Adolescents' experiences with substance use: risks, protective factors and interventions.

ABSTRACT:

Background

This study aimed to explore adolescents' experiences with substance use and to identify risk, preventive, and protective factors, as well as the intervention processes from their perspective.

Methods

Adopting a phenomenological qualitative approach, in-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with 21 adolescents (ages 14-18) who had been using substances (excluding cigarettes and alcohol) for over one year. Participants were selected using criterion and snowball sampling methods. The data were analyzed through thematic analysis.

Results

Analysis revealed four main themes and twelve sub-themes: Risk Factors (including peer influence, family dysfunction, and trauma/psychosocial adversity). Preventive Factors (such as adolescent awareness, family recogn

SUBMITTER: Avcı M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12273306 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature