PSYCHOSOCIAL FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH ALCOHOL AND DRUG ABUSE AMONG COLLEGE STUDENTSRESIDING IN HOSTELS IN PUNJAB: AN EMPIRICALSTUDY

The youth of Punjab in present times is showing a greater inclination toward alcohol and drug abuse. It is of growing concern as more and more youth are falling prey to this devastating problem. This article describes psychosocial factors in the college youth residing in hostels, which seem to lead them to indulge in alcohol and drug abuse to cope with their psychological turmoils. The study sample includes academically diverse youth, aged between 18 and 25 years, both males and females (100 students residing in hostels) in 7 urban colleges in Hoshiarpur and Jalandhar districts of Punjab. Data were collected between April 2015 and October 2015 via a nonexperimental descriptive self-developed questionnaire. The primary data was obtained through in-depth interviews with each student. Purposive cluster sampling was done to select a sample frame of 100 students out of a total of 357 students that were interviewed.Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze the data, with a 5% level of significance. The result of the study revealed that significant association (P<0.05) exists between emotional and social instability, parental consumption ofalcohol/drugs, educational stress, andthe students' alcohol and drug abuse problem. The statistics generated could provide an understanding of the factors that can be addressed to help reduce the incidence of alcohol and drug abuse in these youth.