DOI
https://doi.org/10.25772/Z3SR-4703
Defense Date
2023
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science
Department
Psychology
First Advisor
Dr. Oswaldo Moreno
Second Advisor
Dr. Chelsea Williams
Third Advisor
Dr. Karen Chartier
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has disproportionately impacted first-generation college students who identify as racial-ethnic minorities (REM). Aside from the academic and health repercussions caused by COVID-19, little is known if home disruptions have increased substance use for REM college students. Specifically, increased home disruptions may directly relate to substance use and indirect relationships through increased family conflict and stress. Therefore, this master's thesis examined the direct relationships between home disruption and substance use. I also examined the relationships between home disruption and family conflict, as well as home disruption and stress. Further, I also investigated the relationships between family conflict and substance use, as well as stress and substance use during the COVID-19 pandemic. Finally, I also examined if family conflict and stress mediate the relationship between home disruption and substance use among racial-ethnic minoritized (REM) college students, in addition to determining whether first-generation student status moderates the relationship between home disruption and substance use.. Using the Spit for Science data set created by Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU), the variables of interest were analyzed using SPSS Version 27.0. Specifically, the mediation-moderation analyses, including syntax and data for probing and visualizing interactions, were generated in PROCESS Macro Version 3.4.1 in SPSS Version 27.0. We found that home disruption was significantly associated with both stress and family conflict. However, only stress was found to be associated with other substance use but not with alcohol or cannabis use. Additionally, we found that stress mediated the relationship between home disruption and other drug use.
Rights
© The Author
Is Part Of
VCU University Archives
Is Part Of
VCU Theses and Dissertations
Date of Submission
5-3-2023