Abstract
Background
While a theoretical association between religiosity and substance use is anticipated, there is limited empirical evidence testing this theoretical proposition among Nordic adolescents. It was anticipated that studying these substance-use correlates from a criminological perspective by employing a large sample of students could provide novel as well as specific knowledge and insights of substance use in a Nordic setting and others.
Objective
This study aimed to explore the effects of organizational and subjective religiosity on substance use (cannabis and alcohol) among a large sample of Nordic middle and high school students.
Method
The data were extracted from two waves of the Young in Norway (UNGDATA Vestland County) cross-sectional surveys conducted in 2017 and 2021 (N = 41,096). Three binomial logistic regression analyses were carried out separately for the samples for each year (2017 and 2021) to examine the effects of religiosity, social bonding, and rule-breaking behavior on substance use among those adolescents that completed the survey.
Results
The prevalence of cannabis use (6.3% in 2017 vs. 6.6% in 2021) and binge drinking (29.7% in 2017 vs. 29.5% in 2021) did not change significantly over time. Religiosity weakly predicted cannabis use but was consistently associated with low levels of binge drinking. The introduction of social bonding variables weakly influenced the association between religiosity and substance use. Social bonding was associated with low levels of cannabis use, but it had varying effects on binge drinking. Sociodemographic variables and rule-breaking behavior were consistent over time in predicting substance use.
Conclusions
Subjective and organizational religiosity exert distinct influences on adolescent substance use, with the religiosity model exhibiting a stronger predictive capacity for binge drinking compared to cannabis use over the years.