Moderating role of psychological flexibility in the relationship between psychological vulnerability, rejection sensitivity, self-esteem and substance use

Problems of substance abuse including expansion in number of people that use drugs and use of non-conventional substances create new health and control challenges. For instance, the misuse of volatile solvents, inhalants, fumes from human excreta and synthetic substances could account for increasing death rates among drug users. Unfortunately, not much is known about possible push psychological factors that contribute to these developments. This study investigated whether psychological vulnerability, rejection sensitivity, and self-esteem predicted substance abuse among undergraduates and the moderating role of psychological flexibility in the relationship. An online survey method conveniently sampled seven hundred and eighty-three (783) undergraduates from Nnamdi Azikiwe University and Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University. The participants were aged 17 to 30 years (M = 21.00; SD 3.03). Data were collected using the psychological vulnerability scale, Rejection Sensitivity Scale, Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, Drug Abuse Screening Test, and Acceptance and Action Questionnaire. Using a moderated regression analysis, the results showed that psychological vulnerability (β = 0.17, p