NCJ Number
171033
Journal
Journal of Child & Adolescent Substance Abuse Volume: 6 Issue: 4 Dated: (1997) Pages: 1-22
Date Published
1997
Length
22 pages
Annotation
This article compares conduct disorder behaviors and substance involvement of Hispanic and non-Hispanic Caucasian adolescents receiving treatment for alcohol and other drug abuse in order to examine differences in problem behaviors prior to entering treatment.
Abstract
Thirty-four non-Hispanic Caucasian youths 12 to 18 years old were socio-demographically matched to 34 Hispanic adolescent alcohol and drug abusers from a larger longitudinal study. Each adolescent and a collateral informant (usually a parent) were interviewed while in treatment, using the Customary Drinking and Drug Use Record and the Conduct Disorder Questionnaire. Findings included the following: (1) Non-Hispanic youths were three times more likely to be diagnosed with conduct disorder prior to onset of substance involvement; (2) Hispanic adolescents were more likely to have been involved in a gang; (3) Hispanic adolescents' conduct disorder behaviors were more highly correlated with their substance involvement; and (4) Conduct disorder behaviors were predictive of drug involvement and dependence symptoms at the time of treatment entry for Hispanic teens but not for non-Hispanic teens. Results suggest ethnic differences in the developmental course of conduct problems and substance involvement among adolescents in treatment for substance abuse, and suggest different etiologic pathways to alcohol and drug abuse across ethnic groups. Tables, references