Personality Traits and Correlates of Substance use among Persons with Mental Health Challenges in a Psychiatric Facility: Implication for Counselling

Abstract

Substance use causes a significant burden to individuals and societies throughout the world. This study aimed to evaluate personality traits and correlates of substance use among persons with mental health challenges in a psychiatric facility and its implication for counselling. This cross-sectional survey study used a purposive sampling technique to select one hundred and eighteen participants (97.5%) males and (2.5%) females with age ranges from 17 to 47 years, mean age of 30.8 and (SD ± 7.3). The study revealed that 62.7% uses cigarettes, 50% uses cannabis and 37.5 uses tramadol. Fifty percent of the participants use more than two psychoactive substances. Residing in an urban setting, earning below $ 2, coming from the polygamous background, and having unhindered access to drugs were found to correlates with psychoactive substance use. On five dimensions of personality traits, 50% of the participants were neither high nor low on extraversion, 55.9% were high on neuroticism and 52.5% were high on openness to experience. On agreeableness, 55.9% were low and on conscientiousness 54.2% were low. Base on the above findings, it therefore recommends that incorporation of personality assessment, correlates and patterns of use should be given attention during substance abuse rehabilitation program.