Childhood abuse and substance use in Canada: does religion ameliorate or intensify that association?

Abstract

Purpose: While research on the association between childhood abuse and substance use has proliferated in recent years, most studies have relied on less representative samples, hindering scholars’ ability to make larger generalizations. Moreover, very few studies have explored the moderating effects embedded in that association. With these gaps in mind, the present study examines: First, are childhood physical and sexual abuse associated with drinking, binge drinking, and cannabis use? Second, how does religion moderate those associations? Methods: The present study uses a nationally representative sample of Canadians aged 15 and older (N= 32,519)–the 2014 Canadian General Social Survey (Cycle-28). A series of ordinal and logistic regression models are applied. Results: We discover that childhood physical abuse is positively associated with drinking, binge drinking, and cannabis use. Similar patterns have also been observed for individuals who experienced childhood sexual abuse. Moreover, religious beliefs moderate the association between childhood physical abuse and binge drinking, suggesting that the positive association between childhood physical abuse and binge drinking is stronger among those with greater religious beliefs. Conclusions: Consistent with more recent literature, the present study highlights that the buffering role of religiosity might not apply to substance use within the context of childhood abuse.