Personality Traits as Contributing Factors to Substance Abuse among Youths in Lagos State, Nigeria

Abstract

Substance abuse among youth has emerged as a critical public health challenge, particularly in rapidly urbanising regions like Lagos State, Nigeria. Given the adverse effects of substance abuse on both individual well-being and societal development, it is essential to identify the personality factors that may contribute to this growing issue. This study sought to examine the influence of personality traits on substance abuse among youth in Lagos State. Four hundred and eighty-four, comprising 256 male and 228 female youth, were selected from the five divisions of Lagos using a convenience sampling method. A cross-sectional design was employed. Four hypotheses were stated and tested using bi-variate and multivariate statistical analyses. The results showed that personality traits jointly predict substance abuse among youth in Lagos State (R = .227; F = 5.203; P = <.01). Additionally, the findings revealed an interaction effect of age and religion on substance abuse (F(4, 484) = 2.48, p < .05). However, no significant influence of sex on substance abuse was observed. The study's results provide valuable insights, highlighting the importance of addressing personality factors in substance abuse prevention strategies and offering recommendations for future research and interventions.