USE OF PSYCHOACTIVE SUBSTANCES IN YOUTH: A STUDY OF THE POSSIBLE SOCIAL RELATIONSHIPS EXPERIENCED IN CHILDHOOD AND ADOLESCENCE ASSOCIATED WITH THIS OUTCOME

Abstract

Objective: The research aims to evaluate what are the possible conditions associated with the use of psychoactive substances (SPA) in childhood and adolescence, risk and protection factors, performance of the social and family environment and which psychic disorders can contribute to this outcome. Materials and methods: This is a literature review, with a descriptive approach. Seventeen articles were used, chosen according to the proposed objective, published in the last ten years (between 2009 and 2019), on SciELO and PubMed platforms. Results: Seven of the research articles revealed that the consumption of psychoactive substances by children is related to the naturalness of use, substance abuse by parents, poor family management and episodes of domestic violence. Three of them report that single-parent families and divorce increase the risk of substance use by young people. Regarding protective factors, four articles mention that proximity to parents reduces this risk. As for the social environment, school dropout and young friendships are the main factors related to the initiation of drug use. The main psychiatric disorders related to the possible use of SPA are: depression, anxiety, attention deficit disorder (ADHD) and psychological trauma. Conclusion: Although the articles used were produced in different locations around the world, they converge, considering the use of substances as a global problem. Conflicting families, who abuse substances and act naturally when using them, psychiatric disorders, high school dropout and user friendships are predictive factors. Good family relationship and school development, protectors.