Emerging Adults Post Discharge from Residential Treatment: Subgroup Profiles of Substance Use

ABSTRACT

The outcomes of youth who accessed Residential Treatment are varied; many do not fare well in early adulthood. The purpose for this report was to compare subgroups of substance use behavior among emerging adults who had accessed RT as a child/adolescent on life domains and symptoms gathered by interviews and gleaned from agency files. Of the 59 emerging adults, 11 were categorized as having persistent substance use, 19 as moderate use and 26 as no/minimal use. The mean age at the time of the interview was 19.96 years (SD 1.84), and most (n= 33; 61%) were male. By discharge, the persistent substance use group had significantly greater impairment in functioning in school, home, and self-harm subscales and overall functioning than the other two groups. Fewer participants in the persistent group were employed as emerging adults, and a greater number were self-medicating compared to the other two groups. These results suggest that youth who accessed RT with substance use concerns continue to have difficulties as emerging adults with functioning, symptom severity and life domains. An exploration of specialized programs to address these difficulties appears warranted.

KEYWORDS:

• emerging adults
• residential mental health treatment
• concurrent disorders

Acknowledgments

The authors are grateful for the participants’ involvement and the engagement of representatives from the mental health agencies. The views expressed in this manuscript solely represent the authors.

Funding

This research was made possible through a grant to Gary Cameron (No. 410-2011-0995) from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.

Additional information

Funding

This research was made possible through a grant to Gary Cameron (No. 410-2011-0995) from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.