Predicting factors of the intention of marijuana consumption in adolescents of high level

Abstract

Objective. The present investigation seeks to determine if attitudes, subjective norms and self-efficacy are predictive factors of the intention of marijuana use in high school adolescents of public educational institutions. Method. This research has an observational, quantitative, analytical, cross-sectional and prospective approach. The sampling was multistage, by clusters and stratified, which allowed for a random sample made up of 510 high school students. Results. Significant differences were identified in the study variables according to age and academic grade. Through the Logistic Regression, it was identified that adolescents who have a favorable attitude to marijuana use, a subjective norm favorable to marijuana use, and adolescents who are perceived as having low efficacy to abstain from using marijuana in certain situations, have 7.24 times, 4.57 times and 3.35 times more likely to have an intention to use marijuana, respectively. Conclusions. These findings support that the favorable attitude, the subjective norm favorable to the consumption of marijuana and the low perception of efficacy to abstain from using marijuana in certain situations, predict the intention of consumption.