Citation

Deas D, St Germaine K, Upadhyaya H. J. Subst. Use 2006; 11(1): 45-51.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2006, Informa Healthcare)

DOI

10.1080/14659890500114318

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Few studies have explored gender comparisons of psychopathology in substance abusing adolescents. To expand the knowledge base in this area, we assessed 59 adolescents (34 males and 25 females) presenting for inpatient treatment in a university-based adolescent dual diagnosis program. Subjects were interviewed for psychiatric disorders using the revised Child Schedule for Affective Disorder and Schizophrenia (K-SADS). The Structured Clinical Interview DSM-IV (SCID-R) was used to diagnose substance use disorders. The subjects were primarily Caucasian, ages 12-18. Ninety-four per cent of the sample used tobacco and females were more likely than males to meet criteria for alcohol abuse or dependence. Disruptive disorders were the most prevalent psychiatric diagnoses in both males and females. However, anxiety disorders were more prevalent in females, and social phobia was the most common anxiety disorder. Both groups had experienced physical and/or sexual abuse; however, there was a trend towards higher incidences of females than males having experienced sexual abuse. Significantly more females had a history of suicide attempt. Taken together, these data suggest that there are some gender differences in co-morbidity that may have treatment implications for this population. Further exploration of gender comparisons of psychopathology in adolescent substance abusers is warranted. © 2006 Taylor & Francis.

Language: en

Keywords

Gender; adolescent; adult; human; sexual abuse; female; male; incidence; Adolescents; university; alcoholism; prevalence; sex difference; schizophrenia; suicide attempt; interview; comorbidity; mood disorder; substance abuse; article; major clinical study; mental disease; controlled study; health program; school child; rating scale; population research; priority journal; anxiety disorder; hospital patient; social phobia; data analysis; Caucasian; diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders; tobacco dependence; Co-morbidity