Psycho-environmental influences of public recreational spaces on the probability of drug consumption
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.29105/contexto20.32-619Keywords:
gateway drugs, public spaces, perceived environmental restoration, perceived safety, adolescentsAbstract
This study examines the relationship between the environmental qualities of public leisure spaces, perceived safety and importance, perceived environmental restoration, and the probability of drug consumption (tobacco, alcohol, and marijuana) among Mexican adolescents. A total of 194 adolescents from León, Guanajuato, Mexico, participated by completing an Ecological Interview (Mason et al., 2004) that assessed perceived safety, importance, and probability of drug use. Perceived psychological restoration was assessed using the Revised Perceived Environmental Restoration Scale (Martínez-Soto & Montero, 2010). Thirty-nine places were evaluated based on 44 environmental qualities related to natural and built elements, activity-supporting amenities, identity, and spatial configuration. Nine categories of places were identified, with only urban parks and the cultural complex showing favorable profiles in terms of restoration, safety, and importance. Structural equation modeling indicated that vegetation, maintenance, and environmental diversity increase perceived safety and environmental restoration while reducing the probability of drug use. These findings highlight the need to integrate users’ perceptions with objective environmental assessments to inform preventive strategies through the creation of safe, restorative, and meaningful spaces.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Joel Martínez-Soto, Luis Alfonso de la Fuente Suárez, Pedro Emmanuel Hernández Martínez
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