The Tendency to Use Substances/Drugs and its Association with Interpersonal Dependence in Iranian Medical Students

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Kavosh Cognitive Behavior Sciences and Addiction Research Center, Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Rasht, Iran

2 Kavosh Cognitive Behavior Sciences and Addiction Research Center, Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Rasht, Iran.

10.34172/ahj.1501

Abstract

Background: Personality traits or disorders are now attracting more attention as factors in the initiation and continuation of 
substance/drug use. However, few studies have been conducted on the association between interpersonal dependence and 
substance/drug use. The present study aimed to investigate the association between this form of psychological dependence and 
the tendency to use substances/drugs in medical students.
Methods: The present study was based on an analytical cross-sectional design and conducted on 310 medical students selected 
by stratified sampling at Guilan University of Medical Sciences in 2021. The Interpersonal Dependency Inventory and the Iranian 
Addiction Potential Scale were employed to assess the two variables of interpersonal dependence and the tendency to use 
substances/drugs. 
Findings: The correlation matrix shows that the tendency to use substances/drugs has a significant negative correlation with 
interpersonal dependence (P=0.0001, r=-0.285) in general and emotional reliance on another person (P=-0.0001, r=-0.264) 
and lack of social self-confidence (LSSC) (P=0.0001, r=-0.297) in particular. Female (F=8.57, P=0.004) and married (F=5.14, 
P=0.024) students showed more tendency to use substances/drugs than male and single students, but no significant difference 
was observed regarding interpersonal dependence. Academic course, residence status, parents’ occupation, number of family 
members, and birth order did not significantly affect the scores.
Conclusion: Interpersonal dependence can have different functions, depending on its level. Although interpersonal dependence at 
maladaptive levels can act as a risk factor and make a person vulnerable to some behavioral problems, at adaptive levels, it acts 
as a protective factor and reduces those problems.

Highlights

Hassan Farrahi: (Google Scholar) (PubMed)

Mohammadrasoul Khalkhali: (Google Scholar) (PubMed)

Mahnoosh Tavakkoli fard: (Google Scholar) (PubMed)

Seyed Yasin Mousavi: (Google Scholar) (PubMed)

Amirreza Ariannezhad: (Google Scholar) (PubMed)

Keywords

References

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Addiction & Health
Volume 16, Issue 3
July 2024
Pages 188-197

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