Parent-child conflict: A risk factor for substance abuse among adolescents

Abstract

In modern societies, addiction has spread to such a degree that it is now regarded as a chronic social disease. Drug addiction has reached increasingly dangerous proportions in many parts of the world. Adolescents have a strong propensity for experimentation, are highly inquisitive, are disposed to peer pressure, rebellious against authority, and have low self-confidence, which makes them prone to Drug addiction. The literature highlights a positive correlation between substance use and disruptive family interactions, impacting a child's development. This study aims to explore substance abuse in the context of parent-child conflict, emphasizing the importance of effective parenting. The investigators utilized secondary data by conducting a comprehensive review of relevant literature. This review involved searches across various databases like Google Scholar, ResearchGate, and Eric, employing a filter to specifically identify studies published in English related to substance abuse/drug addiction, parent-child conflict, and positive parenting. The results of the study found parent-child conflict as one among the strong predictors of adolescents' likelihood to develop addiction problem. High level of parent-child conflict can have a negative impact on a child's development and mental health, as well as increase the risk of drug dependence. The implications of the study are discussed.