Relationship Between Meaning of Life and Permissiveness in Substance Using and Abusing Adolescents

Adolescence is a fundamental stage of socio-moral development, where intellectual structures are consolidated, as well as social interactions with others, such as assuming social conventions and consolidation of empathy. In this context, it is very important for social life to study moral judgment and character education. In addition, existential questions about the reason for living and the meaning of life begin in the context of the maturation of cognitive structures. In this chapter, we develop the relationship between the meaning of life and moral judgment (permissiveness and penalization) that adolescents make on substance use and abuse, particularly alcohol, cannabis, and cocaine. The empirical results show a higher meaning of life when there is a greater penalization of the consumption of alcohol, cannabis, and cocaine. In addition, there is a higher meaning of life in less-permissive adolescents to the consumption of cannabis. These results are reflected in the framework of current research and theories. Current research shows that frequent cannabis users have a higher number of negative consequences than occasional users; other studies show that substance abuse affects well-being and family functioning, as well as financial position, physical health, and psychological well-being. For these reasons, the meaning of life in adolescents is considered to be of great importance in studying substance use and abuse.