Dual diagnosis and successful participation of adolescents in substance abuse treatment

• Published in: Journal of substance abuse treatment 2001-10, Vol.21 (3), p.161-165
• Main Authors: Wise, Brian K, Cuffe, Steven P, Fischer, Timothy
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Addictive behaviors; Adolescent; Adolescent Behavior; Adolescents; Adult and adolescent clinical studies; Attention Deficit Disorder; Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder; Behavior Problems; Biological and medical sciences; Diagnosis, Dual (Psychiatry); Drug addiction; Dual diagnosis; Female; Humans; Male; Medical sciences; Mental depression; Mental Disorders - diagnosis; Mental Disorders - therapy; Mental Illness; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; Residential Institutions; Residential Treatment - methods; Residential Treatment - statistics & numerical data; Retrospective Studies; South Carolina; Substance Abuse; Substance abuse treatment; Substance Abuse Treatment Centers; Substance-Related Disorders - diagnosis; Substance-Related Disorders - psychology; Substance-Related Disorders - therapy; Teenagers; Treatment; Treatment Outcome; Treatment Programs
• ISSN: 0740-5472; 1873-6483
• DOI: 10.1016/S0740-5472(01)00193-3

A retrospective record review of one year of admissions to a residential adolescent substance abuse treatment program (N = 91) examined the prevalence of comorbid psychiatric disorders and factors associated with successful treatment participation. Psychiatric and substance use disorders (SUD) were diagnosed by DSM-IV criteria. Successful participation was based on multiple factors assessed by the treatment team. Consistent with prior studies, there was considerable comorbidity (63.7%) with both disruptive (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder [ADHD], 11%; Conduct Disorder [CD], 24%) and other disorders (depression, 24%; adjustment disorder, 7.7%; bipolar disorder, 3.3%). Male gender was negatively associated (OR = 0.23, P = 0.019) with successful participation in univariate analyses, as was ADHD (OR = 0.18, P = 0.007). CD (OR = 0.37, P = 0.053) approached significance. Multivariate analysis reveals ADHD was significant while having CD and being male approached significance. Psychotropic medication use and other diagnoses were not associated with successful participation. It is concluded that further research on the relationship between ADHD, CD, and substance abuse treatment is needed.