Belief patterns and drug use in a sample of Brazilian youth: an exploratory latent class analysis
Braz. J. Psychiatry (São Paulo, 1999, Impr.)
;
42(3): 278-285, May-June 2020. tab, graf
Article
in English
| LILACS
| ID: biblio-1132078
ABSTRACT
Objective:
Adolescent substance abuse is a public health concern worldwide, and its prevention is the subject of numerous programmatic efforts. Yet, little research exists on the structure of drug-related belief patterns in youth and their utility in preventive program planning. The aim of this study is to determine the structure of drug-related beliefs among 12-15-year-old students in Brazil using latent class analysis.Methods:
De-identified survey data were obtained from the baseline sample (n=6,176) of a randomized controlled trial on the #Tamojunto drug use prevention program in Brazilian middle schools. Using 11 survey items assessing drug-related beliefs as indicators, four models were run and assessed for goodness-of-fit. For the best fitting model, demographic variables and substance use across latent classes were assessed.Results:
Model fit statistics indicated that the best fit was a three-class solution, comprising a large Drug-Averse Beliefs class (80.9%), a smaller Permissive Beliefs class (12.7%), and an Inconsistent Beliefs class (6.4%). Respondents in the Permissive Beliefs and Inconsistent Beliefs classes reported greater past-year drug use, were slightly older and less likely to be female than those in the Drug-Averse Beliefs class.Conclusions:
These results indicate that conceptualizing drug beliefs as a categorical latent variable may be useful for informing prevention. Longitudinal studies are needed to establish temporality and assess further applicability of this construct.
Full text:
Available
Index:
LILACS (Americas)
Main subject:
Adolescent Behavior
/
Substance-Related Disorders
/
Culture
Type of study:
Controlled clinical trial
/
Etiology study
/
Observational study
/
Prevalence study
/
Prognostic study
/
Risk factors
Limits:
Adolescent
/
Child
/
Female
/
Humans
/
Male
Country/Region as subject:
South America
/
Brazil
Language:
English
Journal:
Braz. J. Psychiatry (São Paulo, 1999, Impr.)
Journal subject:
Psychiatry
Year:
2020
Type:
Article
Affiliation country:
Brazil
/
United States
Institution/Affiliation country:
Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health/US
/
Departamento de Medicina Preventiva, UNIFESP/BR
/
Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP)/BR
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