Coffee consumption habits of portuguese adolescents and their association with the use of other psychoactive substances

Abstract

Coffee is a psychoactive substance due to being a major source of caffeine. Adolescence is a developmental period where individuals might experiment and continue to use licit and illicit psychoactive substances. Evidence also suggests an association between coffee consumption and the use of other psychoactive substances. The study’s aims were to determine the coffee consumption patterns of Portuguese adolescents and to evaluate the association between coffee consumption and the use of tobacco, alcohol, and cannabis in the same sample. The results showed that coffee consumption in adolescence can have its origins in an individual’s childhood; a large number of adolescents frequently consumes coffee; adolescents prefer to consume caffeinated coffee over decaffeinated coffee; and coffee’s taste, the taste of coffee beverages, and coffee’s psychoactive effects are the main reasons for coffee consumption in adolescence. No significant differences were found for coffee consumption before the pandemic and during the pandemic’s emergency social distancing measures. Lastly, no significant associations were found between coffee consumption and the use of tobacco, alcohol, and cannabis. Future research could extend on the present study’s limitations and investigate coffee separated from the other caffeinated products. Practical implications relate to the possible clinical relevance of coffee consumption.

Date of Award	5 Jan 2021
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Supervisor	Patrícia Oliveira-Silva (Supervisor)