Psychosocial Determinants of Substance Use Among University Students: Implications for Social-Emotional Learning and Wellbeing

Substance use among university students is a complex phenomenon influenced by sociodemographic, contextual, and psychosocial factors, with direct implications for wellbeing and social-emotional learning. This study examined the relationships between sociodemographic variables, substance use, and psychosocial dimensions, using a combined descriptive and correlational analysis. The sample comprised 924 students from different fields of study at the University of Córdoba (Spain): Social and Legal Sciences (65.59%), Engineering and Architecture (3.35%), Arts and Humanities (12.88%), Health Sciences (8.98%), and Sciences (9.09%). Variables assessed included substance use, frequency of use, leisure activities, social function, perceptions and prejudices, intrinsic factors, and behaviour. Results showed significant associations between substance use and leisure activities and intrinsic motivation, as well as interrelationships among psychosocial dimensions. The results also indicated that sociodemographic variables have a limited explanatory role; sex and family context emerged as relevant predictors for certain dimensions. These findings highlight the need to address substance use from a multidimensional perspective that integrates developmental, motivational, and contextual factors, with implications for the design of educational strategies and prevention programmes focused on wellbeing and social-emotional learning in higher education.