Examination of the Consumption Pattern of Cultural and Media Goods and the Tendency of Youth towards Drug Use and Addiction

Introduction

One of the problems that perhaps reveals itself much more today than ever before is the issue of addiction and drug use, especially among the youth. Therefore, attention to the issue of addiction and drug use should be considered as one of the most important issues in any society because the negative consequences of neglecting the behaviors of adolescents and underestimating their legitimate rights will affect all segments of society. It might be said that a high rate of addiction and drug use in any society indicates the undesirable status and function of families and then the community. As a result, not only in Iran but in all societies, officials are constantly facing this social problem and are seeking to offer new and effective strategies to minimize it in their community. Since substance abuse has inhibitory effects on the growth and flourishing of society, it is a serious and worrying threat. Dependence and substance abuse are considered chronic and recurrent disorders with biological, cultural, psychological, social, behavioral, and spiritual effects and antecedents. The phenomenon of addiction, in its current form, has been present in the world and in our country for more than half a century and is expanding. The prevalence of this phenomenon in our time has taken on alarming dimensions, with the spread of addiction and the promotion of increased drug use, especially cannabis and industrial psychoactive substances, among adolescents being one of the major problems of our contemporary society in large cities, particularly in the metropolis under study, namely, Fars Province.

Given that the age pyramid of the population will soon change shape, and most age groups will shift from the child and under-15 age groups to ages over 15, which are at risk of drug use, and along with it the shortage of educational, cultural, recreational, health, and employment facilities will become more apparent, it is predicted that in the coming years, the growth rate of drug use will increase sharply. The assessment of officials and experts indicates a serious damage of addiction to our growing social structure (Jalali, 2022). Today, mass communication tools (cultural and media goods) such as radio, television, cinema, press, and modern mass media, by transmitting information, new knowledge, and exchanging public opinions, have taken on a major role in the development of human culture and civilization; so much so that many scientists have named the current era of life the age of communications, and in the current world of communications and information, it is perhaps difficult to find an individual who is not connected to mass media. Therefore, it seems that the necessity of using media and cultural and media goods for the primary prevention of addiction is essential and obvious.

In today's world, media and cultural goods, as providers of experience frameworks for audiences, create general cultural attitudes for interpreting information. The media shape the ways of interpreting social life and how to react to it by organizing our experience of social life (Giddens, 2003). On the other hand, modern approaches to explaining the etiology of drug use do not view influencing factors in addiction tendency or prevention in isolation but emphasize their interrelation and strive to achieve a comprehensive theoretical model. In this context, media theorists and researchers, in their efforts to explain the relationships between mass media and risk and protective factors, have presented numerous theories. Some believe that the media, in some cases, are a risk factor in the field of substance abuse; because part of the mass media, by explicitly and implicitly promoting consumption messages and showing films of smoking, alcohol, and drug use, have negative effects on young people. However, most experts believe that media (cultural goods) can be powerful tools for the widespread teaching of social and cognitive skills (Rezaghali, 2014).

Moreover, using the media, one can raise the awareness of all members of society about drugs and their destructive effects (Divani, 2018). Examining the impact of media on different aspects of social life has always been an important topic in media studies. The inherent capabilities of communication tools in cultural and political streamlining, their impact on behavioral patterns and public tastes, and their position as a main and dominant source for presenting mental images of realities, values, and social norms are undeniable. While these tools act as intermediaries in social relations, they can establish long-term and extensive connections with people, overshadowing the initial influence of school, family, religion, and the like (Khaje Nouri & Kaveh, 2013). Due to their pervasive nature among social life institutions and their influence on the process of reducing the supply and demand for drugs, media have a prominent role in addiction prevention. In fact, media are suitable tools for education, knowledge expansion, and attracting public participation for addiction prevention (Mousavi Asl & Jafari, 2018). The explicit function of the media is the encounter between the message and the recipient or the encounter between the stimulus and the audience. The latent function of the media is to establish the flow of communication and provide one or all parts of the process of transforming the message into feeling, perception, motivation, and ultimately behavior. Media organizations broadcast messages and influence the culture of society. This makes mass media fundamental and institutional forces in society (Potter, 2010, as cited in Jafari & Fathi, Sheikh Ahmad, 2017).

The role of cultural and media goods in our era is so important that some experts consider them a substitute for culture. For example, if we consider satellite apart from its positive or negative aspects, we realize its role in all social, cultural, artistic, political, economic, and other fields. Or the global internet network and modern social networks through which millions of people exchange information and ideas every minute. Also, due to numerous inventions, innovations, and technologies, our vast world has become so close that it is referred to as a global village. The media, as one of the most powerful tools of influence among people and especially among young people, can have a significant impact on risky behaviors, especially youth addiction. Today, addiction, as the most important social harm, is attacking human society. Researchers are seeking to identify factors that influence the prevention of substance use. It is possible that some factors act as protectors and others as risk factors, delaying or accelerating substance addiction. One protective factor is the media, which in some studies has been referred to as a shield against substance dependence (Masoudi Farid, Mirbeygi, Esfahani, & Rezakhani, 2015).

Although the content of media messages on any social issue is influenced by two factors: the production process and professional techniques (McQuail & Blumer, 2016), the effectiveness of media is also influenced by four factors: message production, message content, message transmission, and message receiver (Pardal & Tiberghein, 2017). Therefore, in preparing, producing, promoting, and using cultural and media goods, attention to the aforementioned points and the fact that cultural and media goods are the most important source of message production and utilizing this high cultural capacity is essential. It can be said that one of the influencing factors on youth's tendency to use drugs is the consumption of cultural and media goods. The present era is an era of technology and innovation in producing various goods, especially cultural goods. Fortunately, in most sources, the definition of addiction is such that it covers all types of addiction well. If we want to review the common part of these definitions and arrive at a simple definition of addiction, perhaps the following definition is appropriate: Any involvement and dependence on a stimulus, which despite its adverse effects, is pleasant for our mind, and each time experiencing that stimulus increases our inner desire to repeat that experience (Rostami, 2018).

An addict is someone who continuously uses one or more drugs through various means such as ingestion, anesthesia, injection, and inhalation, and if stopped, they face physical, behavioral, or both issues (Ghorbani et al., 2015). A person addicted to substances cannot avoid or quit the addictive substance or behavior. They have no control over themselves, have a strong craving for the addictive substance or behavior, are unaware of the problematic consequences of their behavior, and over time, addiction disrupts their daily life. People with addiction experience periods of heavy and light use. In addition to these periods, addiction worsens over time. These individuals often face permanent physical and psychological problems or personal issues such as financial bankruptcy.

Cultural and media goods: A social activity and everyday practice that organizes human needs and desires, provides the necessary materials for producing imaginations and dreams, and indicates social differences and distinctions (Kazemi, 2008: 143). Cultural goods refer to all consumer items related to human culture and knowledge. These goods have the following uses for members of society:

1. Reading materials: Consumer items such as books, newspapers, and magazines that are used through reading.

2. Audio materials: Consumer items such as radio and music that are used through listening.

3. Visual materials: Consumer items such as television and satellite and high-quality uses such as cinema and theater, art exhibitions, museums, and concerts that are used through viewing.

4. Multimedia materials: Consumer items such as the internet and mobile phones that are used through viewing, listening, and reading (Hajizadeh & Razavi Dinani, 2015).

In this research, the media goods variable is examined from the perspective of digital, written, audio, and internet mass media. The importance of media in social and cultural transformations is so significant that collective human life can be divided into different periods based on the type and evolution of the media they use. Media is any tool that helps transfer thoughts, feelings, and ideas indirectly to others. Not all media have the same characteristics and features. For example, using a newspaper requires literacy, but using radio and television does not require being literate. In this research, media primarily refers to mass media. Mass media include all communication tools and devices available to large groups of people, such as books, periodicals, radio, and television. Internal media include domestic press, national television and radio, and external media include Persian and non-Persian satellite, Persian and non-Persian foreign news agencies, and virtual spaces such as the internet, WhatsApp, Telegram, and Instagram.

The differentiation of virtual spaces and satellites as two foreign and transnational media is based on the logic that using the internet, WhatsApp, Telegram, and Instagram is active, and the actor has the power to choose the type and manner of use and must have at least some initial skill. In contrast, satellite usage does not have these features. To measure this concept, indicators such as satellite, internet, television, radio, cinema, theater, computer games, foreign magazines, domestic magazines, books, and the level of use of each of the mentioned variables at the ordinal level have been used. It should be noted that due to the unique nature of each of the cultural goods mentioned, their separate definitions are avoided. Contextual variables in this study include age, gender, marital status, number of family members, education, occupation, income, and housing. Given that these characteristics are variables with clear meanings, they do not need to be defined and can be directly questioned.

Scientific research shows that addiction is a serious threat to the physical and mental health of individuals and society, and everyone must work together to combat this social harm. In recent decades, the role of culture and cultural and media goods in the prevention or occurrence of this devastating phenomenon has been very significant. Factors such as the media and consumption of cultural and artistic goods, depending on their type, play an undeniable role in the tendency or non-tendency to use drugs among young people. However, given that at the national level and especially in the metropolis of Shiraz, the impact of cultural and media goods consumption on the tendency to use drugs and addiction among young people has been less addressed, and these factors and their impact levels have not been accurately and scientifically examined, and that in the research conducted, it was found that in Shiraz, especially in less privileged areas like District 2, no scientific research has been conducted on the relationship between the consumption of cultural and media goods and the tendency of young people to use drugs and addiction based on scientific evidence. Therefore, with the aim of clarifying the consequences and relationship of cultural goods consumption on the tendency to use drugs and addiction among young people, especially in areas more exposed to this phenomenon, we have been motivated to research this topic and show the nature of this relationship.

Some relevant research studies include: Majid Shirzad et al. (2019) in their study on the role of information literacy in self-regulated learning and internet addiction found that information literacy has a significant positive relationship with self-regulated learning and a significant negative relationship with internet addiction. Also, information literacy can predict self-regulated learning and internet addiction. These findings emphasize the importance of information literacy in increasing self-regulated learning and reducing internet addiction. Nikbakht and Mirahmadi (2018) in their study on the effectiveness of documentary films with substance abuse content on adolescents' attitudes towards addiction found that there is a significant difference between the pre-test and post-test scores of participants. In other words, after showing documentary films, the participants' attitudes changed and became significantly more negative towards addiction.

Mousavi Asl and Jafari (2018) in their study on the relationship between media consumption and the tendency to use drugs (case study: youth in the city of Ardabil) found that there is a significant inverse relationship between media consumption and the tendency to use drugs. There is also a significant inverse relationship between the consumption of print and electronic media and the tendency to use drugs among young people in Ardabil. However, there is a significant positive relationship between the consumption of foreign media and the tendency to use drugs among young people in Ardabil. Using various media increases young people's awareness of addiction and drug use and fills their leisure time with media such as books, newspapers, television, and the internet, reducing their tendency to use drugs. Johnson (2019), in his study on the causes of youth's tendency to use drugs and its prevention, stated that the phenomenon of addiction in its current form has been present in the world and in our country for more than half a century and is expanding. The prevalence of this phenomenon in our time has taken on alarming dimensions, prompting everyone to think about how the tendency towards this social problem arises and how it can be prevented. There is a significant relationship between the hypotheses presented and the causes of youth's tendency to use drugs.

Dawson (2015) in his study on the relationship between the use of mass media and delinquency using a survey method found that there is no significant difference between the use of satellite among delinquent and non-delinquent adolescents. However, delinquent adolescents significantly use the internet less and television more than non-delinquent adolescents. It seems that there is a relationship between long-term use of television, not using the internet, and excessive daily use of films and video CDs with the likelihood of delinquency in adolescents.

Given the review of previous research and that in Shiraz, especially in less privileged areas like District 2, the cultural goods basket of families is very limited and that no scientific research has been conducted on the relationship between the consumption of cultural and media goods and the tendency of young people to use drugs and addiction based on scientific evidence, we have been motivated to research this topic and show the nature of this relationship.

Considering the importance of the issue of drug use and addiction as one of the most important foundations of social harm, especially among young people and adolescents, this study addresses the impact of cultural and media goods consumption such as satellite, cinema, theater, television, radio, mobile phone, internet, computer games, books, and magazines on the tendency of young people to use drugs and addiction. To achieve better planning, this research aims to measure the relationship between the consumption of cultural and media goods and the tendency to use drugs and addiction among young people in District 2 of Shiraz and the nature of these relationships.

The main objective of the present study is to examine the consumption patterns of cultural and media goods and the tendency of youth towards drug use and addiction.

Methods and Materials

Study Design and Participants

This research method is a survey type. The statistical population studied in this research includes young people aged 20 to 29 residing in District 2 of Shiraz Municipality. Therefore, to familiarize ourselves with District 2 of Shiraz, a brief introduction to this area is provided. According to the general population and housing census of 2016, the total population of District 2 of Shiraz is 178,116 people, which constitutes 11.4% of the total population of Shiraz. The area of District 2 of Shiraz Municipality is 168 hectares, and the number of households in this area is 53,800 households. Additionally, the household size is 3.3 people. In this area, the population density is 105 people per hectare. The population of the 20 to 29-year-old age group residing in District 2 of Shiraz is 31,656 people, constituting 5.6% of the population of this area. It should be noted that the population of the 20 to 29-year-old age group in Shiraz is 286,592 people. Therefore, 11.04% of young people aged 20 to 29 in Shiraz reside in District 2 of Shiraz Municipality. According to the latest official census in 2016, the total number of young people aged 20 to 29 residing in District 2 of Shiraz is 31,656 people. Therefore, considering the mentioned statistical population and Cochran's formula, the sample size for this study is 384 people.

Measures

Researcher-Made Questionnaire

The data collection tool is a questionnaire. The prepared questionnaire contains questions about the general characteristics of the respondents and statements and items about each of the research variables in the form of a Likert scale. In this study, the tendency of youth towards drug use and addiction is the dependent variable. In this research, drug use refers to the consumption of those chemical compounds or natural substances whose use causes alterations in the level of brain consciousness. Addictive substances are those that are derived from chemical compounds or natural substances and cause an individual's dependence on that substance if consumed. To operationalize the variable of the tendency towards drug use and addiction among youth as the dependent variable in this study, items such as disinterest in life and its current state, sleep problems, friendship with drug-using individuals, desire to use and carry drugs, aimlessness in life are assessed by 20 questions from questions 81 to 100 of the questionnaire at the nominal and ordinal levels as closed-ended questions.

Data analysis

In this research, data analysis in examining the relationship between the consumption of cultural and media goods and the tendency of youth towards drug use and addiction (case study of young people aged 20 to 29 in District 2 of Shiraz) was performed in two parts based on the extracted variables (interval variables, ordinal variables, and nominal variables). In the first part, descriptive and demographic characteristics of the sample under study were analyzed, and in the inferential statistics section, the hypotheses and path analysis were tested. The normality of the data distribution was checked using the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test. Structural equation modeling was used to test the hypotheses. To analyze the data, the initial questionnaire was prepared and its reliability was confirmed by Cronbach's alpha test. Subsequently, the necessary sample size was extracted using Cochran's formula, and this number was distributed, completed, and collected proportionally among young people aged 20 to 29 in District 2 of Shiraz. The completed questionnaires were then entered into Smart PLS software, and the various research hypotheses were evaluated and confirmed using tests such as analysis of variance, t-test, path coefficient, and Fornell and Larcker's test. Additionally, structural equation modeling was used for data processing.

Findings and Results

Based on the demographic information of the sample, the participants included 255 men and 129 women, totaling 384 individuals. The marital status distribution indicated that 261 participants were married, and 123 were single. The educational distribution results showed that the highest number was in the bachelor's degree level with 154 individuals. To assess reliability and validity, composite reliability indices, based on the beta of the model (factor loadings), and Cronbach's alpha, based on the assumption of equivalence of observed variables, were used. For examining convergent validity (the amount of variance a latent variable takes from its indicators), the extracted variance index was used. The findings are presented in Table 1.

To assess the reliability of the instrument, composite reliability indices and Cronbach's alpha were used. Since Cronbach's alpha is a traditional criterion for determining the reliability of constructs, the PLS method uses a more modern criterion called composite reliability for reliability assessment. For better reliability assessment in the PLS method, both criteria are employed. If the composite reliability for each construct is above 0.7, it indicates adequate internal consistency for the measurement model. Convergent validity, the second criterion for fitting measurement models in the PLS method, shows the correlation of a construct with its indicators. The AVE criterion (average variance extracted) is introduced for assessing convergent validity and indicates that an AVE value above 0.5 shows acceptable convergent validity.

As mentioned, the confirmation of composite reliability requires this index to be above 0.6, and for confirming the reliability of the questionnaire dimensions, a coefficient above 0.7 is considered. Since all Cronbach's alpha coefficients are greater than 0.7 and all composite reliability values are greater than 0.6, it indicates the capability of the examined items in measuring the dimensions under study. Regarding AVE, it should be noted that since all values for this index are greater than 0.5, it means that a latent variable can, on average, explain more than 50% of the variance of its indicators. As observed, all examined indices are at an acceptable level. The factor loadings of the indicators are presented in Table 2.

Based on the research findings, the factor loadings of all items are statistically significant (p-value < 0.05), thus there is no need to eliminate any variables from the estimated model. Fornell and Larcker test - Discriminant Validity: In partial least squares analysis, Fornell and Larcker (1981) criteria are used to indicate discriminant validity, which shows the existence of partial correlations between a construct's indicators and other constructs' indicators. Fornell and Larcker's criterion suggests that the square root of the AVE values for each construct should be greater than its correlations with other constructs. The values on the main diagonal of the matrix should be larger than all values in the corresponding column. Below is a sample Fornell and Larcker matrix:

1. Computer Games; 2. TV Programs and Satellite Series; 3. Foreign Radio Programs; 4. Domestic Radio Programs; 5. Theater; 6. Smartphone; 7. Movies; 8. Internet Use; 9. Music; 10. Foreign Publications; 11. Domestic Publications; 12. Economic Characteristics; 13. Books; 14. Tendency of Youth to Drug Use.

As shown in Table 3, the values on the main diagonal of the matrix are larger than all values in the corresponding column, indicating that the model has appropriate discriminant validity.

The structural model fit is evaluated using the adjusted R2 and Q2 indices. The adjusted R2 value has been obtained 0.353. Chin (1998) introduced three values of 0.19, 0.33, and 0.67 as benchmarks for weak, moderate, and strong R2 values, respectively. Based on this, the R2 and adjusted R2 values of the dependent variables in the model are relatively moderate. To assess the overall model fit, which controls both the measurement and structural parts of the model, the GoF criterion is used. A GoF value of 0.452 indicates a strong overall model fit. Given the confirmation of the model's fit, the estimated path coefficients are presented below.

Figure 1

Final Conceptual Model

Hence, it can be concluded that there is a relationship between the consumption of cultural and media goods and the tendency of youth towards drug use and addiction.

Discussion and Conclusion

The present study aimed to investigate the relationship between the consumption of cultural and media goods and the tendency of youth toward drug use and addiction. To achieve this objective, the relationship between the consumption of cultural and media goods and the tendency of youth toward drug use and addiction was examined, leading to the identification of dimensions, components, and indicators for assessing this relationship. The findings of this study indicated that the consumption of cultural and media goods affects the tendency of youth toward drug use and addiction.

In this study, the interpretation and analysis of the data collected from the study population were conducted using analytical statistics in both descriptive and inferential forms. Initially, the data related to each variable derived from the questionnaire responses were described in the form of numerical statistical characteristics, providing sufficient insight into the distribution and demographic and descriptive features of the respondents in various sections of the research. Subsequently, the relationships between the variables in the conceptual model were examined, and the research hypotheses were tested using appropriate statistical models. The above steps required the use of suitable statistical analysis methods to ensure the accuracy and precision of these inferences, which were meticulously observed and reviewed throughout the research. Based on the inferential statistical results, the findings indicated that the distribution of variables was not normal, as the acceptance condition for normality (rejection or non-significance of the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test) was not met. However, given that the skewness and kurtosis values fell within the range of -2 to +2, the data distribution can be considered normal.

The main hypothesis of this research was that there is a relationship between the consumption of cultural and media goods and the tendency of youth toward drug use and addiction. The findings for the main hypothesis showed that all Cronbach's alpha coefficients were greater than 0.7, and all composite reliability values were greater than 0.6. This indicates the capability of the examined items in measuring the dimensions under study. Consequently, all the indices examined were at an acceptable level. Based on the research findings, the factor loadings of all items were statistically significant. Therefore, there was no need to eliminate any variables from the estimated model. The values on the main diagonal of the matrix were greater than all values in the corresponding column, indicating appropriate discriminant validity in the model.

As a result, there is a relationship between the consumption of cultural and media goods and the tendency of youth toward drug use and addiction in the main hypothesis. Soltani and Mehranfar (2016) also concluded that five components of social marketing mix (desirable behavior proposition, accessibility, cost, social communications, policy) influence adolescents' intention to avoid drug use. Paul and Reghley (1999) found that adolescents who used media promoting violence and moral deviations were more likely to be attracted to delinquent and destructive groups. Masoudi Farid and colleagues (2014) highlighted the significant role of media, especially national media, in health promotion and substance use prevention programs. Dawson (2015) found a relationship between long-term television use, not using the internet, and frequent daily use of films and video CDs with the likelihood of delinquency in adolescents.

The first hypothesis of this study was that there is a relationship between background variables (age, gender, marital status, education, occupation, income, housing) and the tendency of youth toward drug use. The findings indicated that men significantly tended to use drugs more than women. However, there was no significant difference between single and married individuals in the tendency toward drug use (t = -0.074, p = 0.941). There was no significant difference in the tendency toward drug use across educational levels (p = 0.209, F(379,4) = 1.475). The father's education level significantly influenced the tendency toward drug use (p = 0.002, F(379,4) = 4.302). The mother's education level also significantly influenced the tendency toward drug use (p = 0.0001, F(380, 3) = 9.149). There was no significant difference in the tendency toward drug use across occupational groups (p = 0.813, F(379, 4) = 0.393). There was no significant difference in the tendency toward drug use across the father's occupational groups (p = 0.678, F(379, 4) = 0.580). Similarly, there was no significant difference in the tendency toward drug use across the mother's occupational groups (p = 0.158, F(379, 4) = 1.669). There was no significant difference in the tendency toward drug use across different income levels (p = 0.813, F(379, 4) = 0.393). There was no significant difference in the tendency toward drug use across different housing conditions (p = 0.179, F(379, 4) = 1.642). The average age of the sample was 26.95 years with a standard deviation of 2.76 years. The findings for the economic characteristics variable indicated that the factor loadings of all items were statistically significant (p < 0.05), thus no variables needed to be removed from the estimated model.

Overall, the first hypothesis showed a relationship between background variables (age, gender, marital status, education, occupation, income, housing) and the tendency of youth toward drug use. These results align with the findings of Saeed and Farahani (2012), who found a significant relationship between (age, gender, and housing) and the tendency of youth toward drug use. The results also align with those of Mousavi Asl and Jafari (2018), who found that age influences young people's awareness of addiction and drug use, and there is a significant relationship between (age, gender, marital status, education, occupation, income, housing) and the tendency toward drug use. Alireza Barazi (2017) also found that education plays a significant role in preventing addiction and the tendency toward drug use among youth.

The second hypothesis was that there is a relationship between the amount and type of internet use and the tendency of youth toward drug use. The findings showed a path coefficient of 0.137 and a t-statistic of 4.266, indicating the significance of the estimated path coefficient. Therefore, hypothesis 2 is confirmed. The findings align with those of Majid Shirzad et al. (2019), who found that excessive internet use can disrupt the tendency of youth toward drug use. Mohammad Taghi Kamal Abadi et al. (2015) also found that the type and amount of internet use influence the tendency toward delinquency. Dawson (2015) found a relationship between not using the internet and the likelihood of delinquency in adolescents. Maryam Sabati (2018) found a relationship between cultural and educational facilities, internet use, and women's addiction.

The third hypothesis was that there is a relationship between the amount and type of TV programs and satellite series consumption and the tendency of youth toward drug use. The findings showed a path coefficient of 0.115 and a t-statistic of 3.237, indicating the significance of the estimated path coefficient. Therefore, hypothesis 3 is confirmed. These findings align with those of Mohammad Taghi Kamal Abadi et al. (2015), who found that the type and amount of satellite programs and TV use influence the tendency toward delinquency. Paul and Reghley (1999) found that adolescents who used media promoting violence and moral deviations were more likely to be attracted to delinquent and destructive groups. Masoudi Farid et al. (2014) highlighted the significant role of media, especially national media, in health promotion and substance use prevention programs. Dawson (2015) found a relationship between long-term television use and frequent daily use of films and video CDs with the likelihood of delinquency in adolescents.

The fourth hypothesis was that there is a relationship between the amount and type of book consumption and the tendency of youth toward drug use. The findings showed a path coefficient of 0.123 and a t-statistic of 0.919, indicating the insignificance of the estimated path coefficient. Therefore, hypothesis 4 is not confirmed. These findings align with those of Saeed and Farahani (2012), who found a significant relationship between the use of mass media and children's cognitive development, but no significant relationship between the use of mass media and emotional development with media such as books, newspapers, and television. However, these findings do not align with those of Mousavi Asl and Jafari (2018), who found that using various media, including books, newspapers, television, and the internet, helps fill young people's leisure time and reduces the tendency toward drug use.

The fifth hypothesis was that there is a relationship between the amount and type of domestic publications consumption and the tendency of youth toward drug use. The findings showed a path coefficient of 0.094 and a t-statistic of 0.869, indicating the insignificance of the estimated path coefficient. Therefore, hypothesis 5 is not confirmed. These findings do not align with those of Mohammad Taghi Kamal Abadi et al. (2015), who found that the use of certain domestic magazines and journals influences the tendency toward delinquency. Maryam Sabati (2009) found that the amount and type of domestic publications consumption influence the tendency toward addiction. Paul and Reghley (1999) found that adolescents who used media promoting violence and domestic publications with moral deviations were more likely to be attracted to delinquent and destructive groups.

The sixth hypothesis was that there is a relationship between the amount and type of foreign publications consumption and the tendency of youth toward drug use. The findings showed a path coefficient of 0.092 and a t-statistic of 1.322, indicating the insignificance of the estimated path coefficient. Therefore, hypothesis 6 is not confirmed. These findings do not align with those of Maryam Sabati (2018), who found that foreign publications consumption is related to youth addiction. Masoudi Farid et al. (2014) highlighted the significant role of foreign publications in health promotion and substance use prevention programs. Dawson (2015) found a relationship between long-term publications use and the likelihood of delinquency in adolescents.

The seventh hypothesis was that there is a relationship between the amount and type of music consumption and the tendency of youth toward drug use. The findings showed a path coefficient of 0.440 and a t-statistic of 10.464, indicating the significance of the estimated path coefficient. Therefore, hypothesis 7 is confirmed. These findings align with those of Samadiyar (2012), who found that music in mass media such as radio, television, and the press plays a significant role in educating, guiding, and enhancing the social awareness of adolescents and youth. However, if the direction is contrary to public welfare, it leads to deviance, corruption, and delinquency. Ali Nikbakht and Bahareh Mirahmadi (2018) found that documentary music influences adolescents' attitudes toward substances. Alireza Barazi (2017) found that national TV music programs have not been effective in preventing substance addiction, indicating a need for better planning.

The eighth hypothesis was that there is a relationship between the amount and type of domestic radio programs consumption and the tendency of youth toward drug use. The findings showed a path coefficient of 0.268 and a t-statistic of 1.263, indicating the insignificance of the estimated path coefficient. Therefore, hypothesis 8 is not confirmed. These findings do not align with those of Maryam Sabati (2009), who found that domestic radio programs influence the tendency toward addiction. Paul and Reghley (1999) found that adolescents who used media promoting violence and domestic radio programs were more likely to be attracted to delinquent and destructive groups. Maryam Sabati (2018) found that increased cultural and educational facilities and media consumption, including domestic radio programs, reduce the tendency toward addiction.

The ninth hypothesis was that there is a relationship between the amount and type of foreign radio programs consumption and the tendency of youth toward drug use. The findings showed a path coefficient of 0.070 and a t-statistic of 0.824, indicating the insignificance of the estimated path coefficient. Therefore, hypothesis 9 is not confirmed. These findings do not align with those of Masoudi Farid et al. (2014), who found that foreign radio programs play a significant role in substance use prevention. Dawson (2015) found a relationship between not using radio programs and the likelihood of delinquency in adolescents. Farahani (2012) found a significant relationship between the use of foreign mass media and children's cognitive development.

The tenth hypothesis was that there is a relationship between the amount and type of smartphone use (modern social networks) and the tendency of youth toward drug use. The findings showed a path coefficient of 0.237 and a t-statistic of 3.499, indicating the significance of the estimated path coefficient. Therefore, hypothesis 10 is confirmed. These findings align with those of Samadiyar (2012), who found that smartphone use, if contrary to public welfare, leads to deviance, corruption, and delinquency. Alireza Barazi (2017) found that smartphone use plays a significant role in preventing substance addiction.

The eleventh hypothesis was that there is a relationship between the amount and type of movies and theater consumption and the tendency of youth toward drug use. The findings showed a path coefficient of 0.073 and a t-statistic of 0.668, indicating the insignificance of the estimated path coefficient. Therefore, hypothesis 11 is not confirmed. These findings do not align with those of Masoudi Farid et al. (2014), who found that movies and theater play a significant role in substance use prevention. Dawson (2015) found a relationship between frequent daily use of films and video CDs and the likelihood of delinquency in adolescents. Mousavi Asl and Jafari (2018) found that using various media, including movies and theater, increases young people's awareness of addiction and drug use and reduces the tendency toward drug use.

The twelfth hypothesis was that there is a relationship between the amount and type of computer games consumption and the tendency of youth toward drug use. The findings showed a path coefficient of 0.264 and a t-statistic of 4.715, indicating the significance of the estimated path coefficient. Therefore, hypothesis 12 is confirmed. These findings align with those of Mousavi Asl and Jafari (2018), who found that using various computer games reduces the tendency toward drug use among youth. Majid Shirzad et al. (2019) found that excessive use of computer games reduces the tendency toward drug use among youth. Alireza Barazi (2017) found that, contrary to other studies, computer games reduce the tendency toward drug use among youth.

Limitations & Suggestions

This study has several limitations that should be considered when interpreting the results. Firstly, the cross-sectional design of the study limits the ability to establish causality between the consumption of cultural and media goods and the tendency of youth toward drug use and addiction. Secondly, the reliance on self-reported data from questionnaires may introduce response bias, as participants may underreport or overreport their behaviors and attitudes. Thirdly, the study was conducted in a specific geographic location (District 2 of Shiraz City), which may limit the generalizability of the findings to other regions or populations. Additionally, the study did not account for potential confounding variables such as peer influence, family background, or socioeconomic status, which could also impact youth's tendency toward drug use. Finally, the study's focus on specific types of media and cultural goods may have overlooked other influential factors or media forms that contribute to the observed behaviors.

Based on the findings of the present study, the following suggestions are proposed for examining the components of the relationship between the consumption of cultural and media goods and the tendency of youth toward drug use and addiction:

Update the content of TV programs and increase the attractiveness expected by the audience to prevent the tendency toward drug use.

Pay more attention to improving and enhancing life skills courses, with continuous implementation as a key component in examining the relationship between the consumption of cultural and media goods and the tendency of youth toward drug use and addiction in the education system.

Considering the active and significant role of drug use and addiction in creating and expanding many problems, including divorce, homelessness, and disease, and recognizing that this devastating disease affects not only adults but also young people and adolescents, it is clear that officials should educate children and adolescents about the consequences of addiction from the beginning. This education should be done openly, allowing them to observe the lives of addicted individuals rather than reading about it in books.

Address the factors influencing the tendency toward addiction, as identified in this and other studies, and take necessary actions to reduce these factors.

- Officials and families should pay attention to employment status, desires, and aspirations of individuals, and increase hope for the future among young people.

Finally, the following suggestions are made for producing media programs aimed at preventing drug use:

Develop and produce programs related to substance use prevention, especially those that address this topic indirectly.

Use scientific approaches in the development and production of media content.

Evaluate media productions.

Train experts and other media professionals on media approaches to preventing drug use.

Consider protective and risk factors in designing and implementing media programs.

Take audience feedback into account when designing media programs and consider audience segmentation in the design process.

Acknowledgments

We would like to express our appreciation and gratitude to all those who cooperated in carrying out this study.

Declaration of Interest

The authors of this article declared no conflict of interest.

Ethical Considerations

The study protocol adhered to the principles outlined in the Helsinki Declaration, which provides guidelines for ethical research involving human participants.

Transparency of Data

In accordance with the principles of transparency and open research, we declare that all data and materials used in this study are available upon request.

Funding

This research was carried out independently with personal funding and without the financial support of any governmental or private institution or organization.

Authors’ Contributions

All authors equally contributed to this article.