Gender Differences in Factors Predicting Tendency Toward Drug Abuse Among Iranian University Students

Background: Drug addiction is a painful fact especially in the youth population. It is one of the main social, economic and hygienic problem, which has negative effects on the human life. Therefore, finding predisposing factors of addiction can help decrease this phenomenon. Family function and sensation seeking are two factors that seems to play a role in tendency towards drug abuse. Thus, the main purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship among tendency towards drug abuse, family function, and sensation seeking in university students and gender differences in prediction of tendency towards drug abuse. Methods: In this descriptive-correlational study, a total of 350 university students were selected by the convenience sampling method in Yazd University. They were evaluated by Addiction Potential Scale (Weed, 1992), Family Assessment Device Scale (McMaster, 1983), and Sensation Seeking Scale (Zukerman, 1968). Data analysis was done by Regression Analysis. Results: Findings showed that family function among female students and sensation seeking among male students is significantly related to the tendency towards drug abuse (P < 0.05); in addition, regression analysis showed that roles subscale of family function among female respondents and adventure subscale of sensation seeking among male respondents were predictors of tendency towards drug. Conclusions: This study showed that sensation seeking as a personality factor and family function as an environmental factor can effect on student’s tendency towards drug.