The relationship of university students' attitudes towards future with substance abuse proclivity

This study aimed to examine the effect of university students' attitudes toward the future on their substance abuse proclivity.

This cross-sectional study was conducted in January 2025 with 579 students from the Faculty of Health Sciences and the Vocational School of Health Services at a university in Eastern Anatolia, Türkiye. Data was collected using the Attitudes Toward the Future Scale (ATFS), and the Substance Abuse Proclivity Scale (SAPS).

Of the students, 50.9% were associate degree students. The mean total ATFS score was 50.87(10.37), with the highest sub-dimension score in the positive attitude subscale 18.76(4.88). The mean total SAPS score was 15.76(3.93), and 47.7% of students showed proclivity toward substance use. Undergraduate students had a significantly higher proclivity for substance abuse than associate degree students (p < 0.05). A very weak but significant negative correlation was found between the positive attitude sub-dimension and substance abuse proclivity (r = -0.102; p < 0.05), while a very weak but significant positive correlation was observed between the anxious attitude sub-dimension and substance abuse proclivity (r = 0.126; p < 0.05). The positive attitude sub-dimension predicted 0.6% of the variance in SAPS scores, while the anxious attitude sub-dimension predicted 8.1%.

Students with positive attitudes toward the future had lower substance abuse proclivity, while those with anxious attitudes had higher proclivity. Interventions focusing on anxiety management and substance use prevention should be implemented, particularly for students with anxious future outlooks. Additionally, incorporating mandatory addiction education into university curricula may contribute to prevention efforts.