Percepción de riesgo asociada al consumo de alcohol, tabaco y marihuana en estudiantes universitarios: diferencias en función del consumo y del sexo.

RIVAROLA MONTEJANO, GABRIELA; PILATTI, ANGELINA; PAUTASSI, RICARDO MARCOS

CES Psicología

Universidad CES

Lugar: Medellín; Año: 2022 vol. 15 p. 133 - 153

Alcohol, tobacco, and marijuana consumption is highly prevalent among emerging adult college students. One of the variables influencing the consumption of these three psychoactive substances is the perception of risk associated with such behavior. This work examined bivariate and multivariate relationships between risk perception of alcohol, tobacco and marijuana use, and the use of those substances, in Argentinian emerging adults that attend college. Additionally, we analyzed differences in risk perception in regards of gender. A sample of 279 college students (75.6% women; M age = 23.02; SD = 3.36) completed an online survey. We used a non-probabilistic and accidental sampling. We found significant differences in risk perception as a function of gender and type of consumption (i.e., with/without heavy episodic drinking [HED], with or without tobacco/marijuana use). Being men and exhibiting a higher frequency of HED, tobacco or marijuana consumption were significantly associated to the perception of a lower risk attributed to each substance. These findings suggests that frequent and intensive substance use behaviors could be the focus for interventions to correct risk perceptions.