- Objective: The aim of this study is to show cigarette and alcohol use among university students and its relationship with family problems. Methods: The sample of the study comprised a total of 192 students from the Near East University Psychology Department in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. In the study a personal information form prepared by the researchers, 'Family Structure Assessment Device' (FSAD) and a 'Scale for Measuring Family Problems During Adolescence' (SMFPDA) were used. Results: The mean age of the subjects was 22.38 +/- 2.0. The lifetime prevalence of having smoked at least once was 61.5% and alcohol use was 70.8%. Students who smoked perceived the 'communication', 'unity', 'management', 'perfection' and 'emotional' dimensions of their families according to the FSAD lower than the students who did not use (p=0.004, p=0.018, p=0.044, p=0.007, p=0.004). It was also found that according to the SMFPDA ` authoritarian attitudes', ` insensitivity and inconsistency in relations', and ` lack of harmony in parental relations' were significantly higher (p=0.000, p=0.000, p=0.001) in their family environment. When students who had tried alcohol were compared to the ones who had not, it was found that the 'emotional' subscale of FSAD was significantly lower (p=0.044) and that there were significantly more 'authoritarian attitudes', 'lack of harmony in parental relations', and 'loose boundaries and abuse in relations' according to SMFPDA (p=0.000, p=0.000, p=0.002). The results of multiple regression analysis showed that 'age' is a predictor for 'cigarette use' (beta=0.193, t=2.474, p=0.014), and the predictors for 'the frequency of smoking' are 'gender' (beta=- 0.196, t=-2.814, p=0.004) and 'alcohol use' (beta=0.153, t=2.192, p=0.030). 'Nationality' (beta=-0.227, t=-2.958, p=0.004) and 'total score of FSAD' (beta=0.259, t=2.473, p=0.014) were found to be predictors for ` alcohol use', and the predictors for ` frequency of alcohol use' were the ` total score of SMFPDA' (beta= 0.418, t=1.976, p=0.000), 'nationality' (beta=-0.259, t=-3.514, p=0.001), 'total score of FSAD' (beta=0.229, t=4.161, p=0.025) and ` cigarette use' (beta=0.140, t=2.267, p=0.050). Discussion: The results show us that young people who have tried cigarettes or alcohol perceive their family environment more negatively. Prevention studies for cigarette and alcohol use should continue during university education and the effects of the family should be taken into consideration in these studies. (Anatolian Journal of Psychiatry 2009; 10: 40-47)
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