Ghanaian Youth’s Drug Use: The Role of Stressful Life Events and Perceived Social Support

Abstract

Previous research examining the influence of stressful life events and perceived social support on youth’s drug use have preponderantly been conducted in Western cultures, and employed quantitative techniques with samples being largely Caucasian. Thus, although much is known about the influence of stressful life events and perceived social support on youth’s drug use in Western cultures, much less is known about the influence of stressful life events and perceived social support on the drug use of non-Western youth, particularly African youth. The current study employed a qualitative methodology to explore Ghanaian drug-using youth’s perceptions of how stressful life events and social support influence their drug use behaviour. Using personal interviews with the aid of a semi-structured interview guide, data was collected from ten (10) male Ghanaian drug-using youth resident in the community of Amisano in Elmina, Ghana. Results from the analysis using the Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) revealed five main themes: Ghanaian drug-using youth’s perceptions of drug use, the trajectory of Ghanaian youth’s drug use, stressful life events and drug use, perceived social support and drug use, and recommendations for aiding Ghanaian drug-using youth combat drug use. Findings are discussed in the light of relevant theories and related studies. Implications for drug use interventions and health praxis, and future research on drug use are also discussed.