Factors of Psychoactive Substance Use Behaviors and Intention Among Social Workers’ Adolescent Case-Work Clients in Hong Kong

Based on Social Cognitive Theory (SCT), this study investigated the factors of psychoactive substance use in terms of current use (past 30 days), lifetime use, and behavioral intention (next 12 months) in Hong Kong adolescent case-clients of social workers from July 2021 to June 2022. The prevalence of current/lifetime psychoactive substance use and behavioral intention to use psychoactive substances was 7.6%/20.9% and 8.6%, respectively. The SCT constructs of positive outcome expectancy of psychoactive substance use, the observational learning indicators, and the environmental factor (easiness to obtain psychoactive substances) were positively associated with current and lifetime psychoactive substance use. Similar associations involving negative outcome expectancy (NOE), emotional relief refusal self-efficacy (RSE), and opportunistic RSE were significant and negative. Furthermore, NOE, emotional relief RSE, and social facilitation RSE were significantly associated with behavioral intention of psychoactive substance use. Future longitudinal studies are warranted to confirm the findings and test pilot interventions.