Health and Developmental Consequences of Youth Drug Abuse

Research Findings from September, 2001 Director's Report

This section lists selected summaries from NIDA funded research projects that investigate the developmental implications of drug use. The summaries provided were selected from recent issues of the Director's Report to the National Advisory Council on Drug Abuse. For a more comprehensive listing of NIDA funded projects see the Director's Report.

The Association between Inattention and Tobacco Use in Early Adolescence

This longitudinal study examined the relation between distinct dimensions of attention-deficit hyperactivity
disorder (ADHD) and substance use among 177 clinic-referred boys (initially between ages 7 and 12)
followed thru age 15. The use of tobacco, alcohol, marijuana, or other illicit drugs was reported by 78% of
the participants, with 51% reporting any tobacco use. Although the inclusion of conduct disorder (CD)
rendered all bivariate relationships with the full diagnosis of ADHD nonsignificant, adolescent inattention,
considered independently, was associated with a 2.3 times greater risk for concurrent tobacco use - even
after controlling for CD, duration of tobacco use by age 12, poor parental communication in childhood,
and ethnicity. These findings highlight the importance of considering the risks for substance use
separately by individual dimensions of ADHD. Burke, J.D., Loeber, R., and Lahey, B.B. Which Aspects of
ADHD are Associated with Tobacco Use in Early Adolescence? Journal of Child Psychology and
Psychiatry, 42(4), pp. 493-502, 2001.

The Insidious Course of Alcohol Use Disorders from Adolescence to Adulthood

This study investigated whether alcohol use disorder (AUD) in adolescence is a risk factor for AUD and
other forms of psychopathology in young adulthood. Nine hundred forty participants from a large
community sample in western Oregon were interviewed twice during adolescence (14-18 years of age the
first assessment; between 1987 and 1991) and once at age 24 (1993-1999). Participants were classified
into non-problematic drinkers, problem drinkers (symptoms of AUD but no diagnosis), and AUD groups.
Both problem drinking and AUD significantly predicted adult AUD, substance use disorder, depression,
and antisocial personality disorder symptoms. Compared to the problem drinkers, the AUD group had
higher rates of adult AUD, more antisocial personality disorder symptoms, and was at risk of borderline
personality disorder. Other findings showed that daily smoking and conduct/oppositional defiant disorders
predicted future AUD, after controlling for adolescent AUD and other disorders. Paternal, but not
maternal, AUD was associated with greater risk of future AUD. In conclusion, findings indicate that AUD
and problem drinking in adolescents are not benign conditions that resolve over time. Assessment,
treatment, and prevention recommendations are discussed. Rohde, P., Lewinsohn, P.M., Kahler, C.W.,
Seeley, J.R., and Brown, R.A. Natural Course of Alcohol Use Disorders from Adolescence to Young
Adulthood. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 40(1), pp. 83-90, 2001.