Empirical Study of the Relationship Between Attachment Style and Substance Use Among University Students in Delta State

Attachment theory proposes that insecure attachment patterns increase vulnerability to substance use as a self-regulatory and distress-management strategy, and empirically characterising this relationship among Nigerian university students provides evidence for attachment-informed addiction counselling approaches. This study empirically investigated the relationship between attachment styles and substance use behaviours among undergraduates at Delta State University, Abraka, South South Nigeria. A correlational cross-sectional survey was conducted among 320 students from five faculties. The Experiences in Close Relationships Scale-Revised assessed attachment anxiety and avoidance dimensions, and the AUDIT-C (alcohol use) and DAST-10 (drug use) measured substance use severity. Multiple regression and logistic regression were applied. Results showed that attachment anxiety was significantly positively associated with alcohol use severity (beta = 0.37, p < 0.001) and drug use (beta = 0.41, p < 0.001). Attachment avoidance was a significant positive predictor of drug use (beta = 0.28, p < 0.001) but not of alcohol use after controlling for anxiety. The insecure attachment composite predicted 28.4 percent of variance in substance use severity. Gender moderated the anxiety-alcohol use relationship, with anxiety a stronger predictor among females. Secure attachment was significantly negatively associated with both substance use outcomes. The study fills an empirical gap and recommends that addiction counselling programmes in Nigerian universities incorporate attachment security enhancement as a therapeutic goal alongside direct substance use skill building. Keywords: attachment style, substance use, university students, Delta State, addiction counselling