Abstract

MONTEJANO, Gabriela Rivarola; PILATTI, Angelina  and  PAUTASSI, Ricardo Marcos. Perceived risk associated with the consumption of alcohol, tobacco and marijuana: differences according to use and gender. CES Psicol [online]. 2022, vol.15, n.3, pp.133-153.  Epub Oct 25, 2022. ISSN 2011-3080.  https://doi.org/10.21615/cesp.6161.

Alcohol, tobacco, and marijuana consumption is highly prevalent among emerging adult college students. One of the variables influencing the consumption of these three psychoactive substances is the perception of risk associated with such behavior. This work examined bivariate and multivariate relationships between risk perception of alcohol, tobacco and marijuana use, and the use of those substances, in Argentinian emerging adults that attend college. Additionally, we analyzed differences in risk perception in regards of gender. A sample of 279 college students (75.6% women; M age = 23.02; SD = 3.36) completed an online survey. We used a non-probabilistic and accidental sampling. We found significant differences in risk perception as a function of gender and type of consumption (i.e., with/without heavy episodic drinking [HED], with or without tobacco/marijuana use). Being men and exhibiting a higher frequency of HED, tobacco or marijuana consumption were significantly associated to the perception of a lower risk attributed to each substance. These findings suggests that frequent and intensive substance use behaviors could be the focus for interventions to correct risk perceptions.

Keywords : risk perception; college students; alcohol; tobacco; marijuana; young people; early adulthood..

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