Adolescent Conduct Disorder, Substance Use, and Traumatic Injury

ABSTRACT

This study prospectively examines die relationship of two types of common behavioral problems of adolescence, substance involvement (SI) and Conduct Disorder Behavior (CDB), to traumatic injury related health problems (TRHP) during adolescence and young adulthood. We followed a sample of 212 youths over 6 years with assessments of SI, CDBs and symptoms, and TRHPs at 2, 4, and 6 years post baseline. We hypothesized that SI and CDB would be associated with an increased incidence of TRHPs and that males would exhibit more SI and CDB than females. We also examined both the independent and combined impact of SI and CDB on TRHP. We found that males reported more SI, CDB, and TRHP than females. Regression analyses suggest that early SI places females at risk for TRHP, while CDB is more related to TRHP for males. Specifically, CDB was directly associated with increased TRHPs in male adolescents and young adults. We suggest that SI impacts TRHPs through its association with CDB; however, the relationships between SI, CDB, and TRHPs appear to be complex. Injury prevention strategies should include consideration of the social and developmental context in which SI and CDB occur in order to be maximally effective.

KEYWORDS:

• Adolescent
• substance abuse
• alcohol
• drug
• delinquency
• conduct disorder
• risk behaviors
• trauma
• injury