Citation

Fairlie AM, Chun TH, Hernandez L, Sindelar-Manning H, Eaton CA, Lewander W, Spirito A. Pediatr. Emerg. Care 2010; 26(6): 417-423.

Affiliation

Department of Psychology, University of Rhode Island, Kingston; Departments of Emergency Medicine and Pediatrics, Center for Alcohol and Addiction Studies, The Alpert Medical School of Brown University; The Neurodevelopment Center Rhode Island Hospital; and Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior Center for Alcohol and Addiction Studies, The Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2010, Lippincott Williams and Wilkins)

DOI

10.1097/PEC.0b013e3181e057a4

PMID

20502388

Abstract

OBJECTIVES:: The current study compared 3 groups of adolescents identified in an emergency department (ED) following an alcohol-related event: (1) alcohol-positive adolescents scoring at or above the clinical cutoff on a measure of problematic drinking, the Adolescent Drinking Inventory (ADI) (n = 45); (2) alcohol-positive adolescents scoring below the clinical cutoff on the ADI (n = 68), and (3) alcohol-negative adolescents (n = 64). We examined whether these 3 groups of adolescents differed on measures of substance use as well as psychosocial factors. METHODS:: Participants were recruited as part of a larger clinical trial. Alcohol-positive adolescents were recruited from a level I regional trauma center for treatment related to an alcohol-related incident. Alcohol-negative adolescents were recruited from the ED and the community. The data reported here were from the baseline adolescent and parent assessments. Before completing assessments, adolescents were required to pass a brief mental status examination. RESULTS:: Adolescents in the alcohol-positive, high-ADI group reported significantly more substance use, peer substance use, and peer tolerance of substance use than adolescents in the alcohol-positive, low-ADI group followed by adolescents in the alcohol-negative group. Adolescents in the alcohol-positive, high-ADI group reported significantly less parental supervision than adolescents in the other 2 groups. CONCLUSIONS:: These findings underscore that alcohol-positive adolescents being treated in an ED are a heterogeneous group with respect to substance use as well as parent and peer risk factors. Physicians need to consider relevant background factors when making individualized discharge recommendations.

Language: en