GABP Congress 2026

Although loneliness and interpersonal difficulties are major sources of stress among students, their links with substance use remain poorly studied. This study therefore aimed to 1) explore the association between the different dimensions of perceived stress, beyond simple academic stress, and substance use among students, as well as 2) identify avenues for prevention and risk reduction adapted to the student context.

An online cross-sectional study was conducted between March and September 2024 using three validated scales: the Freshman Stress Scale, the Ways of Coping Checklist , and an adapted version of the ASSIST assessing a range of substances. The sample included 636 students (mean age = 21.3 years; SD = 4.2).

In total, 81% of students said they used alcohol, 37% non-prescribed medication, 32% tobacco, 15% cannabis, 14% prescription medication and 9% sedatives.

High stress related to interpersonal difficulties was significantly associated with more tobacco, alcohol and cannabis use. Similarly, high stress related to loneliness was significantly associated with more prescription drug use.

These results underline the importance of developing interventions targeting relational vulnerabilities and loneliness. Approaches such as mindfulness-based interventions could be relevant prevention tools. These stress-targeting interventions could be associated with raising awareness of the risks associated with substance use, particularly in the face of the emergence of consumption that is still understudied, such as the misuse of medications. The dissemination of information adapted to student practices, via university health services, could play a key role in raising awareness, identifying and supporting.

Laurine Becker is a doctoral researcher at the Laboratoire de Psychologie des Pays de la Loire (LPPL), Nantes Université and Université d’Angers, France. Her research interests include student mental health, perceived stress, coping strategies, and psychoactive substance use. Her recent research examines the relationship between different forms of stress and substance use among university students, with a focus on prevention and risk reduction. She is also involved in the CapturUSE research project, which investigates substance use among university students through quantitative, qualitative, and participatory approaches.