Modeling the Relationship between Stress and Substance Abuse with the Mediation of Meaning in Life

Objective: Substance abuse is a serious and worrying threat to human society that cannot be treated without considering its relevant, underlying, and intensifying factors. The aim of this study was to model the relationship between stress and substance abuse with the mediation of meaning in life. Method: The present study was correlational-descriptive of structural equation modeling type. The statistical population included all students studying at Ferdowsi University of Mashhad in 2019 among which 387 students were selected using multi-stage cluster sampling. In addition to the demographic information form, participants completed the meaning in life questionnaire (Steger & Shin, 2010), the student stress survey (Ross, Neibling, & Heckert, 1999), and the simple screening instrument for substance abuse and mental illnesses (Whetten et al., 2005). The data were analyzed using Pearson correlation and structural equation modeling methods using SPSS-23 and AMOS-23 software. Results: The results showed that stress had a positive and significant direct effect on substance abuse and meaning in life partially mediated the relationship between stress and substance abuse. Conclusion: The present study showed that stress can be one of the predictive factors related to substance abuse. Also, lack of meaning in life is an effective factor in substance abuse that should be considered in the treatment and prevention of this disorder.