Association of Educational Attainment and Adolescent Substance Use Disorder in a Clinical Sample

Abstract

This study explores substance use, psychosocial problems, and the relationships to educational status in 193 adolescents (school dropouts, 63; alternative education, 46; mainstream students, 84) who attended a substance abuse treatment facility in Dublin, Ireland, within a 42-month period. For each adolescent, data on demographics, family background, substance use, psychiatric history, and offending behaviors were collected. The study found that the 3 groups exhibited statistically significant differences in their substance use problems, with the school dropouts displaying significantly more problems. The need for early detection and intervention of at-risk students, and collaborative interagency work aimed at addressing substance use, cannot be overemphasized as strategies to ultimately prevent school dropout.

Keywords:

• adolescent
• educational attainment
• school dropout
• substance use

Notes

Note. −1– indicates the reference category where concerned. NA indicates the odds ratio was not calculable where concerned.

*p ≤ 0.007.

Note. Z score derived from Mann-Whitney U test.

*p < 0.05. **p < 0.01. ***p < 0.001.