Childhood trauma, resilience, and substance use among school going adolescents in Mukono District

Abstract

Traumatic life experiences are major public health problem with significant correlations to substance use. This study explored the interplay between childhood trauma, resilience, and substance use among school-going adolescents in Mukono district, Uganda. The study aimed to examine whether a relationship exists between childhood trauma, resilience, and substance use. A quantitative research design was employed, collecting cross-sectional data from 210 secondary school adolescents aged 18 and above in two schools. The sample size was determined using Statistical Power Analysis, and participants were selected through simple random sampling. Data were collected using standardized questionnaires and analyzed using SPSS version 27. Pearson’s correlation coefficient and regression analysis were used to test the hypothesis. This study found a significant positive correlations were found between childhood trauma and substance use: sexual abuse (r = .350, p < .01), emotional abuse (r = .237, p < .01), and physical abuse (r = .226, p < .01). Resilience showed no significant correlation with any subtype of childhood trauma (emotional abuse: r = .010, p > .05; physical abuse: r = -.025, p > .05; sexual abuse: r = .004, p > .05; emotional neglect: r = -.063, p > .05; physical neglect: r = .030, p > .05). Resilience also had a nonsignificant correlation with substance use (r = .015, p > .05). Furthermore, the analysis revealed that resilience did not moderate the relationship between childhood trauma and substance use, as the interaction term did not significantly predict substance use (B = 0.084, SE = 0.154, t = 0.546, p = .586). These findings highlight the impact of childhood trauma on substance use and suggest resilience alone may not mitigate this effect. The study underscores the need for early intervention and support for individuals with a history of childhood trauma. Future research should explore additional protective factors to better inform prevention and intervention strategies.