Comparison of Attachment Styles, Parent Attitudes and Social Supports of Normal Adolescents and Those Diagnosed with Substance Use Disorder

Objectives: This descriptive field study was conducted in order to investigate the differences between normal adolescents and those diagnosed with substance use disorder with regards to attachment styles, parent attitudes and social supports. Methods: After obtaining the necessary permissions from the participating institutions, 544 adolescents between 14 and 18 years of age who were mentally stable and able to participate in the full study completed the following questionnaires with their parents' consent: The Identification Information Form, The Parenting Style Inventory, The Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support and The Adolescent Relationship Scales Questionnaire. Results: The adolescents diagnosed with substance use disorder had less secure and preoccupied attachment and more fearful and dismissed attachment than did their normal counterparts. In addition, the adolescents diagnosed with substance use disorder had less family and total social support than did normal adolescents, and their family gave them less parental acceptance and involvement, less attitude control, and less psychological autonomy. Conclusion: The implementation of a therapeutic, structured mental support program by psychiatric nursing could be beneficial for adolescents who have substance use disorder.