Problematic substance use in depressed adolescents: Prevalence and clinical correlates

Background: Substance use among adolescents is common and associated with significant consequences, including depression. Adolescents can experience myriad problems related to early onset substance use and depression, making further understanding of this comorbidity necessary. Method: Participants w...

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Main Authors: Elise N. Marino, Manish K. Jha, Abu Minhajuddin, Emine Rabia Ayvaci, Sara Levinson, Ronny Pipes, Graham J. Emslie, Madhukar H. Trivedi
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2024-06-01
Series:Addictive Behaviors Reports
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352853224000166
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author Elise N. Marino
Manish K. Jha
Abu Minhajuddin
Emine Rabia Ayvaci
Sara Levinson
Ronny Pipes
Graham J. Emslie
Madhukar H. Trivedi
author_facet Elise N. Marino
Manish K. Jha
Abu Minhajuddin
Emine Rabia Ayvaci
Sara Levinson
Ronny Pipes
Graham J. Emslie
Madhukar H. Trivedi
author_sort Elise N. Marino
collection DOAJ
description Background: Substance use among adolescents is common and associated with significant consequences, including depression. Adolescents can experience myriad problems related to early onset substance use and depression, making further understanding of this comorbidity necessary. Method: Participants were a subset from a large-scale performance improvement project and consisted of adolescents aged 12–18 who screened positive for depression during their routine medical or psychiatric appointment and who then completed the substance use assessment Car, Relax, Alone, Forget, Friends, Trouble Version 2.1 (CRAFFT). Participants with problematic substance use had a CRAFFT score ≥2. Results: A total of 621 participants were included in this study, and 105 (16.9%) reported problematic substance use. Compared with participants without problematic substance use, those with problematic use were more likely to have moderate to severe depression and anxiety, as well as significantly higher irritability, impulsivity, suicidal propensity, and suicidal thoughts scores. Controlling for age at screening, sex, race, and ethnicity, problematic substance use remained a significant predictor of depression severity, impulsivity, suicidal propensity, and suicidal thoughts. Limitations: Participants were from a large, metropolitan area of the Southwest United States who must have screened positive for depression, so results may not generalize. Because all participants were underage, they may have been wary in responding to the substance use assessment accurately. Conclusions: By using a large, diverse sample in a real-world clinical setting, findings strengthen the association between problematic substance use and depression and depression-associated symptoms among adolescents, highlighting the need for early detection and universal depression screening.
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spelling doaj.art-8b0dbdc990e3495092cb953efce577342024-03-15T04:43:38ZengElsevierAddictive Behaviors Reports2352-85322024-06-0119100539Problematic substance use in depressed adolescents: Prevalence and clinical correlatesElise N. Marino0Manish K. Jha1Abu Minhajuddin2Emine Rabia Ayvaci3Sara Levinson4Ronny Pipes5Graham J. Emslie6Madhukar H. Trivedi7Center for Depression Research and Clinical Care, Peter O’Donnell Jr. Brain Institute and Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 5323 Harry Hines Blvd, Dallas, TX 75390, USACenter for Depression Research and Clinical Care, Peter O’Donnell Jr. Brain Institute and Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 5323 Harry Hines Blvd, Dallas, TX 75390, USACenter for Depression Research and Clinical Care, Peter O’Donnell Jr. Brain Institute and Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 5323 Harry Hines Blvd, Dallas, TX 75390, USA; Peter O’Donnell Jr. School of Public Health, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 5323 Harry Hines Blvd, Dallas, TX 75390, USACenter for Depression Research and Clinical Care, Peter O’Donnell Jr. Brain Institute and Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 5323 Harry Hines Blvd, Dallas, TX 75390, USACenter for Depression Research and Clinical Care, Peter O’Donnell Jr. Brain Institute and Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 5323 Harry Hines Blvd, Dallas, TX 75390, USACenter for Depression Research and Clinical Care, Peter O’Donnell Jr. Brain Institute and Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 5323 Harry Hines Blvd, Dallas, TX 75390, USADepartment of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 5323 Harry Hines Blvd, Dallas, TX 75390, USACenter for Depression Research and Clinical Care, Peter O’Donnell Jr. Brain Institute and Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 5323 Harry Hines Blvd, Dallas, TX 75390, USA; Corresponding author.Background: Substance use among adolescents is common and associated with significant consequences, including depression. Adolescents can experience myriad problems related to early onset substance use and depression, making further understanding of this comorbidity necessary. Method: Participants were a subset from a large-scale performance improvement project and consisted of adolescents aged 12–18 who screened positive for depression during their routine medical or psychiatric appointment and who then completed the substance use assessment Car, Relax, Alone, Forget, Friends, Trouble Version 2.1 (CRAFFT). Participants with problematic substance use had a CRAFFT score ≥2. Results: A total of 621 participants were included in this study, and 105 (16.9%) reported problematic substance use. Compared with participants without problematic substance use, those with problematic use were more likely to have moderate to severe depression and anxiety, as well as significantly higher irritability, impulsivity, suicidal propensity, and suicidal thoughts scores. Controlling for age at screening, sex, race, and ethnicity, problematic substance use remained a significant predictor of depression severity, impulsivity, suicidal propensity, and suicidal thoughts. Limitations: Participants were from a large, metropolitan area of the Southwest United States who must have screened positive for depression, so results may not generalize. Because all participants were underage, they may have been wary in responding to the substance use assessment accurately. Conclusions: By using a large, diverse sample in a real-world clinical setting, findings strengthen the association between problematic substance use and depression and depression-associated symptoms among adolescents, highlighting the need for early detection and universal depression screening.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352853224000166AdolescentDepressionEarly onsetSubstance use
spellingShingle Elise N. Marino
Manish K. Jha
Abu Minhajuddin
Emine Rabia Ayvaci
Sara Levinson
Ronny Pipes
Graham J. Emslie
Madhukar H. Trivedi
Problematic substance use in depressed adolescents: Prevalence and clinical correlates
Addictive Behaviors Reports
Adolescent
Depression
Early onset
Substance use
title Problematic substance use in depressed adolescents: Prevalence and clinical correlates
title_full Problematic substance use in depressed adolescents: Prevalence and clinical correlates
title_fullStr Problematic substance use in depressed adolescents: Prevalence and clinical correlates
title_full_unstemmed Problematic substance use in depressed adolescents: Prevalence and clinical correlates
title_short Problematic substance use in depressed adolescents: Prevalence and clinical correlates
title_sort problematic substance use in depressed adolescents prevalence and clinical correlates
topic Adolescent
Depression
Early onset
Substance use
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352853224000166
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