Students Tendency Toward Illicit Drug Use: The Role of Perceived Social Support and Family Function in Iran

Background: It is proven that perceived social support and family function are important in the treatment and prevention of lapse or relapse in drug use disorders, but the role of these factors, especially when added together, are less evaluated in primary prevention of drug dependence. Objectives: The current study aimed to investigate the relationship between perceived social support and family functioning in the students' tendency toward illicit drug use. Methods: The study had a cross-sectional design. A total of 156 students of Allameh Tabatabaei University were selected in the 2013 - 2014 academic year in Tehran, Iran, and the required information was obtained from them by three questionnaires: perceived social support, family functioning, and students’ tendency toward illicit drug use. Data were analyzed with the Pearson correlation coefficient and multiple regression coefficients, by SPSS version 21. Results: There was a significant relationship (P < 0.005) between perceived social support and students’ tendency toward illicit drug use. The family functioning also had a significant correlation with the tendency of students towards drug misuse (P < 0.001). Based on multiple regression coefficients, perceived social support and its components and family function were strong variables to predict illicit drug use potential (P < 0.001). Conclusions: Improving social support as well as constructive and positive functioning of the family can reduce students’ tendency towards illicit drug use. On the contrary, weak social networks and lack of constructive communication between the individuals and society, as well as stressful family environment are among factors of students’ and young people’ tendency towards drug misuse.