The Relationship Between Parental Migration and Substance Use Patterns among Youths in Mufakose, Zimbabwe

Parental migration is a widespread phenomenon globally and among Zimbabweans due to various socioeconomic push and pull factors. While remittances sent by migrant parents support their children financially, the absence of parents also takes a psychological toll on adolescents left behind. Existing literature has linked parental absence to increased risk of mental health issues, loneliness, and substance use difficulties among youth. However, there remains a need to understand these dynamics through a Zimbabwean cultural lens. The aim of the study was to examine the relationship between parental migration and substance use. This qualitative study examined the experiences of five youth adults aged 18-24 residing in Mufakose, Harare, Zimbabwe whose parents migrated abroad. The ontological framework was Erikson’s psychosocial theory which takes an organismic view of human development and the guiding epistemology was Bandura’s theory, which stresses the role of observational learning, modelling, and environmental reinforcement in acquiring knowledge and skills. A phenomenological approach was used to capture the essence of the lived experiences of participants. This research concludes that tailored community support programs are needed to foster resilience in Zimbabwean adolescents facing parental absence. From the findings, recommendations for policy, education, practice and future research were made.