Unravelling the Cognitive and Emotional Drivers of Alcohol Consumption among Adolescents in Namibian Secondary Schools

Adolescent alcohol use has become an emerging psychosocial concern across Namibia, reflecting the interplay between cognitive vulnerabilities, emotional distress, and permissive socio-cultural environments. This study examined the psychological and emotional mechanisms driving alcohol consumption among secondary school learners, drawing on the integrated perspectives of social cognitive and ecological theories. Employing a sequential explanatory mixed-methods design, quantitative data were collected from 250 adolescents in five schools across the Ohangwena Region, followed by qualitative interviews with 41 educational professionals. Statistical analysis revealed that low self-efficacy and high perceived stress were significant predictors of alcohol use, jointly explaining 35% of the variance in consumption frequency. Qualitative narratives illuminated that adolescents often consume alcohol to regulate stress, achieve social inclusion, and express emerging adult identities within communities where drinking is culturally normalized. Peer encouragement, family modelling, and easy accessibility to informal alcohol markets further reinforced these behaviors. The findings suggest that adolescent drinking in Namibian secondary schools is less a product of moral deviance and more a cognitive-emotional adaptation to psychosocial strain and social conformity. Interventions must therefore transcend awareness campaigns and emphasize emotional literacy, stress-coping skills, and resilience-building within school and community contexts. By unravelling the cognitive and affective drivers of youth alcohol use, this study contributes a contextually grounded understanding that can inform culturally responsive prevention frameworks for adolescent well-being in sub-Saharan Africa.