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Association of Substance Use Pattern and Family Factors With Use-Related Problems According to Arabic Drug Abuse
Hussam Aly Sayed Murad1, Marwan Bakarman2
1Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Rabigh Branch, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Substance Use : Research and Treatment
|August 9, 2026
Summary
Family factors like parental divorce and low emotional support, alongside substance use patterns such as recent and polysubstance use, are linked to more severe substance use problems in young adults. These findings highlight the need for family-centered interventions in Arab communities.
Area of Science:
- Psychiatry
- Public Health
- Sociology
Background:
- Understanding the interplay between substance use (SU) patterns and family dynamics is critical for effective intervention design.
- Research in Arab societies on this topic, particularly using validated tools like the Arabic Drug Abuse Screening Test-10 (DAST-10), remains under-researched.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the associations between substance use patterns and family-related factors with the severity of substance use problems among young adults in Saudi Arabia.
- To identify specific family and substance use variables that correlate with higher DAST-10 scores.
Main Methods:
- An observational, cross-sectional study involving 360 young adult drug users was conducted at Alamal Complex for Mental Health, Saudi Arabia.
- Data collection focused on substance use patterns and family-related variables, utilizing the validated Arabic DAST-10.
Main Results:
- Parental divorce, family problems, low family emotional support, poor family control, recent SU, polysubstance use, and frequent SU were significantly correlated with more severe DAST-10 categories.
- Conversely, stable family structures (complete family, parental death) and no recent SU were associated with lower severity.
- Higher odds ratios for severe substance use problems were linked to limited family support, polysubstance use, and recent SU.
Conclusions:
- While associations are modest, they hold clinical relevance for developing targeted interventions.
- Findings support the implementation of culturally tailored, family-centered preventive and therapeutic strategies for young adults in Arab communities.
- Family-centered approaches are crucial for addressing substance use severity in this demographic.
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