Gustavo Zegarra
Universidad de Tarapacá
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
Religious Commonalities and Differences
KEYWORDS
RELIGION INVOLVEMENT, SUBSTANCE USE PROBLEMS, SCHOOLCHILDREN, CHILE
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