Young adults coping with sibling loss : risk and protective factors for substance use disorder

Although substantial advances have been made in the field, very little research has been conducted on substance use disorder (SUD) among young adults coping with the loss of a sibling. Whereas some young adults cope with this type of loss by developing SUD, others manage to avoid such outcomes and even implement strategies to protect themselves from substance use. In the current study (N=490; 260 lost a sibling, 230 did not), we examined whether SUD among young adults who lost a sibling was predicted by risk and protective factors: psychopathology (i.e., depression, anxiety, and stress), grief, personal growth, guilt, self-blame, regret, quality of communication with parents, “inadequate self,” “hated self,” “self-reassurance,” and stigma toward loss. Results indicated that the better the quality of communication with the parents, the lower the likelihood of having SUD. We also found that the association between depression, stress, and the likelihood of having SUD was significantly moderated by coping with the loss of a sibling. Finally, only among individuals who had lost a sibling did we find that an increase in guilt, mediated by anxiety and depression, increased the likelihood of developing SUD. Conversely, an increase in feelings of inadequacy and/or stigma toward loss was associated with a decreased likelihood of having SUD. The current research highlights the importance of providing support and resources to young adults, as such support is crucial for helping them cope with sibling loss and mitigating the risks of developing SUD.

Keywords: substance use disorder; coping with sibling loss; psychopathology; bereavement guilt; young adults