Personality traits as predictors of substance abuse and risky sexual behaviours mong university students in Ethiopia

Abstract

This study was designed to determine the prevalence of substance use and risky sexual behaviours among university students in Ethiopia and examine whether personality traits predict substance use and risky sexual behaviours. Using a cross-sectional quantitative design, data were obtained from 2620 undergraduate students selected through stratified multistage sampling. Personality traits were measured through John, Donahue, and Kentle‘s (1991) Big Five Inventories [BFI-44]. Substance use and risky sexual behaviours were assessed using risky behaviour scales adapted from Miller et al. (2004) and Zuckerman and Kuhlman (2000). Statistical analysis was performed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) Version 20 and Analysis of Moment Structure (AMOS) Version 22 software. The findings revealed that 72.18% of the respondents reported that they have used at least one kind of substance in their lifetime and 50.27% of the participants had consumed at least one kind of substance in the past 30 days before the survey. The current prevalence of substance use was 46.3%, 16.1%, 9.9%, 6.8%, and 5.0% for drinking alcohol, chewing khat, smoking shisha, smoking cigarettes and marijuana use respectively. About 40.2% of respondents had sexual intercourse at least once in their lifetime and 25.6% had sex in the past three months before the study. Among sexually active respondents, 35% began sexual intercourse at the age of 17 years old or younger; 64.3% had multiple sexual partners; 53.1% had substance-induced sex, 62.03% had unsafe sex, and 45.3% had casual sex at least once. Males were found to be more at risk of substance use and risky sexual behaviours. Analysis of the structural relation revealed that conscientiousness and agreeableness traits were significant negative predictors and extraversion was a significant positive predictor of substance use and risky sexual behaviours. Neuroticism had a significant direct effect only on substance use. Substance use mediated the effect of personality traits on risky sexual behaviours. There was gender moderation or variation on the effect of personality traits on substance use and risky sexual behaviours. Therefore, the findings may imply that health risk behaviours were highly prevalent among students, which requires special prevention and intervention. Personality traits can be used to identify the vulnerable individuals and design programs aimed at developing behaviours underlying the protective traits.