Adolescence is frequently described as a golden time for prevention of substance abuse.

This study is aimed at determining the fit of structural equation modeling for change of attitude toward substance abuse based on the components of emotional intelligence (intrapersonal awareness, interpersonal awareness, adaptation, stress management, and general mood) and reasoning, critical thinking in female adolescents.

The data were collected in random multistage sampling from 800 senior high school students at 4 different regions of Tehran by using the Bar-on Emotional Intelligence Inventory, the adolescent-special revised inventory, Ricketts Critical Thinking Questionnaire, New Jersey Test of Reasoning Skills and Nazari's Questionnaire for Attitude toward Substance Abuse. In the 618 valid questionnaires were statistically analyzed.

Path analysis and path coefficients in the structural equation model suggested that the strongest relation belongs to the reasoning skill, directly predicting attitude with a 61% level and also, has indirect, significant impacts on attitude through intrapersonal awareness, adaptation and stress management. The weakest relation belongs to general mood which, with a 21% level, predicts attitude toward substance abuse. Results of the fit indices in the final model also indicate that all indices are at a desirable level and the model has good fit to the data, implying that there is a linear relation between independent variables and between the moderating variables and a dependent variable.

It is reasonable to show the importance of attitude toward substance abuse in prevention programs for students.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.