The onset of puberty is accompanied by various physical and mental developments that can influence the self-confidence and substance use of young people. In this thesis, it is tried to answer...Show moreThe onset of puberty is accompanied by various physical and mental developments that can influence the self-confidence and substance use of young people. In this thesis, it is tried to answer whether self-confidence mediates the relationship between the onset of puberty development and substance use and what differences are visible for boys and girls (N = 186). All participants were between 14 and 18 years old and came from the west of the Netherlands. The data used in this research was collected through home visits and questionnaires. To answer the research question, a mediation analysis by Baron & Kenny (1986) was used. The mediation analysis investigated the relation between the onset of puberty development and substance use, the onset of puberty development and self-confidence and self-confidence and substance use. These analyses are done for both boys and girls. The results show that boys have significantly higher scores on self-confidence and substance use than girls. There is a significant relationship between confidence and substance use for boys, but not for girls. The significant relationship found for boys is different in nature than for girls. There is no mediation effect of self-confidence on the relation between the onset of puberty development and substance use. It is important for future research to further investigate the relation between self-confidence and substance use in boys. In addition, it is essential to investigate whether an unequivocal answer can be found whether the onset of puberty development influences substance use. In this way, interventions against substance use can be used effectively.Show less
