Stressful Life Events among Adolescents in Wuhan, China: Associations with Smoking, Alcohol Use, and Depressive Symptoms
Document Type
Article
Department
Community and Global Health (CGU)
Publication Date
3-2001
Disciplines
Health Psychology | Mental and Social Health | Psychological Phenomena and Processes | Substance Abuse and Addiction
Abstract
The associations among stress and adolescent smoking, alcohol use, and depression have been well documented in the United States, but few studies have evaluated the evidence for these associations in Asian cultures. This study developed a scale of stressful life events among 7th-grade adolescents in Wuhan, China. The events reported as most frequent involved bad grades or punishment at school, and the events reported as most severe involved disruptions in family life, such as death, divorce, or disability of parents. Associations were observed between life events (especially negative school-related events) and smoking, alcohol use, and depressive symptoms. Results indicate that school-related stress may lead to substance use and mental health problems among Chinese adolescents.
Rights Information
© 2001 International Society of Behavioral Medicine
DOI
10.1207/S15327558IJBM0801_01
Recommended Citation
Unger, J.B., Yan, L., Johnson, C.A., Jie, G., Chen, X., Yang, C., Trinidad, D., Tran, N., & Lo, A.Stressful life events among adolescents in Wuhan, China: Associations with smoking, Alcohol use, and depressive symptoms. Int J Behav Med, 8(1), 1-18, 2001.
