Childhood Emotional Neglect and Risks of Substance Misuse: Meaning and Purpose of Life as a Mediator

A growing body of evidence show that emotional neglect may increase a young adult's susceptibility for substance misuse. Nevertheless, to our knowledge, no studies have examined how meaning and purpose of life may explain the association between childhood emotional neglect and risks of substance misuse in adulthood. The current study seeks to examine whether purpose and meaning of life may serve as a protective factor against the effects of emotional neglect and risks of substance misuse in university students' sample. A total of 385 Turkish university students recruited by snowball sampling agreed to complete the Addiction Profile Index Risk Screening Scale, Childhood Trauma Questionnaire, and Meaning and Purpose of Life Scale. The results showed a significant positive relationship between the risk of substance misuse and emotional neglect. The meaning and purpose of life, however, was negatively and significantly related to emotional neglect. The findings suggested that the association between childhood emotional neglect and risks of substance misuse was mediated by the meaning and purpose of life. The findings suggest that meaning and purpose of life is an important mechanism explaining how childhood emotional neglect is associated with risks of substance misuse. When addressing the hazards of substance misuse among university students, future prevention and intervention programs may take life's meaning and purpose into account.