Birth order and its relatedness to substance use disorder : an empirical research in Bulgaria

Abstract

Addiction to psychoactive substances is a serious problem, involved in a variety of social problems, such as crime, highway deaths, suicide, accidental deaths, hospitalization, poor school performance and dropout, job absenteeism, child and spouse abuse, low self-esteem, depression and anxiety. The purpose of this study is to investigate the significant relationship between substance use disorder (SUD) and ordinal birth order. Birth order is one of the seven major constructs in Individual Psychology and it has attracted the attention of many researchers. Adler, (1946) states that children born into the same family environment form their personalities and lifestyle approach in a different manner. Originally, the construct of psychological birth order was classified in terms of five general positions: first, second, middle, youngest, and only child (Adler, 1946; Ansbacher & Ansbacher, 1956). Contemporary Adlerians classify birth order in terms of four general positions: first, middle, youngest, and only child (Campbell, White, & Stewart, 1991; Stewart & Stewart, 2001).