PARENTAL BONDING & FAMILY COMMUNICATION AS PROTECTIVE FACTOR FOR ATTITUDE TOWARDS DRUG ABUSE IN UNIVERSITY STUDENTS

Nageena Imran; Shahnila Tariq

Nageena Imran Department of Applied Psychology, University of Management and Technology, Lahore, Pakistan
Shahnila Tariq Department of Applied Psychology, University of Management and Technology, Lahore, Pakistan

Keywords: Parental Bonding, Family Communication, Attitude, Drug Use, Protective Factor and University Students

Abstract

The students who enter university first time often have adjustment issues and sometimes to overcome their fear regarding attachment to new environment, they use negative sources. The drug use is becoming common practice now a days. Furthermore, taking drugs not only affect their health but also weaken their relationship with family, friends and peers. Thus, the purpose of this study was to find relationship amid parental bonding, family communication and attitude towards drug use in university students. Correlational research design used in study and through survey method 160 students participated with age range 18-28 (M = 25.3, SD = 2.5) from both private and government universities. The finding of the study showed that in parental bonding father overprotection significantly negatively linked with attitude toward drug use and family communication negatively associated with attitude toward drug use. Family communication predicted attitude toward drug use in students. Moreover, students in public universities prefer to use drugs as compared to students in private universities. This study will provide guidance for parents and institutes to develop strong relationship and resolving trust issues and what are root causes of drug use. It also helps to improve communication by using findings that elaborated negative contributing factors associated with bad communication.