The Role of Strategic Engagement Regulation and Attitude toward Marriage in Predicting a Person's Tendency to Risk-Taking in Dependence on Drug, Cigarette, and Alcohol Use

Objective: The present study was conducted aiming to investigate the role of strategic engagement regulation and attitude toward marriage in predicting a personchr('39')s tendency to risk-taking in dependence on drug, cigarette, and alcohol use. Method: This study was a descriptive-correlational research. The statistical population included all students of Islamic Azad University, Central Tehran Branch in 2018-2019, and 308 people were selected as the statistical sample by convenience sampling method. Data were collected using the risk-taking scale, the strategic engagement regulation scale, and the marital attitude scale. Analysis was performed using Pearsonchr('39')s correlation coefficient and stepwise multivariate regression methods. Results: The results showed that a pessimistic attitude toward marriage was positively and significantly related to the risk-taking of drug, cigarette, and alcohol use, while optimistic, realistic, and idealistic attitudes were negatively and significantly associated with the risk-taking of drug, cigarette, and alcohol use. Also, strategic engagement regulation had a significant negative relationship with the risk-taking of drug use, and no significant relationship with the risk-taking of cigarette and alcohol use. Regression results revealed that the pessimistic attitude and the optimistic attitude predicted 4%; the pessimistic attitude, the idealistic attitude, and strategic engagement regulation predicted 12%; and strategic engagement regulation and the pessimistic attitude predicted 4% of the variance in the risk-taking of cigarette, drug, and alcohol use significantly. Conclusion: It can be concluded that in prevention programs of risk-taking in cigarette, drug, and alcohol use, it is necessary to consider the role of factors in strategic engagement regulation and attitude toward marriage.