[Psychological profile of young tobacco, alcohol and/or drug users]

Focusing the 17th target of WHO related to health-damaging behaviour, an inquiry about Health Behaviour in Schoolchildren in the French Community of Belgium has been done in 1986. An anonymous questionnaire, sent to 3,600 young people 11, 13 and 15 years old, asked about their life behaviours (food, tobacco, alcohol, medicine consumption, leisure activities, social life, school...). Items such as tobacco, alcohol and/or medicine use have been crossed with items related to psychological well being. It appears, statistically significant, that young consumers differ from others young people because they often feel lonely, not healthy, not very happy, they don't like school, they underestimate themselves, they don't have plans for the future, they seldom speak with their parents who often are separated. We think that consumption of such harmful substances could be a compensatory behaviour to a bad Ego-representation. We suppose that parental education based on child respect and feelings expression could lead to a better self-perception and, in some degree, prevent some health-damaging behaviours.